146 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and observed others making great success in crop-growing, from the more progres- 

 sive measures now becoming more fully known from old Pennsylvania to west of 

 the Missouri river, and from the lakes to the gulf, over many states, taking close 

 observation of men and things, both in horticulture and agriculture, and therefore 

 feel fully prepared now to say that Missouri has a bright future in prospect, and 

 it only remains for the progressive workers to take higher ground, to get out of 

 the old ruts, and move to the front and occupy their places properly, and to accept 

 all and every good offered help carefully, but also progressively and in earnest. 



Yours for better work, 



Conrad Hartzell. 



CAUSES OF FAILURE, PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE. ETC. 



F. M'COUN, ST. JOSEPH, MO. 



I think it very unkind of our worthy Secretary to saddle all of these sub- 

 jects upon oae lame back, any one of which is worthy of more thought than 1 

 feel that I am able to give to them all. 1 think it a duty incumbent upon every 

 member of this Society to write a paper upon some subject pertaining to horticul- 

 ture, to be read at these meetings. While it may not always be very interesting 

 to all present, he may say something that will bring out a discussion vphereby 

 some one to ay be benefited. 



The causes of the failure of the apple crop of '92 and '93 are the same. The 

 spring of '92 will long be remembered by every fruit-grower throughout the mid- 

 dle and western states for its mprecedented cold rain-storm listing for six or 

 seven days. Just as our orchards were being fitted by nature to do their part to- 

 ward filling our coffers and cellars, came these cold drenching rainsj in many places 

 ice would form during the night, destroying the pollen, preventing fertilization — 

 where the embryo fruit had formed, causing it to blast and fall ; then again, the cold 

 rains checked the flo w^ of the sap, causing the foliage and tender shoots to become 

 dwarfed, caused an unhealthy condition of the trees. The leaves of the apple- 

 trees presented a blackened and sickly appearance all summer under these condi- 

 tions. It was impossible for the trees to make vigorous and healthy fruit-buds for 

 the next crop ; hence the failure of '93. 



There are other causes why some would-be fruit-growers fail — a lack of know- 

 ledge of what to plant and how to plant ; over-pruning. I know some people who 

 murder their trees by heavy and constant cutting. The lack of thorough cultiva- 

 tion is another cause of failure with some. 



The prospects for the future — I hardly know whether I understand our Secre- 

 tary's meaning. If he means prospects for next year's crop, will answer. In this 

 portion of the State there has not been a better one for years, except strawberries, 

 which were badly injured by drouth latter part of August and early part of Sep- 

 tember. If, upon the other hand, he means the growing and marketing fruits, for 

 profit for all time to come, I will try to answer in what I shall say about over-pro- 

 duction. I don't think there is any cause for fruit-growers to feel any alarm about 

 overproduction. The danger is all the other way. With orchards failing on ex- 

 hausted lands of the East, no new orchards being planted to take their place ; with 

 opening new markets in the West and South and foreign countries; our facilities 

 for shipping; with 30% of our American people living in towns and cities, and the 

 hmited area of fruit-producing country, we cannot produce so much as will re- 

 duce the price below a profitable point. 



If I have said anything in this paper that will be of benefit to one here, I shall 

 feel that I am amply rewarded for what little time I have spent in writing it. 



