THE YELLOWS IN THE TEACH TREE. 



213 



nute insect, that would favor the supposition 

 that it was the result of animal attacks. That 

 it can be communicated from one tree to an- 

 other by contact, I have not the least doubt. 

 I have used the knife in pruning a healthy 

 tree, which had been used in pruning a 

 tree affected with the yellows, and it was 

 thus communicated to the healthy tree, 

 which showed all the signs and appearan- 

 ces of the diseased tree : the leaves turned 

 yellow, and the small twigs or limbs shri- 

 velled like those of the before mentioned 

 tree. I have noticed that the healthy tree 

 was more or less affected with the yellows 

 communicated from the pruning knife, as 

 more or less predisposed, if I can use the 

 term, by soil and situation to receive it. 

 The better the soil, and the higher the state 

 of cultivation, the less the tree would be 

 affected by the yellows; and in some six or 

 eight cases only, the extreme ends of the 

 branches were affected at all ; and which 

 being cut off, and a proper nourishment be- 

 ing given, the yellows disappeared entirely 

 from the tree ; thus favoring the idea that 

 it originates in the state of the soil, and 

 the mode of cultivation. 



Again, in order to satisfy myself experi- 

 mentally, I pruned the branches of half a 

 dozen healthy trees Avith the knife with 

 which I had just pruned several trees which 

 had the yellows, and I cut off only the ends 

 of the principal branches. From some 

 trees I took one branch, from others two, 

 three and four, always noting carefully the 

 result, which I found to be as follows: the 

 disease or malady was communicated direct- 

 ly to the tree, and might be arrested by cut- 

 ting or trimming, close to the body of the 

 tree, those limbs or twigs which had been 

 before shortened for the sake of the experi- 

 ment. 



I am inclined to the opinion that the yel- 

 lows may be the result of an unhealthy 



soil,* as I have always noticed that the soil 

 upon which the Peach tree is cultivated, 

 operates, in a vi ry distinct way, either more 

 or less favorably or unfavorably upon the 

 growth and development of the tree and 

 fruits. 



I have always found that trees grown 

 upon a good deep soil, of a fair proportion 

 of yellow loam well enriched with manures, 

 into the composition of which a large propor- 

 tion of ashes and other alkaline and ;mimal 

 matter entered, were the most vigorous, and 

 gave the most abundant crops, with the 

 largest and fairest fruits ; and I never found 

 such a soil quickened with such manure, 

 that ever exhibited the least signs of the 

 yellows. I have found the yellows often in 

 trees which were grown upon poor land, 

 without manure, or with but little manure, 

 and that of a poor quality; and I find by 

 observation also, that trees grown in land in 

 which much sorrel abounds, especially if 

 suffered to clog the roots of the peach tree, 

 are more subject to the yellows than if 

 grown even on very poor land ; and my 

 reason for believing the yellows to be owing 

 very much to the manner of cultivation is 

 based upon the following facts: 1 have 

 taken trees, which have decidedly shown 

 the yellows, and after a thorough applica- 

 tion of those manures which contain a large 

 proportion of alkalies, and salt in small 

 quantities, judiciously applied at proper sea- 

 sons, and with proper pruning, brought them 

 back again to a healthy, bearing and vigor- 

 ous state. 



The best remedy for this malady called 

 the yellows, I bt lieve, where one can af- 

 ford to apply the best, is to pull up all the 

 affected trees, and replant with fresh, healthy 

 ones; and then keep a constant eye to the 

 roots and branches, and upon the least signs 



* Wc suppose our correspondent means vnfavorable or 

 uncongenial soil. — Ed. 



