WINTER MEETING. 267 



ber. When left on late it makes a better pear than when picked early. 

 They need some thinning, bnt if the trees are well pruned they hold 

 up in size. 1 cut back very much — one-half or two-thirds ot the pre- 

 vious season's growth. I don't cultivate at all. 



Mr. Murray — 1 have seen Keiffer blight on high land well drained. 

 Where I cut scions I had blight and there only. I would not let a 

 man cut my pears back. 



Sam Miller — I generally cut back some in the top. I thin my 

 Keiffers when half-grown and again later. Then I pick the fruit at 

 the proper time. Even the thinnings become fit to cook. An over- 

 loaded Keiffer produces fruit not fit to eat. 



HORTICULTURE IN SCHOOLS. 



The man who plants an orchard should not be discouraged as long 

 as the trees make a steady growth. The same principle is true of any 

 undertaking in life. It is when the blight kills the trees; it is when in- 

 sects or frosts destroy the fruits ; it is when wicked and designing men 

 scheme to destroy the virtue of unselfish plans in life that we lose 

 hope and murmur. 



The cause of shaping horticultural knowledge so as to fit it for the 

 school-rooms of Missouri may today look like a tender plant, but it has 

 roots deep and strong, and they are imbedded in the fertile soil. This 

 idea is dear to, the true, and the brave, and the honest. Here every 

 patriotic son and daughter of Missouri will be sure to find an object 

 worthy of love; a movement fraught with far-reaching results ; a study 

 that enlarges and ennobles as you pureue it until it draws you into 

 sympathy with the future prosperity of the rising generation and the 

 material advancement of the State. 



To place the study of horticulture in an attractive and tangible 

 form so that it can be studied by our youth and consequently leave the 

 desired impression on the minds of the future generations is an under- 

 taking that has no place for the selfish, greedy elements that are so 

 characteristic of this age. 



We know it takes time, money and hard work to awaken and en- 

 gage the thought of a great people on any subject; but there is no 

 want of any of these on the part of the friends of this movement. 



The lists of questions on horticulture sent out annually to our 

 fruit-growers, scientists and school teachers, and the answers received 

 from them are indicative of the sympathy they have in this movement. 

 We have no fears but that we can reach the understanding and win the 



