Winter Meeting. . 263 



part of our state. It is the first fruit they plant. The plums were a good 

 crop and of good quality. The peaches were good. You understand 

 that we don't grow a great many peaches there, only in the south half of 

 the state, but they have a few scattered all over the state, and where- 

 ever there were trees they were full of fruit. 



The apples, I judge, were about a half crop, and the quality was good, 

 especially the quality of the late fall and winter apples. We had the same 

 experience that I have heard related here during the drouth in the sum- 

 mer and that extreme hot weather, and we thought we would not have 

 any apples. Winter apples were not an inch in diameter; little bit of 

 things, but when we had a rain they began to grow and they grew 

 and colored up, and they seem to be free from all diseases, and are in 

 good shape, except Codling Moth. We have some Codling Moth — I 

 believe a little more than you have here. 



Now, in going back to our meeting, I extend you all a hearty wel- 

 come to come over there and we hope that some of you will come. We 

 live a good ways west and there are 3ome of us that are wild and woolly, 

 but no difference. If you will come and labor with us as missionaries it 

 will do us good, and if we can be of any service to you, will be glad 

 to do it. 



Mr. Wilson of Iowa. — Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Society: 

 It aft'ords me a great deal of pleasure to be present at your meeting. This 

 is the first meeting I have had the pleasure of attending of the Missouri 

 State Horticultural Society. Of course, I have known for a good many 

 years that you have a good many live fruit men in this region, but I am 

 surprised to see the large attendance and the interest manifested. I think 

 as my friend Captain Augustine said, it is the largest attendance of any 

 State Society that I have attended for a number of years. Of course, 

 you have a great deal here to interest your people. You have been a 

 little more fortunate in being blessed with a better climate than we are 

 further north, and you have some advantages in growing fruit that we 

 do not have. We have got to "hustle" more, as we call it over in Iowa, to 

 grow fruit than you have here in Missouri. The question of varieties 

 suitable to our climate has been a great problem with us, but I am 

 glad to say that we have been making great strides in that direction. 

 We have enthusiastic people along those lines, and they have been liberally 

 treated by the legislature in the way of appropriating moneys to carry 

 on our work. We have not failed to get all the money that we have asked 

 for, and could use economically along those lines, and we are not afraid 

 of the future, and we have a number of experimental stations that have 

 developed a great many new valuable fruits. 

 * Our people are very enthusiastic over the plum, the native Ameri- 



