ANNUAL WINTER MEETING AT WARRENSBURG. 189 



This brings us to the insect warfare, which to the fruit grower is 

 the most difficult obstacle he has to surmount. The migratory habits 

 of the moth, and the dilatory habits of the farmers, make it^quite diffi- 

 cult for those to succeed who attempt to rid their orchards of this pest. 

 Concert of action and persistent, unyielding purpose thioughout the 

 neighborhood is the most feasible plan that can be adopted to save our 

 fruit from such wholesale waste as the people of Missouri are now sus-- 

 taining. Nearly one-half of our fruit is entirely destroyed, and a great 

 deal of the balance rendered unfit for market in consequence of allow- 

 ing codling moth free access to our orchards. Shall we not organize a 

 thorough and systematic warfare against the most potent enemy of 

 the fruit problem than has heretofore been organized in this section 

 and save at least a much larger proportion than we now do of this as 

 fine and delicious fruit as the world produces. 



With all the failings of the orchard, a little cultivation, pruning 

 and mulching, and fighting the insects the best we can, will usually 

 reward the husbandman as well as capital invested in any other enter- 

 prise. It requires the exercise of at least a little plain common sense 

 to achieve success in raising fruit. Some people know it all at the 

 start, but the successful man gets his information at the other end of 

 the route. W. G. GANG, 



Parkville. 



EFFECTS GF THE WINTER GN GUR GRCHARDS AND WHAT 



CAN BE DGNE WITH THEM. 



T. W. GAUNT, MARYVILLE, MO. 



Mr. President^ Ladies and Oentlemeji: 



The duty has been assigned to me to analyize or look into the 

 cause of the evil effects of the winters on our orchards, and also with 

 a view of introducing some practical remedies. It is a subject that I 

 have been investigating for many years. It covers a great field of 

 practical thought. It is a subject that horticulturists and nurserymen 

 are alike interested in. We feel sore and disappointed when a severe 

 winter has robbed us of some fragrant flower, shrub or plant. 



