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tion, the growers began to realize they would have to add some food 

 to the soil or go out of business. So they began adding manure, 

 cover crops and commercial fertilizers and under such treatment, 

 the trees gradually regained their strength and today, it is a highly 

 specialized peach section." 



I do not wish to go into the varieties of peaches or the details 

 of spraying. This information can be had in bulletin form from 

 our different State Experiment Stations. I do wish to bring out 

 the point that we should not allow our trees to bear more than they 

 can hold up nicely. In other words, use no props but practice 

 thinning. When the peaches are about the size of blue damson 

 plums, thin them down to about five or six inches apart on the 

 branch. This practice will pay you big. If you are skeptical, try 

 this on a few trees this coming season. 



Discussion. 



Mr. Bassett. How about diseases? 



Prof. Fagan. I have said nothing in regard to disease and 

 disease control, but I want to name the diseases that are apt to 

 be troublesome. In the first place, if peach yellows has entered 

 into your orchard, it will need close attention. Another disease 

 that you will have to fight will be peach leaf curl. Another dis- 

 ease that you are apt to find in nursery stock is crown gall. If you 

 find crown gall in peach trees, do not plant them, for the simple 

 reason that they will never amount to very much. Some nursery- 

 men say that it will not hurt peaches or apples. 



R. A. Wickersham. Do any nurseries have crown gall in 

 peach trees? 



Prof. Fagan. Yes, lots of them. 



R. A. Wickersham. Where? 



Prof. Fagan. All through Ohio there is lots of crown gall on 

 peaches. Crown gall on the peach does not look quite like it does 

 on the apple. It is not the white slimy knot that is often present at 

 the union of two roots. 



R. A. Wickersham. Is crown gall found in any other states? 



Prof. Fagan. I have thrown out crown gall trees from ad- 

 joining states. Ohio has it. West Virginia has it, Virginia has it, 

 Indiana has it, Michigan has it, and Pennsylvana will have it. If 

 you buy nursery stock infected with crown gall, do not accept it. 

 I would not plant it. 



Mr. Bassett. How about "Little Peach"? 



Prof. Fagan. "Little Peach" is a disease that will play havoc 

 if it enters. I understand that there is some little peach in Pennsyl- 

 vania. Little peach and peach yellows are diseases that we do not 

 know much about. A man that will find an absolute cure for 

 peach yellows other than cutting down the tree, would make an 

 immense fortune. The fact that yellows will destroy your trees 



