128 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



industry of the State and of the State itself. We respectfully submit 

 this thought to the Executive Committee and urge its adoption on the 

 President and Secretary, As it was, but few reports were made, and 

 these in the main verbal, inconsequential and for all practical purposes 

 worthless. 



A letter was read by the Secretary from Absolom McCreary, of 

 Glasgow, Mo., to the effect that the Ben Davis apple originated in 

 Howard county. Mo. ( was known as the New York Pippin ), and not 

 in Kentucky, as has been claimed. Good, again, for Missouri. 



Conrad Hartzell sent word to the Society that he was willing to 

 give his secret for preserving fruit in its natural condition to the mem- 

 bers of the Stale Horticultural Society on condition of its secrecy, in 

 order that they might fully and thoroughly test its merits and testify 

 thereto to the world. One member suggested that by submerging 

 apples under water at low temperature had been found efiScacious. 

 Another member said that an aged and experienced fruit-grower had 

 discovered in his practice, that spraying the trees thoroughly before,, 

 during and after blossoming with pure water had been as 'efficacious 

 in keeping off the bugs and insects as with the kerosene emulsion. In 

 this connection it was urged that in spraying the nozzle must be very 

 fine, no matter what the material used ; that it must be a spray and 

 not a rain. The one will rest on the leaves, the other run off and da 

 little or no good. The water spray found but few that would risk its 

 practice. 



The reports of the Secretary, Treasurer and the Finance Com- 

 mittee were presented, accepted and adopted. The election of oflB- 

 cers followed. All the old officers were unanimously re-elected. 



Invitations were received for holding the June meeting of the 

 Society from Jefferson City, West Plains, Lake Side Park at Carters- 

 ville, and at Pertle Springs ; and from Springfield and Columbia for 

 the annual meeting in December. The question of locating these meet- 

 ings was referred to the Executive Committee. The West Plains peo- 

 ple were particularly earnest in their efforts to secure the summer 

 meeting and it would not surprise us to see it held there. The horti- 

 culturists of that enterprising little burg would stir themselves to the 

 utmost and give the Society a rousing good meeting. 



A paper on the life and work of Prof. Charles V. Riley, late Chief 

 Entomologist of the United States Department of Agriculture, written 

 by his life-long friend and assistant, Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt, of Kirk- 

 wood, was admirably read by Miss Goodman. Few who have written 

 of Prof. Riley's life and worth have done it more intelligently or with 



