SUMMER :N[EETING AT BUTLER. 45 



everything but peach, there came a cold wave from the northwest on 

 the 6th of May, which brought a freezing rain, one-half day of snow, 

 followed by two nights' frost, which but for the foliage, all fruit must 

 have gone; the foliage saved them, but the shock to the young fruit 

 was too severe and made it drop badly, and it is dropping yet from all 

 varieties, leaving scarcely hope for one half crop. 



The number and size of our orchards upon the Ozarks have in- 

 creased very much by last spring planting. While very many small 

 farmers have only planted fifty or one hundred trees for the home use, 

 others for the markets — for the money — have planted 1,000 and more, 

 some ten acres, some forty, and a few have planted even more. 



Our orchards as they are, and with all the disparaging freaks of 

 weather, seasons and ravages, insect enemies, have solved the ques- 

 tion, will it pay ? A citizen of 8., who had a lucrative business, 

 bought 100 acres of land fifteen years ago and planted forty acres to or- 

 chard — apples, peaches and pears. I got his experience last week, 

 and it has been such to indue the abandonment of the old business ; 

 he built a large tvo story stone fruit house for storage, and is con- 

 vinced of its value by last year's use ; planted forty acres more and is 

 preparing lor another forty. He both shows and says it pays better 

 than anything else. Others are doing as near likewise as they can. 

 One of his neighbors has gone far beyond him, having quit a large 

 sheep busines and gone into '"Ban Davis," planting field after field of 

 nothing else. 



Varieties in our orchards are being reduced to a few such as pay 

 best as we find it by actual trial. We have it now pretty well boiled 

 down to "Ben Davis." We replant all other varieties with this, and 

 in first planting for profit it is by large planters nearly solid Ben 

 Davis. 



Treatment of our orchards varies from thorough annual cultiva- 

 tion to timoth}'-, clover, etc., with neglect. The last is passing away 

 and we are settling down to clover plowed under every one or two 

 years. With moderation and discretion in pruning we avoid the ex- 

 tremities of him who prunes excessively as well as of him who prunes 

 not at all. Much time and money have been lost by mistakes here at 

 the first, in planting and then in after treatment. Our orchardists 

 have, by working, watching and waiting, learned this, and they will 

 not forget it ; they will in future profit by the past and make correc- 

 tions. 



Respectfully submitted, 



D. S. HOLMAM. 



