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Michigan State Horticultural Society.
President's Office.
Annual Membership $1.00
Life Membership $10.00

South Haven, Mich., Jan'y 19th. 1888.

Prof. Erwin F. Smith.

Dear Sir:-

The yellows did not originate spontaneously in Michigan.
It was introduced about the year 1862 [wrong date] (Hist. P 242) at Benton
Harbor, where a tree of Early Crawford imported from New Jersey,
ripened  its crop of fruit quite in advance of the usual season
of that variety.  In ignorance of such disease this was treated
as a sport and the tree was literally cut in pieces to supply
buds for propagation.  These carried the infection everywhere, so
that the whole region was rapidly infected and in an incredibly
short period, the entire peach interest of that region was swept
away. [cf. statement on p. 304]

1. " How many years have peaches been grown at South Haven" ? (See
History of VanBuren Co. P 268 to 275)
2.  Appearance of yellows- (In Hist. as above) first appearance
at South Haven in 1872 - 3.
3.  The peach interest at that time was already extensive and the
trees free from disease.
4.  I have never had observation of peach on plum stock.  They
are very rarely grown in this country and I have not known such a
case since the appearance of yellows in Michigan.  I am disposed
to accept the statement respecting Mr. John T. Edward's peach tree
        