92 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



trees grew, and we have taken out forty trees. That is the 

 worst attack of the yellows we have ever had. 



Professor Roberts. I will add to my statement that the 

 law of Michigan makes it incumbent upon a man to take out 

 his diseased trees. If he does not take them out, the com- 

 missioner takes them out and takes a good slice out of his 

 bank a'bcount for neglecting his duty. 



Mr. Hale. Michioan has a most efficient law in that 

 respect, and it is working well. There was a similar law 

 passed in the State of New York against the yellows and the 

 black-knot ; but the weak point in all these laws seems to 

 me to be that commissioners are only appointed upon the 

 call of a certain number of interested fruit growers. Now, 

 the very men who need protection against these diseases 

 have not i)luck enough or progress enough to ask for the 

 appointment of such commissioners. Progressive fruit grow- 

 ers will look out for the yellows and the black-knot ; but 

 there are a great many men who will not look out for them- 

 selves, and those men the law must look after. Commis- 

 sioners should be appointed for every township, whether the 

 fruit growers ask for such appointment or not. 



QuESTioisr. Did you set new trees where those died of 

 the yellows? 



Mr. Hale. We have not done it in our older orchards, 

 but I would not hesitate to do it from any fear of the disease. 

 We have a new orchard where a number of the trees have 

 died of the yellows, and we have pulled them up and put 

 new trees in the places of those that were taken out. There 

 is no trouble about it. I would not hesitate to put another 

 tree right in where a tree affected by the yellows has been 

 taken out. I have never yet seen any ill effects follow 

 from it. 



Question. If you were going to plant a peach orchard 

 on a hill, which side of the hill would you select? 



Mr. Hale. I should not want to answer that question 

 off-hand. I do not know anything about the character of 

 the soil. But, so far as hills are concerned, I should rather 

 prefer the north side of them. It de[)ends upon the charac- 

 ter of the soil. That may be too wet. 



Question. Would you have a wind protector? 



