
          248

"The disease of which I speak is characterized by two
peculiar symptoms; the premature ripening of the fruit, and
the growth of very slender shoots from the body or large
limbs of the tree.  The first symptom is always manifest, if
the tree has fruit upon  it; but in the first season of the
disease, it is rare that all fruit is affected; generally
that [on] one or two large limbs, ripen[s] three or four weeks
too soon.  The second season the whole tree is affected.  The
fruit may attain its full size, or may be no larger than a
cherry[?]. [This last may not be a symptom of yellows!] Probably is not!
All peaches whatever may be their color in a
state of health (red, yellow, or white), are more or less
purple when diseased.  I have known one exception, and
one only to this remark. [This exception may have been a premature to borers?]
The color is not confined to the
skin of the peach; it reaches even to the stone, producing
either purple specks or lines throughout the pulp.  The
taste of the peach in insipid or slightly astringent.

"The second symptom generally, but not always, manifests
itself the first season of the disease.  The stem of the
slender shoots varies in size from that of the smallest to
the largest knitting needle.  It is thickly covered with
small leaves about half an inch long and one-eight [eighth] of an inch
wide, of a color reddish yellow or white.  These shoots
sometimes come out in clusters and sometimes singly, most

[begin right margin] Darling was too shrewd a man! [end right margin]
        