REPOKTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 255 



THE YELLOWS IX OUIl PEACH OIICIIAKDS. 



j;y h. j. edgell. 



The yellows in our peach orchards has been the standard theme for disputa- 

 tion in our society for tlie past several months, scarcely a meeting having 

 occurred during the period mentioned but tliat this topic in some shape or 

 form has not been interwoven or sandwiched between our regular subjects for 

 discussion. 



And so much of fascination has attached to this magic word, that no 

 amount of overwork, or of darkness, and difficult navigation of miry streets, 

 has in this time prevented a general attendance of members whenever the 

 question for consideration promised a reference to this subject. 



In all these discussions, however, I regret to say few neio facts have been 

 brought tQ the surface, and at the end of the season we find our fund of infor- 

 mation respecting this insidious malady has not been materially increased. 



This is doubtless, for the most part, attributable to the well established fact 

 that no clearly defined case of yellows has ever been known to succumb to 

 successful medical treatment Hence the prevailing apathy and the absence of 

 any incentive to study or stay its progress, as also the additional unfortunate 

 circumstance that we collectively ignore that wise and time honored adage 

 that **an ounce of preventive is better than a pound of cure.'' And this I 

 apprehend is the only direction in wdiicli we may seek or hope for substantial 

 relief. We may unitedly j^^rcre^z^, but unitedly or otherwise cure is improbable 

 if not impossible. 



Permit me now to revert to the evening of the conference with our Sauga- 

 tuck friends, on which occasion it will be remembered. I endeavored to submit 

 the result of some of my observations during the latter part of the past season 

 with reference to a somewhat novel, and, as I regard it, more than probable, 

 theory respecting the dissemination of this disease, the disjointed and confused 

 relation of which however was not deemed sufficiently clear to warrant a record 

 thereof. And I should most probably not have taken this method of recurring 

 to them again had not others since so far signified their appreciation of the 

 suggestions they embodied as to adopt some of them as their own, and have 

 recourse to the public prints for their ventilation. 



As previously remarked, during the season just passed, while testing the 



pruning theory'^ on diseased trees, as this was at one time advocated by 

 some of the brethren as the correct thing to do, I observed after each operation 

 that contact with the foliage of such trees invariably produced on my hands 

 and face a prickling or tickling sensation, quite annoying, and in mitigation of 

 which soap and water proved tiie only effectual remedial agent. 



Somewhat curious to know its cause an examination of several diseased trees 

 followed and its presence was manifested in each instance. A similar inspec- 

 tion of healthy trees was also had, but without disclosing similar results. 



The theory advanced by some Eastern authority that the solution was to be 

 found in the presence of myriads of microscopic insects occurred to me 

 as the most plausible, but careful microscopic examination failed to verify this 

 conclusion. But in lieu thereof the newer growth of foliage on all the 

 infected trees examined was found to have developed a delicate light-colored 

 or silvery lining underneath, which with the slightest friction against the face 

 or neck, produced the effect before noted. 



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