SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 79 



earl}- 80's and in many other States in different years, also 

 what happened in this State once before, as I understand it, 

 thirty years ago, and is quite likely to happen again, that the 

 whole poach industry be wiped out. If our Department can 

 be of help to you we would like you to advise us. liven 

 though you have a strong State law — remember Ihat the law 

 is only the machine you use in doing the work. If you have 

 a good law in regard to this disease and enforce it, then the 

 law will assist. 



Mr. S. G. Cook : The first season that this yellows law- 

 was passed I looked over my orchard, which numbered ten 

 or fifteen hundred trees. I found that the yellows was in a 

 good many of the trees. I spoke to N. S. Piatt about it, and 

 he said he didn't think it was the yellows. However, I cut 

 down every one of the trees in one bunch, and all the others 

 that were diseased. The last day I was at work Mr. Fenn, 

 one of the inspectors, came into the orchard and told me 

 that I had cut down a good many more than he would have 

 condemned, but I told him I wanted to clear it all out and 

 I wanted to save what trees I had left. In the trees that 

 were partly diseased I cut out every sign of it, year after 

 year, and I think about three years after that I had to take 

 them all out. The roots were as sound as any tree I ever 

 saw. Alany of the trees were eight inches in diameter. I 

 can't say cutting out the limbs is of any benefit. The peaches 

 were bitter — and that is one point not spoken of here — the 

 fruit is very handsome in appearance, and not fit for use 

 when the tree is affected by yellows. 



Prof. Waite : I think the gentleman's experience is 

 particularly valuable, that his orchard only lasted three years 

 after he cut the limbs out. The cutting out of the limbs is 

 a very dangerous process. If his trees only lasted three years 

 I would not expect that it would be a safe process to do it. 



Mr, Root: From what State would Professor Waite 

 advise the buying of nursery stock for planting new orchards? 



Prof. Waite: That is rather a pointed question. I 

 would prefer getting the trees from any of the States south 



