Winter Meeting. 213 



tiled nnrl thoroughly cultivated. I also had a piece of strawberries on 

 the same kind of ground that brought me a magnificient crop this 

 year, and I have a fine stand for next year, while most of the patches 

 up there are in very poor condition for next season. I am satisfied 

 that with most of our soils if j^ou cultivate thoroughly and keep a 

 good mulch you wont need to fear the drouth. The same way with 

 our corn fields the ground is tiled, and we had a good crop of corn. 

 1 know of corn that yielded as high as fifty bushels to the acre, and 

 as dry as it is this fall there are a great many farmers that are going 

 into tiling. 



Mr. Murtfeldt. — I want to know whether there is any truth in the 

 assertion that if you cultivate a bearing orchard while the trees are 

 in fruit, the apples will drop? 



Secretary Goodman. — It is not true at all. 



SPRAYING. 



(By W. D. Maxwell, St. Joseph.) 



Mr. President and Members of the Horticultural Society : 



Your Committee on Program could not have given me a subject 

 upon which to prepare a paper of greater inportance to horticulturists 

 than that of spraying. Orchardists have learned by observation and 

 practical experience what to plant, how to plant and the best methods 

 of cultivation. There are but few well kept orchards. We had better 

 never plant out an orchard if we don't intend to give it our close 

 attention. A wise man will always avail himself of the best informa- 

 tion possible in order that he may be successful in his business. In 

 an experience of 35 years in fruit growing, I have learned some valua- 

 ble lessons. Some by practical experience, but many by observation. 

 When I commenced planting I had the advantage of one of the most 

 practical and successful fruit growers of that day. I refer to Zeptha 

 Todd, one of the first settlers of Andrew county. At that time we had 

 perfect fruit. We did not have multitudes of various insects to prey 

 upon our fruit. Today we are face to face with a most difficult ques- 

 tion and that is how to destroy the enemies of our fruit? Some are 

 sorry that they ever planted an orchard, others are inquiring what to 

 do. It is the honest inquirer that we hope to benefit. Our worthy 

 President says "cultivate thoroughly," another says "burn up all of 

 vour cuttiuGfs" and some one savs give them "a drastic dose of arsenic 



wi ' try -' cj 



