28 State Horticultural Society. 



SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



June, 1904. 



Since I have been your secretary for the last twenty two years we 

 have held no meeting in St. Louis. It is proper therefore that at this 

 time of the greatest exposition ever held in the world that we should 

 meet and again discuss what is new in our business, what have we 

 learned, what is the outlook, when will Horticulture become a science? 

 Our society was organized here in St. Louis and' it is proper that we 

 should meet here at this tim'e. 



We are certainly gaining in knowledge and in experience, as to 

 "how" and "what," and "when" in this fruit business. We are surely 

 finrling more and more the dangers, and disappointments and the failures, 

 and, like the old fruit grower said, finding "more new bugs and insects 

 and diseases and troubles than ever before until we can only wish for 

 more knowledge of how to combat them." 



The spring opened up with the brightest of prospects. The frosts 

 and cold and rains followed in quick succession and so most of our 

 hopes were blasted. 



There are still many locations however where the fruit prospects 

 make a good showing and the results of our crops this fall may therefore 

 far exceed our expectations at this time. 



Following is crop report collected from 500 P. O'. cards sent out 

 and collated from the answers received in response to the requests. 



The crop report was justified by the results as shown during the 

 summer and fall. The apple crop was a light one in most parts of the 

 state and the quality was not very good either. Many orchards had none 

 at all, others very few and still some orchards or parts of orchards had 

 a very fair crop. The prices were poor also and strange to say never 

 improved. These bearing orchards were so scattered that we can say 

 that no place or portion of the State was best. 



The peach crop was still poorer than the apple crop. The southwest 

 portion had none- The central and southeast part had a good half crop. 

 Along the Missouri river there seemed to be a good sprinkling also. 

 During the ripening of the Elberta in south Missouri the rains were so 

 incessant that the peaches rotted very badly on the trees, and this con- 

 tinued until the Salway season. 



The strawberry crop was a full one but the excessive rains prevented 

 marketing the full crop. 



