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more hardy, better able to resist adverse
influences, while their productive power
would be increased rather than diminished.
The would not be exempt from the
occasional attacks of curl and other fungi, nor from
the numerous insect pests that infect the
peach,  and they would still be subject to sudden
changes of temperature during the flowering
season; but I do not hesitate to express
my belief, whatever may yet be discovered
with regard to the decay of the peach,
that the adoption of the mussel-stock would
once more allow it profitiable cultivation.
Whatever new facts may be brought to
light by a careful examination of the phenomena
to be observed in the spring [the author's
observation began late in the fall], the
adoption of a new stock lies at the base
of all remedial measures.

"In an Auckland nursery I observed 
two healthy trees - the only trees absolutely
healthy there; all the young stock, even the
seedlings still in the <s>hot</s> seed-bed, being badly
affected. The two healthy specimens were
worked on mussel-stocks.

"Three varieties of peach are stated by
some to be 'blight proof': the Comet, Solway,
and Early Rivers. This statement, however,
must be received with some qualification,
as I have seen the first and second in
a dying state, and feel very doubtful
about the third. Had the assertion been
confirmed it might have been worth
while to have double budded the mussel
using one of these varieties for the first
working.
        