204 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of the Mazzard cherry; it would be impossible to find two more vigor- 

 ous or symetrical trees than these. Xow the Mazzard is a true moun- 

 tain variety; its native home is in the forests of the Alleghaoy moun- 

 tains; it formerly was largely used as a stock, but of late years has 

 been superseded by the Mahaleb, because the, latter is more easily ob- 

 tained and is more successful to bud on than any other of the cherry 

 family; but the Mahaleb has never been a satisfactory stock in many 

 sections of the country. I predict that when orchardists adopt the 

 Mazzard as a stock in the Ozark country, that they will have found the 

 one best suited for them. 



There is a strange fatality in that section affecting the apple, though 

 you can find plenty of old healthy trees that have existed since the 

 earliest settlement of the country, and are yet as sound and hardy a^ 

 oaks. Many attribute this fatality in the apple to the effects of the 

 woolly aphis, but if the truth is ever known I predict it will be found 

 in the woolly hap-hazzard way trees are propogated. But we cannot 

 pursue this subject. If it were desired, 10,000 instances could be sited 

 to prove that this feature has been neglected to the detriment of hor- 

 ticultural interests in this and every other State. 



I wish to make some remarks in regard to our insect pests and the 

 way we should proceed to avoid their depredations. To give some 

 idea of the extent that insects now cost the fruitgrower will state 

 without fear of successful contradiction that not to include the apples 

 that fell to the ground before picking time, not to include the fruit 

 culled on this account when packed for shipment, but only that ac- 

 tually to the St. Louis market the present season; that the injury by 

 insects cut the price more per barrel than was originally paid the 

 grower for the fruit. Had they been absolutely sound the dealer could 

 have better paid double than the price he did pay. In our market 

 there were thousands ; yes, hundreds of thousands of barrels of apples 

 handled that could not possibly have netted the grower more than 10 

 cents per bushel after fixed charges were paid. Apples at $1 per bar- 

 rel or less on the market is simply doing business for your health. 



1 do not wish to be construed as attempting to ridicule the mau 

 that sprays to rid his orchard of insect pests, because if that is the 

 best he can do, then he ought to spray. But is it the best? I doubt 

 it. It somehow strikes me, that to see a man chase around over his 

 orchard with an overgrown squirt-gun in a futile attempt to destroy a 

 horde of insects, that his or someone's carelessness and neglect had 

 fostered into life is much on par with the man who carefully locks his 

 stable-door after the horse is stolen. Well, what would yon do ? you 

 ask. 1 answer that it appears to me that there is only one truly sensible 



