238 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



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Yellows first appeared upon the lake shore, at South Haven, in 18G9, in 

 the orchard of Ivossiter Hoppin. Although it finally destroyed most of the 

 trees in that orchard and appeared in many others, it did not spread rapidly 

 at first. Messrs. Holmes, Wells and Knapp found the disease there in 1873 

 in three orchards only, and but to a very limited extent, i. e., one orchard 

 contained one tree; one, two trees; and one, four or five trees. 



In 1873 a committee was also appointed by the South Haven Pomological 

 Society to inquire into the existence of yellows at South Haven. This com- 

 mittee, consisting of 11. E. Bidwell, H. Linderman and John Williams, 

 reported July 3, 1874, that, with the consent and assistance of the owners, 

 they had removed a few cases of the disease from three orchards, and that 

 ''some traces of it" yet remained. On August 23, 1874, the same committee 

 reported again, as follows: 



Your committee, who were appointed to examine the peaches in this vicinity to see 

 if any yellows could be found, and if so to have it removed, beg leave to report : That 

 where traces of it were found one and two years ago, and then removed, none now can 

 be found ; and where new trees are set in their places they are growing finely, and to 

 ail appearances healthy. In one case two years ago [1872] the owner tried to cut it out 

 of the tree by cutting otf the affected limb, but last season he found that and three ad- 

 joining trees affected. These were carefully removed, and no traces of the disease can 

 now be found in his orchard. A similar case was found last season, where two peaches 

 were found diseased on the end of a limb, which limb was removed as soon as the 

 peaches were discovered to be diseased. On a recent examination this tree was found 

 to be covered with diseased peaches, and several other trees in the neighborhood were 

 likewise found affected in whole or in part, which have all been removed. 



South Haven peach growers knew of the existence of yellows in Berrien 

 county, that village being only about 20 miles north of Beuton Harbor. 

 They were therefore on the lookout for its appearance in their own orchards, 

 the nearness of the danger making them specially watchful. Under such 

 conditions yellows could not have existed long without detection, and there 

 is no reason for supposing it existed at all until 1869. It did not become 

 general until considerably later. Finally, however, it destroyed many trees 

 arid some whole orchards, the Hoppin orchard, among others. 



The condition of peach growing at South Haven prior to 1860 has already 

 been noted. During the next ten or twelve years many peach orchards were 

 planted. In 1864 A. S. Dyckman, one of the large growers, shipped 600 

 baskets; in 1872 he shipped 12,000 baskets. After 1870 the planting of 

 peach orchards increased with special rapidity, owing in part, it may be pre- 

 sumed, to discouragements in western Berrien arising from yellows, but 

 chiefly to the increased facilities for shipment due to the dredging of the 

 harbor and to the building of a railroad. 



The disease appeared first in a few trees and in a few orchards only, grad- 

 ually extending to others. According to Mr. Lyon there was not much yel- 

 lows at South Haven "until after the severe winter of 1874-'75, when about 

 5 per cent of the trees were found diseased and taken out. Afterwards, 

 until this year [1880], there was very little of the disease manifest. This 

 year the disease shows an increase." 



In 1878 A. G. Gulley, of South Haven, writes: 



At least 5,000 trees have been destroyed by this disease the past season [1878] in this 

 county alone. 



In 1882 Secretary J. G. Ramsdell, of South Haven, writes: 



That dreaded scourge of the peach grower, yellows, has made slow but marked 

 .progress during the year in this locality. 



