SUMMER MEETING. 15 



Thubsday, June 7 — 9 a. in. 



THE APPLE. 



Papers by Mr. Durkes, of Platte county, and Mr. Homer Reed, of 

 Xansas City, followed by general discussion. The followinff points 

 were made by the different speakers : 



Plow your land before planting ; any land that will raise good 

 corn will grow trees. Select good, thrifty trees two years old, no rule 

 as to age of trees ; wrap the trees well to protect from sun, worms and 

 rabbits. Some cut back the top, others do not ; some paid no atten- 

 tion to the roots and others no attention to the tops ; one man sug- 

 gested to give him the roots and you take the tops and see who has 

 apples first. The reply was, the apples didn't grow on the roots. 



Keep your orchard planted in corn three or four years ; then 

 keep a row or two of corn on the outside for three or four years more 

 as wind-break and b.ug-feeder. Cultivate around the body of the tree 

 when the soil first gets soft in the spring, and you can plow the rest 

 later and harrow all together. The ground should be plowed and har- 

 rowed at least twice a year; some thought a cultivator would do as 

 well, and keep the ground flue and level ; dust is nature's mulch. 



Spray two or three times a year. Examine the trees every year 

 in June and September for borers ; a knife and a wire are the best 

 ammunition for them. Never allow any stock in the orchard, unless it 

 is hogs or chickens. 



Much pruning was discouraged, as it made more wood and no 

 fruit. Trim out the cross-branches and let nature do the rest. 



A report was made of Johnson and Lafayette counties on fruit. 

 The whole root system was pronounced a humbug. 



Mr. G. A. Dodd, of Sedalia, is a Ben Davis man. Not much hope 

 for trees stung by locusts ; best to plant a new orchard. 



Judge Miller says he can move a tree from four inches to four feet 

 -through, if he has the proper lifiing apparatus, and guarantee it to live. 



The subject of varieties was then taken up. The trees in an 

 orchard must be mixed, as all of one kind will not fertilize as well as a 

 variety of kinds. Get kinds that bloom about the same time. The 

 JBen Davis, Roman Beauty and Jonathan were recommended^two- 

 thirds Ben Davis and one-third of the others in 40 acres ; distance of 

 planting, 25 feet. The Secretary suggested that our trees might be 

 improved by the selection of fine fruit to get seed from, instead of 

 planting the "cider-mill seed," as a good many nurserymen did, which 

 •come from the poorest, knottiest specimens in the orchard. 



