-236 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In 1871, according to Charles W. Garfield, who then first saw the Saint 

 Joseph region, the peach orchards were everywhere. 



In 1873, J. E. Chamberlain declared the number of peach trees in the 

 fruit region of Berrien county to bo not less than 600,000 by actual count. 

 A. S. Dycisnian made a similar statement in 1874. Both apparently based 

 their statements on the careful canvass made by Mr. Merchant in 1872. 



The peach shipments, by water, from Berrien county in 1877, were estimated 

 by John Whittlesey, of Saint Joseph, at 422,225 baskets. A few baskets 

 went also by railroad. 



Prom about 1870 we begin to meet frequent references to the ravages of 

 yellows. 



In 1871, by invitation of the Berrien County Horticultural association, Dr. 

 E. C. Kedzie visited Benton Harbor and examined many trees having all the 

 characteristics of yellows. 



In 1872 " L. T." states that yellows has commenced its destructive work 

 Saint Joseph, Mich., where he has a twenty-acre orchard. 



In April, 1873, L. Collins, of Saint Joseph, says: 



We have the disease called yellows among our trees and that to an alarming extent. 

 I have lost one orchard of 8U0 trees entirely by the disease. 



In 1872, Messrs. Cook and Bidwell found yellows more or less "in every 

 direction from ]3enton Harbor." It extended northeast 12 miles, as far as 

 Watervliet and Paw Paw lake, in the extreme north part of the county. 

 They state that: 



The disease has probably existed in the vicinity five years. The exact time of its ad- 

 vent is not known. The people have tried to believe that it was not the yellows, but 

 the result of peculiar soil or seasons. But the fact can no longer be concealed. They 

 have " the yellows" in its most aggravated form. 



In April, 1873, A. R. Nowlen, of Benton Harbor, says: 



I think the disease made its appearance five years ago [1868] for the first time, and 

 in various orchards several miles distant from each other simultaneously. 



In 1873 a committee, consisting of Prof. J. C. Holmes, H. G. Wells, and 

 S. 0. Knapp, were appointed by the State Pomological society to make a 

 report upon yellows in Michigan. During that year these gentlemen spent 

 nine days, July 30 to August 7, in southwestern Michigan searching for the 

 disease. They found it only at Saint Joseph, Benton Harbor, and South 

 Haven. No diseased trees were seen north of South Haven, nor many any- 

 where ; but the trip was too hasty to permit of thorough examination. They 

 talked with many peach-growers and concluded that the disease was not 

 widely prevalent. Among others the following well-known peach-growers 

 reported to this committee that yellows was not present in their locality: E. 

 D. Lay, Ypsilanti ; T. T. Lyon, Plymouth; I. S. Linderman, Casco; Henry 

 S. Clubb, Grand Haven; C. J. Dietrich, Grand Kapids ; D. K. Waters. Spring 

 Lake; S. B. Peck, Muskegon; J. D. Husted, Lowell; S. L. Morris, Holland; 

 and C. Engle, Paw Paw. 



Four years later, in the Annual Report of the Secretary of the Michigan 

 State Pomological Society, it is stated that at Benton Harbor and Saint 

 Joseph, *' they are giving up peaches on account of the yellows." These vil- 

 lages are both on Lake Michigan and only about three miles apart. The same 

 year a Benton Harbor correspondent of the Cultivator and Country Gentle- 

 man says: "We have lost most of our trees in this region by yellows." 

 'The same year the same journal quoted from T. T. Lyon: "This violent and 



