70 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the soil, root rot notably holds over, and the black peach aphis 

 is another example of this kind. There are probably other 

 root fungi or root diseases which live over in the soil and 

 make replanting, especially if the tree was diseased with these 

 diseases, difficult and unsatisfactory. That is, however, quite 

 another matter from the yellows question. 



Yellows Outbreaks. 



The present severity of this disease in Connecti- 

 cut is a part of the general outbreak of the yellows, 

 which has occurred over a considerable extent of coun- 

 try, and has probably been accumulating for three or four 

 years. The destruction of peach trees by this disease has been 

 unusually severe, not only in Connecticut, but in Southern 

 New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia ; 

 possibly, also, we should say, in Eastern Tennessee. As far as 

 Eastern Tennessee is concerned, it is new territory for this 

 disease. Attention should be called to this striking fact, that 

 the seedling orchards of Eastern Tennessee, which have been 

 in the past considered one of the best sources of peach seeds, 

 have been destroyed. Apparently not even bad peach seed 

 can be secured from Eastern Tennessee at the present time. 

 Outbreaks similar to the present one have been recorded for 

 over one hundred years. In fact, this has been the behavior 

 of yellows in the past. In Connecticut, some thirty years ago, 

 there was a similar outbreak, which practically put an end to 

 commercial peach growing. These outbreaks are sometimes 

 of quite an extent, but more frequently rather local. A very de- 

 structive outbreak occurred in Delaware and the eastern shore 

 of Maryland in 1886 to 1888. At that time the disease had 

 not even reached the southern counties of Delaware. In 

 Michigan destructive outbreaks have occurred at various 

 points along the peach belt, but never extending the whole 

 length. At Benton Harbor the first great destruction by this 

 disease occurred in 1874-1884. Berrien County had 654.000 

 peach trees in 1874, and 54,000 in 1884. Later, similar de- 

 struction befell the various peach growing centers throughout 

 the 150 miles of the Michigan peach belt. South Haven had 



