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Manalapan, Monmouth Co. N. J. April 10, 1888.

Erwin F. Smith Esq. Ann Arbor, Michigan

Dear Sir: Your favor of 3/31 came duly to hand for which please
accept thanks,  There are a good many peaches grown in this
county, at the present time, and the orchards are increasing
in number.  To say that the disease (yellows) has disappeared
is not true; but perhaps no crop pays the grower better than
peaches, notwithstanding are occasional orchard is not successful.
Perhaps this is as good and defininte an answer
as I could give to question No. 1.

2. The oldest orchards [in vicinity of Manalapan] are about
ten years and about this age they usually cease to be 
profitable. There may be exceptions, according to care
in thining [thinning] fruit, trimming trees, and fertilization.

3. As above stated, [yellows] shows itself to a limited extent
in some orchards, but not enough to seriously
affect the crop or longevity of the orchard as a 
whole [?].

4. There are a good many orchards planted each 
year, and the number seems to be increasing.

5. This is answered in Question  3, but in addition
would say that I have been more or less familiar
with peach orcharding for 30 years and I do not see
very much more of the disease now in bearing orchards
than I did in my younger days.  Some orchards
& some locations, now as then seem to suffer 
more than others; and then, while cultivation
and fertilization of the soil will not overcome the
disease, they greatly aid in keeping the tree vigorous
so as, I believe, to resist the attack.  The symptoms
you name are undoubtedly signs of the disease
and my notion is the disease is caused
or induced by climatic changes, as I am
creditibaly informed that the disease is not
known South of a certain parallel of latitude.
This letter I have on such authority as P. J. Berckmans,
of Augusta, Ga.  On Oct 9, 1886 we had
a freeze that froze the trees while in full growth
the ground at the time being very dry.  The result
was that many trees 2 to 4 years old were killed
outright and others with large limbs through the
tree. Some of these trees fruited last year with
much discolored fruit, and I look for more disease
in these orchards than older ones not
so much affected.
        