
          184

S. H. Wilson, of Baltimore Co., Md., in The American
Garden, New York, 1887, p. 72, writing on "Peach Yellows in
Maryland", says that forty years ago, trees "rarely, if ever,
failed to grow and produce large crops for years", even when
neglected.

Some years before the civil war his neighbor set out ten
or twelve acres of peach trees which did well.  Seven or
eight years later he set out two additional orchards of about
the same size.  "Before they came into bearing, the yellows,
a thing heretofore unknown, attacked the old orchard and
spread to the two young plantations; and I do not think his
last two plantings produced a peck of fruit.  Peaches had
never before seen planted on that ground; the land was plowed
the trees regularly wormed, and wood ashes thrown aroung the
base of each."

When he came upon his own place seventeen years ago [1876]
"it was nearly all planted with peach trees just coming into
full bearing."  Yellows was then present, and gradually
spread until now but one tree is left, although he dug out,
cultivated, and boned heavily.
        