64 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of the country, where we saw many healthy but very many 

 more diseased trees, and one thing was particularly noted : of 

 the very unhealthy orchards, none had received any very heavy 

 applications of potash, if any ; while of the health}- ones most had 

 been treated with it, thus to some extent confirming our own 

 experience. Also the trees that had the whole field to themselves 

 and good clean culture were far more healthy than those receiving 

 less culture and having to share that with some other crop. 



No trace of yellows had yet shown itself in any of our orchards 

 that had received potash, but this season a hundred or so had 

 sickl}', yellow foliage with some curl to the leaf and we were told 

 by many that this was yellows. An application just before a rain, 

 of two pounds of nitrate of soda per tree soon changed this to a 

 dark, healthy green and a rapid growth commenced and continued 

 till fall, when the trees were apparently as healthy as any in the 

 lot. 



Fruit buds were killed again the next winter ; in fact, every 

 winter till the last, when eighteen degrees below zero, on Jan- 

 uary 19, was the lowest point reached, but as at this time there 

 was two feet of snow on the ground, many of the buds came 

 through alive. 



The first trace of real yellows was seen in 1885, on one tree in 

 the middle of the field, which sent out from its body and large 

 branches, many small, wir}' shoots, producing small, yellow, 

 lance-like leaves — an indication that the tree was in a 

 very advanced stage of the disease. Ten pounds of potash 

 and five of nitrate of soda was put on at once and vigorous 

 growth stimulated. Early in the spring following, fulh' one-half 

 of the top was cut awa}', more potash and soda given, with extra 

 cultivation, and by August this tree was the pride of the whole 

 orchaid, its rapid growth of dark green foliage being noticeable 

 above all others, and the past season it bore a full crop of 

 healthy fruit. In 1886, one whole row of trees had all the sj'mp- 

 toms of the disease, 3'et with the same treatment this past season 

 they came out bright and fine and matured their fruit perfectl}'. 

 Still other trees showed the disease the past season for the first 

 time and raa\' die next year, but past experience leading us to 

 have faith that they can be saved, for a time at least, we shall 

 try it rather than sacrifice them. 



You will recollect. Mr. President, that I said that in nearly all 



