WJnter Meeting. 275 



• SECRETARY'S REPORT, Dec. 5, 1901. 



Under the most favorable circumstances do we meet again in this 

 rich and beautiful city of St. Joseph. The year has been a notable and a 

 j/rosperous one for the horticulturist in most parts of the State. The 

 spring opened with the most encouraging outlook for the farmer as well 

 as the fruit grower, only to have these hopes dashed to the ground by 

 the drouth, which began on April 17th and extended far into the sum- 

 mer in many parts of our land. Until July 19th no rain fell in the State 

 and even then only local showers here and there served to give us hopes 

 that rain would come again. In spite of the worst drouth we have known 

 for thirty years, when the hay crop was less than one-fourth and the 

 corn crop less than one-tenth, we find our apple and peach orchards 

 giving some of the most wonderful returns we have seen for ten years. 

 This is notably true where orchards were young, healthy and weU cared 

 for. 



The report sent out by the Society in July has fully justified that re- 

 port and while the crop has been a phenomenal one in many parts of our 

 State, yet there have been complete failures. The short crop predicted in 

 the East has been a reality and the good prices here have been to our 

 gain. Many an orchard has brought its owner more money for the crop 

 of fruit than the entire farm could have been sold for, in the spring or 

 summer. Notable instances can be given where $40, $60, Sioo and even 

 $200 per acre have been secured for the crop of apples or peaches. The 

 dry weather seemed to have made havoc with the insect pests and the 

 fungus diseases and in many instances (not all by any means) almost 

 perfect fruit was the result. At no time in our experience probably were 

 the beneficial effects of thinning so plainly to be seen. In those orchards 

 (apple as well as peach) which were properly thinned once, or even twice, 

 the perfection and size of the fruit was a very notable one. It pays to 

 thin fruit. 



The work of the Society began after our June meeting in the repack- 

 ing of the apples in cold storage in Kansas City, so kindly held there free 

 of charge by the Armour Packing Co. These 28 barrels of fine speci- 

 mens w?re sent to Buffalo to Mr. C. C. Bell, our commissioner, and used 

 by him as needed. The report on this display will be made by him to 

 the State Commission and we shall then know how the awards have 

 been given. 



