462 THE PEACH. 



of whole districts ; still, little is known of its nature, and nothing 

 with certainty of its cause. Many slight observers have con- 

 founded it with the effects of the peach-borer, but all persons 

 who have carefully examined it, know that the two are totally 

 distinct. Trees may frequently be attacked by both the yel- 

 lows and the borer, but hundreds die of the yellows when the 

 most minute inspection of the roots and branches can discover 

 no insect or visible cause. Still, we believe proper cultivation 

 will entirely rid our gardens and orchards of this malady, and 

 this belief is in part borne out by experiments under our own 

 inspection. In order to combat it successfully it is necessary 

 that the symptoms should be clearly understood. 



Symptoms. The Yellows appears to be a constitutional dis- 

 ease, no external cause having yet been assigned for it. Its in- 

 fallible symptoms are the following : 



1. The production upon the branches, of very slender wiry 

 shoots, a few inches long, and bearing starved, diminutive leaves. 

 These shoots are not protruded from the extremities, but from 

 latent buds on the main portions of the stem and larger branches. 

 The leaves are very narrow and small, quite distinct from those 

 of the natural size, and are either pale-yellow or destitute of 

 colour. 



2. The premature ripening of the fruit. This takes place 

 from two to four weeks earlier than the proper season. The first 

 season of the disease it grows nearly to its natural size ; the 

 following season it is not more than half or a fourth of that size; 

 but it is always marked externally, (whatever may be the natu- 

 ral colour) with specks and large spots of purplish red. Inter- 

 nally, the flesh is more deeply coloured, especially around the 

 stone than in the natural state. 



Either of the foregoing symptoms (and sometimes the second 

 appears a season in advance of the first,) are undeniable signs 

 of the yellows, and they are not produced by the attacks of the 

 worm or other malady. We may add to them the following addi- 

 tional remarks. 



It is established beyond question, that the yellows is always 

 propagated by budding or grafting from a diseased tree ; that the 

 stock, whether peach or almond, also takes the disease, and finally 

 perishes ; and that the seeds of the diseased trees produce young 

 trees in which the yellows sooner or later break out. To this we 

 may add that the peach budded on the plum or apricot is also 

 known to die with the yellows. 



The most luxuriant and healthy varieties appear most liable 

 to it. Slow growing sorts are rarely affected. 



Very frequently, only a single branch, or one side of a tree, 

 will be affected the first season. But the next year it invaria- 

 bly spreads through its whole system. Frequently, trees badly 

 affected will die the next year. But usually it will last, growing 



