22 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



leaved varieties, but I cannot say that it affects their longevity, as tliej recover 

 with age. Nearly all our trees, however, have glandular leaves. 



Very truly jours, 



A. S. DYCKMAN. 



LETTER FEOM A. E. NOWLEN. 



Benton Haebor, April 8th, 1873. 



Gents: — Our peach trees in most localities are being injured by what many 

 suppose to be the '' Yellows." though our actual loss in consequence is com- 

 paratively trifling. Judging from the description given of the disease by reliable 

 authors, my impression is that the disease is rightly named, although Doctor 

 Hull, of Alton, 111., and some other good fruit men who have taken observa- 

 tions here will not admit that it is the Yellows, it being quite unlike that which 

 is known as the Y^'ellows in Illinois and other sections. 



I think the disease made its appearance five years ago for the first time, and 

 in various orchards several miles distant from each other simultaneously. I 

 think I have good reason to believe the disease contagious, though many, and 

 I think the m;ijority here think otherwise, and I will further say that I am 

 fully persuaded it is epidemical, partly because of what I learn of its workings 

 in New Y'^ork and New Jersey ; but mainly from my own observation here. 



During ihe first two years trees attacked would die, or nearly so, the second 

 year, but the last two years most of my trees that were afiected lost but little 

 of their vitality. I noticed the last season especially that my diseased trees 

 were more vigorous than they were the year previotts. This may have resulted 

 in part from thorough pruning, but not wholly so, as I noticed the same thing 

 in orchards that were comparatively uncared for; hence my opinion is that 

 the disease is on the decrease. 



I have, perhaps, no well defined theory as to the cause of the disease, but I 

 am quite sanguine that the sap is first afiVcted. I judge this in part because 

 branches of afiVcted trees, in contact with branches of healthy trees, impart the 

 disease to the healthy ones, and it is often the case that one or two branches of 

 a tree will be aflPected whde other parts are sound during the entire season. 

 These are but slight reasons, but then there is another which I infer from the 

 effect of treatment. 



I have tried a number of experiments. I treated several hundred trees with 

 hot water and ashes around the roots with no apparent effect. I treated healthy 

 and diseased trees alike, as it is a very good way of destroying the borer. This 

 application I made in the summer of 1871. 



Last SCMSOU, among other things, I si)rinkled hot water on the branches and 

 trunks of two diseased trees that had fruit on them. This was done about the 

 26th of August. In eight or ten days thereafter the' fruit on these two trees 

 had turned to the natural flavor, and. although one of the trees was diseased 

 in 1870, both are to-day, perhaps, as healthy as any trees I have. The change 

 for the better was so unmistakable that I immediately proceeded to treat most 

 of my trees v/ith hot water, and instead of pouring it on the roots I applied it 

 to the trunk by turning it on at the forks, heating the bark of the entire trunk 

 to the branches. I usi-d about eight quarts of water to a full sized tree. This 

 would heat the bark too hot for the naked hand. I think that more than 

 eight quarts would do no harm. I tried this experiment too late in the season 

 to afl"ect the fruit; indeed most of the fruit had been gathered. My theory is 

 that the diseased sap is restored to its natural state. I expect to con- 



