72 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and obtuseness of neighbors, they will soon be rewarded for their vigilance 

 by the diminution of neighboring orchards. 



Nature has its methods of compensation. Those who wisely try to help 

 themselves will in due time find help in the laws of a well ordered uni- 

 verse. Men who ignore the laws of health and the sanitary conditions 

 around them will in due time suflfer the consequences. Those who care- 

 fully guard against disease and comply with the laws of health are often 

 exempt from the scourges of contagion which depopulate cities and 

 villages. This principle seems to be as true in horticulture as it is in 

 society. We recognize only one serious difference: The sanitary laws of 

 society are now well understood. Cleanliness with the proper use of 

 disinfectants, does not often fail to secure the desired results. The sani- 

 tary laws of peach tree growth and health are as yet only partially under- 

 stood. Some things needful to be done are quite evident, while others 

 which should be done are measurably obscure. 



SOME ESTABLISHED FACTS. 



After varied and numerous experiments, Dr. Smith says the following 

 facts have been established: 



1. "The disease, yellows, is contagious. 



2. " It may be conveyed by seemingly healthful buds when these are 

 taken from diseased trees. 



3. "Only a very small amount of infective material is necessary, pro- 

 vided it be in the form of living cells, which can be induced to unite 

 actively with the growing tissue of the tree. 



4. " The disease has a longer period of incubation than we have been 

 accustomed to suppose. 



5. "The death of the entire tree occurs ordinarily only after several 

 years of infection." 



Dr. Smith also coucludes that some other hypotheses are highly 

 probable : 



1. " The whole tree is affected when symptoms appear in any part of it. 



2. "In some cases the time between the insertion of a diseased bud and 

 the appearance of the disease is longer than has been clearly established. 



3. " The disease is also communicated to budded trees in some other 

 way than by bud inoculation. 



4. " The trees are not infected throught the blossoms. 



5. " Since the diseased trees have been shown to be very full of infec- 

 tious matter, it must be that, for unknown reasons, much of this fails to 

 find an immediate entrance into healthy trees." 



It is quite evident, then from these facts and hypotheses, that intelli- 

 gent men can work intelligently toward the production of healthy peach 

 orchards if they will. Living germs of disease are undoubtedly to be 

 found in every part of the growing tree that is infected, and hence 

 destruction is the only remedy. How long these germs can propagate 

 their kind, after a tree is dead has not, as yet, been determined. There is 

 room for further investigation; and while this is going on, every man 

 should be vigilant in removing and destroying every possible source of 

 peach-tree malaria that may be found on his premises. This being done 

 promptly and thoroughly, we believe the outlook for success is highly 

 encouraging. 



The following paper was read by Mr. Roland Morrill of Benten Harbor: 



