IVinfer Meeting. 201 



REPORT OF D. A. ROBNETT, COLUMBIA, MO. 



1. There has been a great change in methods of marketing our 

 apples in last few years. Now all our winter apples are barreled and 

 shipped out to cold storage and returned to us in winter. Whereas 

 they used to be stored in cellars by merchants and farmers and sold 

 at home to consumers. The fact is our home people do not have 

 one-fourth the fruit they should have on account of necessary high 

 price for freight two ways, storage and two profits. 



2. The fruit-growers of our section. are getting much more in- 

 terested in their work, and also in one another. Our old unattended 

 County Society I am sure is going to be born again, and to live to do 

 much good. In fact, all growers are seeking information, and to get 

 such we must be organized. 



3. We have no canneries or evaporators here. Refuse fruits are 

 made into cider and vinegar. 



4. Control of insects and disease is now receiving more attention 

 than ever before. Our people have decided they must spray and cul- 

 tivate if they would have good fruit. We have only tried by spraying, 

 and while some can not get the results hoped for, the most persons 

 get enough benefit to continue. Those who are the most thorough in 

 spraying and cultivating are the most successful at selling time. 



5. There has been some changes where grain crops were raised 

 in orchard. Now they receive clean cultivation, at least until July, when 

 cow peas or some other cover crop is sown. We also have much im- 

 proved implements to cultivate our orchards with, which keeps up moisture 

 ,in time of drouth. 



Wednesday 2 p. m. 



SUBJECT— ORCHARDS. 



THE DROUTH OF '97, THE FREEZE OF FEBRUARY, '99, 



AND THE DROUTH OF 1901. 



(By J. C. Evans, Harlem, Mo.) 



These three notable events have all been most peculiar in their 

 effects and results on agriculture, horticulture, forests, streams, 

 springs, etc. It is not, however, singular or peculiar that tliey have 



