farmers' miscellany. 285 



ere generally the more moderate bearers, and are the sorts mostly 

 affected with mildew, and seldom with the yellows. There may 

 be a few exceptions, but this is generally the rule. The inference 

 to be drawn from this is, in the case of serrated leaved, mildewed 

 varieties, the shoots affected with mildew perish as far down as 

 I diseased, and answer, to a certain extent, the purpose of pruning, 

 «ind generally these sorts have very dark green foliage, and seldom 

 have the " yellows j" whereas, on the contrary, the entire leaved 

 varieties, not being subject to mildew, ripen their jshoots to the 

 very extremities, and bear fruit to the same extent when not 

 pruned ; the consequence is, the complete exhaustion of the vital 

 powers of th€ tree in the production and maturing of such im- 

 mense crops of fruit, so frequently seen on young and vigorous 

 trees for the first year or two after they commence bearing. 



It is well known that peach trees raised from healthy stock, 

 grow very thrifty for the first four or five years, or, until they 

 first bear fruit, and seldom or ever show symptoms of the yellows 

 [until they have borne fruit, unless taken from diseased stock. Con- 

 ■sequently, the first and second crops are generally of fair quality 

 and immense quantity, and it has never been matter of surprise to 

 Ime, to see trees allowed to grow and produce in this manner, show 

 signs, if not of the ^' yellows," of a state of exhaustion equally bad ; 

 Ifor in nineteen cases out of twenty, trees are treated, or rather allowed 

 to maltreat themselves as above described. Now, I ask, is it not 

 as reasonable to look to the cause of the debility manifested in 

 peach trees that have what is termed the " yellows," in the ex- 

 hausted state of trees above mentioned, as to the disease being 

 communicated from tree to tree while in blossom, as supposed by 

 many] The fact of healthy trees seldom or ever showing any 

 symptoms of the malady before they blossom, has given rise to the 

 idea of its being communicated while in blossom ; but it will be 

 borne in mind that trees rarely bear fruit before they blossom, and 

 seldom show signs of the disease until the fruit is half grown, or 

 more, and the symptoms become more evident as they approach 

 baturity, and at no time previous is it so visible as at that stage 

 when the tree is ripening its fruit, when the whole resources of 

 he tree are called into action to perform the important offices re- 

 juired at that eventful period. 

 Mr. Darling cites an instance oi buds being taken from a tree 



