196 State Horticultural Society. 



contest as we will be brought face to face with the best orchard pro- 

 ducts of the country. New York state is almost without a rival, while 

 Michigan, Canada, Pennsylvania and the New England states will all 

 be arrayed against us to pluck the laurels we have so often won at such 

 contests. The question is will the fruit interests of Missouri be held to 

 the front in this contest as she has done in the past? I for gne say 

 "Yes," we will win at the Pan-American exposition or pull up by the 

 roots our Ben Davis apple trees. 



I refer you one and all to the letter in the hands of Mr. Goodman, 

 to show you I am in earnest. While York state is the land of my birth 

 I will do all in my power to join hands with you in winning from her at 

 that contest. This matter needs our earnest thought and attention at 

 this meeting and I hope for one that action will be taken and coiumit- 

 tees appointed at this meeting to bring this matter before our people, 

 not only the fruit growers, but the governor of the state and our law 

 makers. It costs monev to make such exhibits and it should not be 

 left to a few to do all the work and then foot the bills. These are mat- 

 ters of state pride and the entire state should aid us and not a few in- 

 dividuals in a matter of such great importance to not only the fruit 

 men, but to all the interests of the state that tends to put Missouri to 

 the front where she is entitled to be placed. In closing; this hastily and 

 poorly prepared paper I want to reiterate and impress this one fact 

 upon the fruit growers, no matter whether it be strawberries, peaches, 

 or apples, there is always a demand, and I believe ever will be, for 

 choice fruits of all kinds and at paying prices, and no one year has 

 more fully demonstrated this than the year 1899, now drawing to a close. 



Yours trulv, 



A. JSTelso^^. 



DISCUSSION ON ORCHARDS. 



L. A. Goodman. — First cultivation and then pruning should be 

 thoroughly discussed. 



N. F. Murray. — Cultivation seems to have had more to do with the 

 killing of our trees than anything else. We cultivated till the last of 

 August. The trees kept growing till late and were killed by the ex- 

 treme cold. 



Maj. Holsinger. — At one time I believed in thorough cultivation, 

 but now I don't know whether it is best. Judge Wellhouse, the apple 

 king of Kansas, has stopped cultivating, though I still believe that on 

 the whole it is better to cultivate thoroughly and vigorously. I have 



