io6 The Connecticut Pomological Society 



State Agricultural College, to make sure that they are com- 

 petent for the work. 



Pennsylvania laws organize the work under township boards, 

 while in Utah the county courts make appointments and draw 

 upon the county treasury to pay expenses. 



Connecticut has never legislated against the San Jose scale, 

 but early in 1893 the Assembly passed a bill creating a Peach 

 Yellows Commission, providing for the inspection of all peach 

 orchards of the state and obliging the owners to destroy the 

 diseased trees which the commission had condemned. The 

 law placed the matter largely under the control of the State 

 Board of Agriculture. The commission was appointed by the 

 Board, and the selection of deputies as well as the regulations 

 under which the work was prosecuted were subject to the 

 ratification and approval of the board. 



The law, though not entirely satisfactory in all respects, 

 was probably one of the best laws ever enacted for the pur- 

 pose. It was repealed in 1897 by a legislature composed of 

 men who believed in economy and retrenchment, especially 

 along agricultural lines. During the four years that the Peach 

 Yellows Commission existed, 1,883,123 trees were examined 

 and 99,714 of them were condemned and presumably destroyed. 

 The total expense to the state for this work was about 

 $18,750, or less than one cent per tree. The proportion of 

 diseased trees as indicated by the number of trees condemned 

 was reduced from 10 per cent in 1893 to 2.8 per cent in 1896. 

 This reduction can fairly be placed to the credit of the legis- 

 lation and of the Peach Yellows Commission that executed 

 the laws. But it was difficult to obtain competent inspectors 

 in some districts and there was much prejudice against the 

 law on this account, and some pressure was brought to bear 

 upon the legislators for its repeal. 



One of the best effects of the Peach Yellows Law was 

 that of educating the people of the state, many of whom were 

 unaware of the existence of such a disease as the "yellows." 

 The same is true of any legislation of like nature. Much in- 

 formation has been disseminated regarding the prevention and 

 spread of human diseases by the work of our boards of health 

 and sewerage commission. But there is even a greater reason 



