284 MANUAL OF FRUIT DISEASES 
the number of peach trees destroyed by yellows between the 
years 1874 and 1890 is estimated at more than one-half 
million. 
Symptoms. 
The marked symptoms of peach-yellows consist (1) in a 
premature ripening of the fruit (Fig. 76); (2) a red spotting 
on the surface of the fruit; (3) the development of secondary 
shoots in great numbers (Fig. 77), these being dwarfed and 
unhealthy in appear- 
ance; (4) the de- 
velopment of short 
shoot-axes with 
sickly foliage of a 
yellowish or red- 
dish brown color, 
having a tendency 
to roll — sidewise. 
Fic. 76.— Peach-yellows; on the right small These symptoms be- 
healthy peaches, on the left large prematurely ‘ 2 
ripened fruit. gin to develop in 
the middle of the 
summer. Subsequent developmental stages are observed at 
various seasons of the year. 
Certain evidences of yellows are apparent the first year that . 
the orchard is affected. (1) There is a premature ripening of 
the fruit (Fig. 76) ; this will likely be the first noticeable symp- 
tom. This premature ripening may take place a few days 
to several weeks prior to the time of normal ripening. It may 
occur on but one or two branches, in which case the peaches on 
the rest of the tree ripen normally, or all peaches on an affected 
tree may exhibit this abnormality. This phenomenon should 
never be confused with the work of the peach-tree borer; trees 
severely injured by this insect may ripen their fruit prematurely, 
but the flesh is never red spotted and shoots are not put forth 
as in yellows. (2) Diseased fruits are always reddish or pur- 
