WINTER MEETING. 167 



the spring. Thorough pulverization of the surface is nature's mulch. 

 In dry weather cultivate so as to smooth down the surface and keep it 

 smooth. 



Michel's Early in our county is simply worthless. It will not do any 

 ^ood in our soil. In the Ozark region it may do better. The red lands 

 ■of that region are the finest fruit lands God ever made. 



S. W. Gilbert — I am cultivating a few berries. I find new land is 

 best for them. Take the raw land, clear off the timber and plant. I 

 use a tree fork for a stock for a coulter, with which I cross the land 

 both ways, and then plow it just as near four feet deep as I can with a 

 common plow. This leaves the soil fine and mellow. 



I think a great deal of the Speece strawberry. I believe it is the 

 Ben Davis among strawberries in our part of the country. It produces 

 more berries than the Orescent, they are larger, and I can ship them 

 1^00 miles in good order. I don't know whether it is Speece's Beauty 

 or Perfection. What little manure I have, besides a few loads from 

 my own barn-lot, I haul from a livery stable ; a little manure goes a 

 long way. 



J. 0. Evans — Ko soil on the face of the earth gives more for a 

 little manure than the rocky soils of South Missouri. 



Mr. Blake — I have been in South Missouri ; if there is any place 

 where the impossible becomes possible, it is there. It is just remark- 

 able. The mineral elements necessary are everywhere just ready for 

 the plant. The possibilities are such that these wonderful things will 

 become common talk. I saw a peach-tree one year from the seed of 

 which I could not reach the top. We have not begun to drjeam of the 

 possibilities of this section of the State. 



0. 0. Bell — Mr. Murray has a peach-tree story that I think appro- 

 priate here. 



Mr. Murray— The tree is at Greenfield, Dade county. It is four 

 feet around above the swell ; the swell is five feet around. It broke 

 down year before last with a big load of fruit. Before that it is said 

 to have had a spread of 60 feet. It is a free-stone of good quality. 



Mr. Wilcox — With us the Michel's Early grows plants but not 

 much fruit ; on old beds it is better than on new. 



Mr. Gilbert — I could grow 40 quarts of Orescent more easily than 

 one of Michel's Early. 



L. A. Goodman — What about rust? 



Mr. Davis — Some varieties rust more than others; it is more in 

 the variety than anything else. 



Mr. Blakely — Crescent does not rust ; Capt. Jack rusts so it is 

 worthless. I would like to have more information on the subject. 



