
          83

"Is it not to the reflective pomologist, a melancholy fate?- to the
lover of fruit a sad misfortune? Newly planted orchards on land
where a peach tree never grew, seem to fare no better; they sicken,
lose all their thrift, and apparently die by inches."

It was raining on the day of this visit so that the writer
apparently did not enter the orchards.

On page 286, same vol. (1858) in answer to a correspondent who
asks if this wide-spread peach disease is "Yellows" the reply is:

"The disease in Delaware may be yellows, yet as we do no know
all the symptoms as developed there, we cannot speak positively.
The yellows at the north is first indicated by a blotched and prematurely
ripened fruit- then by small dry wiry shoots and a sickly
growth-- then death.  The yellows is quite contagious."

"Mr. Jacob Ridgeway has a farm near Delaware city, in this
county, on which he commenced planting a peach orchard in the year
1831.  A neighbor of Mr. R's gave us, a few day since, the following
account of the condition and product of the peach plantation
during the present year [1837].  In the 7 years which have elapsed
since he commenced the plantation, Mr. Ridgeway has planted 140
acres- 100 trees on the acre.  The produce of the present year is
estimated, by our informant, at 100 baskets of peaches per acre,
or 14,000 baskets of peaches.  The peaches of which he presented
        