272 State Horticultural Society. 



frost, which will freeze everything solid. And there can be no man- 

 ner of doubt, unfortunately, but what the big men in the apple deal will 

 see a lot more of their good money go playing ducks and drakes after 

 the bad before the tide begins to turn and they start to make up on their 

 losses. It is not too niuch to say that the majority of the apple men 

 will have reason to bless their lucky stars if at the end of the season 

 they are able to say, ^'We have worked for nothing, but it might have 

 been worse." It certainly is bad enough to get but your labor for your 

 pains, but it is certainly worse to have both labor and loss too. As for 

 those farmers who, in hopes of a brace in the market, are holding out 

 for higher prices, they are playing with fire and are more than apt to 

 get badly burned. The fruit is rotting freely and it is a far cry to a 

 healthy and high-priced movement of good stock from first hands." 



Another part of our work was taken up after the consultation of 

 the executive committee by mail, and the solicitation of the JJ. S. Pom- 

 ologist, G. B. Brackett, and the western commissioner, H. M. Dunlap, 

 of Savoy, 111., and that was the collection of some apples foa* the Paris 

 Exposition. By action of the executive coinmittee W. G. Gano, of 

 Parkville, was chosen to travel over the state to collect and pack apples 

 for this exposition. He started on this trip September 25th and 

 finished his work November 5th, just six weeks in the orchards. First, 

 the arrangements were made with the Armour Packing Co . cold 

 storage to take these apples and hold them free of charge until called 

 for by the United States commission. This they have kindly done and 

 thev deserve a word of commendation for their liberality. Next was 

 to get the railoroads to give our worker transportation over their lines 

 for this purpose. This was done by the St. Louis and San Francisco 

 and the Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis railroads. The greater 

 part of the apples came from southern Missouri and even among their 

 best orchards it was hard to find just such fruit as we wanted. This 

 report has been made more fully by Mr. Gano himself. 



The study of the tree diseases and the insect pest have had, close 

 attention this year by many of our fruit growers, and our teachers at 

 the experiment station. 



A series of experiments were begun by Prof. Whitten on the root 

 rot in south Missouri with the use of blue vitrei, lime and salt in many 



