158 Pathologist U. S. Department of Agriculture 



by no means a correct indication of the capacity of the soil in meeting the 

 requirements of nutrition. If you are to get exact data in this direction, 

 you will probably find it necessary to institute a careful series of feeding 

 experiments to compare with a parallel series of analyses of the wood and 

 fruit. 



You are probably aware of the fact that our mode of treatment has been 

 tried in New Jersey for several years past, with a considerable degree of 

 success. 



Penhallow accredited Goessmann with first advancing "the idea 

 upon which [their] final success was based." He later advised 

 Smith to prune his orchard in the autumn, being certain to cut off 

 ail conspicuously diseased wood; then, with the special treatments, 

 new and healthy wood might be formed. During both spring and 

 autumn, before and after leafing, treatments of Dissolved Bone- 

 black, Muriate Potash, and Keiserite were to be applied at least 

 a foot from the trunk, spread as far as the large branches extended, 

 and worked into the soil surface. The treatments were to be 

 mulched with sod and straw. Rain would bring the mixture into 

 direct contact with the roots. " Some effect may be noted the first 

 season," wrote Penhallow on September 19, "but more marked 

 the second." If the disease had not progressed very far, that is, 

 if the trees were not very far gone, two or three years would 

 probably complete the cure. But, to prevent recurrences, careful 

 treatments later would be necessary. Penhallow told Smith to 

 consult Dr. George H. Cook, director of the New Jersey State 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, located at Rutgers College, New 

 Brunswick, Mr. H. H. Appleton of Odessa, Delaware, and Dr. 

 Goessmann. 



Smith, however, did far more. He sent out hundreds of letters 

 of inquiry, information blanks, and specially prepared forms. In 

 November at Washington he discussed the disease and its mani- 

 festations with Professor Viala. He gathered together every 

 available book and report on the subject he could find. He studied 

 the history of the peach-growing industry in the United States, 

 regionally ascertaining as best he could when the disease had first 

 appeared. He tabulated data on the effect of early autumn frosts, 

 of cold winters, excessive rain-fall, unfavorable moisture and 

 temperature conditions, and he analyzed in relation to the disease 

 such phases of cultural practice as neglect of cultivation, pruning, 

 and proper fertilizing. He did not constitute either Dr. Goessmann 



