WINTER MEETING. 141 



1. Good, hardy, selected, healthy roots which have gone through 

 the tests of winter's cold and summer heat for four years ; and, 



2. Good, sound, perfect, healthy scions from sound, healthy, good, 

 bearing trees. 



If these two laws are complied with, it will not take long to decide 

 this matter of whole root or piece root, and surely it would make our 

 trees longer-lived if we would follow the above rules. It is worth the 

 attention of our experiment stations, at least. 



One other fact we find in our orchards that has been overlooked, 

 I think, and that is a root-Might. This seems to be due to a fungus, 

 just as much as the pear-blight. The cause of this root-blight, and the 

 remedy have not been so much as touched upon by our scientists. 

 Has not this root-blight been propagated by the plan suggested above, 

 or perhaps started '? 



These three points should be kept in mind by all propagators : 

 Healthy, hardy roots, vigorous, healthy scions; no roots used where 

 there is the least chance of their being subject to root-blight; and no 

 scions taken from trees subject to the root-blight. 



Now then, coming to the question of the most money out of our 

 orchards for the least outlay, I will say what I have said to this Society 

 for years past: Plant, and grow quickly your orchard, and get all out 

 of it as quickly as possible, and then cut it down when it is through 

 bearing paying crops. 



IjO cation of Orchards : 



S. W. Gilbert — High ground as you can get for South Missouri. 



A. Nelson — I plant on any slope I can get, just so that it is high. 



J. C. Bender — In the last few years in North Missouri, the apple 

 orchards have done best on low la.nds. 



J. Ames — At Carthage I find the orchards on the high lands show- 

 ing weakness, while in the low lands they are healthy. Ben Davis on 

 the lower lands show no failure, while on uplands they are beginning 

 to fail at 18 years. I think that there is more in the nature of the sub- 

 soil, and top soil, also, than in the elevation. 



Mr. Kirk — In Pettis county we see some of our most profitable 

 orchards on the gumbo land. I prefer other soil because it is so much 

 easier to handle. 



Mr. Bailey of New Mexico — We plant on a level plain in the river 

 valley, and irrigate. 



J. J. Blakely — In Platte county we think the Missouri river bluffs 

 are the best lands in the world for apple orchards, any slope and all 

 locations ; they seem to do best where the subsoil is a clay shale. But 

 we also find some successful orchards on the river bottoms. 



