54 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and corners of the farm and allowed to take care of itself. My experi- 

 ence has taught me differently. Of newer varieties of raspberries I 

 have tried the Kansas and Lovett, but have not tested either suffi- 

 ciently to speak positively. The Kansas is a very healthy plant and a 

 strong grower. I have bought a great many plants from the same 

 party at Lawrence, Kansas, who furnished me the Kansas, and they 

 have always been fine thrifty plants and free from disease. I speak of 

 this because I believe there are very few places where plants can be- 

 obtained free from disease of some kind or another. 



G. P. Turner, Meadville, Mo. 



Report on Small Fruits. 



state Horticultural Society, Harrisonville — Greeting : 



As one of your Committee on Small Fruits, I regret to report that 

 at present the outlook for I^orthwest Missouri is rather gloomy. Nearly 

 everything in the fruit line has come up with a black eye. In my ex- 

 perience of 30 years in the berry business here, the past two and the 

 present seasons have been our worst failures. The climatic extremes 

 and irregularities have been unparalleled ; consequently the straw- 

 berry, [gooseberry and currant crop is a complete failure, while the 

 raspberry and blackberry is rapidly drjing up and will mature but 

 little fruit without rain. The plum and grape crop is of all, the most 

 hopeful. Another season among the small fruits convinces me more 

 thoroughly, that to succeed we must keep planting the strawberry and 

 raspberry, and thereby keep a good supply of young healthy wood and 

 plants. Old plantations seldom pay except in insect pests and germs 

 of disease. While the season is too unfavorable to fairly judge the 

 merits or demerits of many new kinds of berries now on trial, I am- 

 led, by the good behavior of Timbrell, Barton's Eclipse, Robinson, Van 

 Deman, Dayton and Leader strawberries to think well of them. Van 

 Deman is very productive; fruit medium to large and as good a ship- 

 per as Wilson and ripens very early ; for an early blooming staminate 

 kind it is just the thing. The Robinson blooms later and is not so liable 

 to be destroyed by late frosts ; and I think will prove to be one of the 

 very best late-blooming strawberries. Barton's Eclipse is not only 

 one of the greatest plant producers, but yields a wonderful crop of 

 large berries, ripening quite early. I shall plant it extensively. 



Princess Photo, and others have utterly failed, but must have 

 another trial. 



