l6o State Horticultural Society. 



Missouri, by C. H. Dutcher, was presented along the line of the 

 speaker's motto, that "he that tootest not his own horn, the same shall 

 not be tooted," and the progressive history of this State was given a good 

 hearing. Missouri stands fifth in the Union in population and wealth, 

 second in quantity of apples, and first in quality. Her geographical 

 position gives a natural cause for suitable climate, and the loess of the 

 glacial formation along the rivers, with the red clay porous shale of the 

 Ozark uplift, furnish ideal soils for fruit growing. In 1859 ^ ^^"^^ 

 growers' association was formed, and three years later was changed to 

 Missouri State Horticultural Society. In 1861, in the meeting held at 

 St. Louis, Secretary Muir thus recorded, "the wine then freely partaken 

 of by the audience at large with feeling of widest satisfaction," so we 

 may conclude that the luscious grape was a leading fruit at that period. 



This Society has been a power in the State and an important factor 

 in developing the fruit industry and allied interests. In the early 'Bo's 

 the Ozarks began to attract attention, and large commercial orchards 

 were everywhere planted in this region, until today there are fully 100,000 

 trees in commercial orchards, with 7,000 acres in commercial strawberries. 



"Top grafting old orchards" was a practical demonstration by W. S. 

 Coburn, Colorado, who finds no difficulty in grafting trees of any age or 

 limbs of any size. The full plan will appear in the printed reports of the 

 Society. 



"Plan of Fruiting Grapes," by T. V. Munson, Denison, Texas, con- 

 tained an interesting description of plan of trellising, which has proven 

 very satisfactory. This system is one evolved after a trial of all known 

 modes of supporting grape vines. The posts are set 24 feet apart, and 

 the end posts of each trellis must be good and strong and set 4 to 43^ 

 feet in the ground. This deep setting with thorough tamping giving 

 better results than any kind of anchoring. The intermediate posts are set 

 2 feet in the ground and need no bracing. In this country the posts should 

 be about 4>^ feet out of the ground. In moist countries they may be 

 raised to 5 or more feet and, in very dry, lowered to 3 feet. A hole 

 is bored through the posts some five inches from the top, through which 

 the middle and lower wire is passed and drawn tight. 



There are three overhead wires, but the other two need not be put 

 in place until the second year. The arms are of 2 by 4 timber, sawed 

 in 24-inch lengths, a small hole bored in each upper corner, and a small 

 notch sawed in the center of the lower side. This notch is placed on the 

 center wire, which is already in position and securely wired to the post. 

 Brace wires run from each end of the arm to near the bottom of the post 

 and are fastened with a staple or nail. Two more brace wires run from 



