]3S STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



2. From all the information at liaiid. we think the work done by 

 the Station, judging by results obtained, has fallen short of expecta- 

 tions, and in no sense commensurate with the expenditure in its main- 

 tenance. 



3. A thorough reformation if not reorganization is needed. 



4. To the end that the work at the Station may receive an impetas^ 

 become of a thoroughly practical character, and be under the supervi- 

 sion of those directly interested in the matter, we suggest that the 

 entire management be transfered to the State Board of Agriculture 



and State Horticultural Society. 



G. W. Waters, Chairman. 



R. E. Bailey, 



A. Nelson. 



Wednesday, Dec. 5—9 a. m. 



Pres. Evans — We will take up the regular program this morning. 

 We have delegates from Illinois, Michigan and Kansas. I hope they 

 will feel at home, just as if they were in their own states. If they 

 have anything to say, I want them to say it freely.! 



The first paper this morning is. Prevention of Root Blight, by S. 

 W. Gilbert, Thayer, Mo. 



Prevention of Root Blight. 



By S. W. Gilbert. 



It is a lamentable fact that there are hundreds, yes, thousands of 

 apple-trees dying in many states of the Union. Why should this 

 be so? 



Thousands of trees that now appear perfectly healthy are already 

 doomed to a very short life. Go with me, if you please, and visit the 

 hundreds of orchards that I have been in, in the last three years, .and 

 observe closely the way in which they are pruned and cultivated, and 

 see if we can get an object-lesson that will aid us in our work. 



Here we find an orchard that has very low heads, with no pruning 

 at all, except just enough to keep the head in good shape, having in 

 view a straight center shoot to have a well-balanced tree. The next 

 orchard will have the heads started low, but all small twigs cut off the 

 trunk and of all large branches for from three to four feet from the 

 trunk. The next one we find high heads with no pruning of small 

 branches, and the next one will have the high heads with all small 



