Proceedings at Semi-Annual Meeting. 57 



There is no state that can make a finer show than Missouri ; there 

 is no society in the country from which we shall all expect more. 

 Your good keejjing late summer and fall apples, pears and grapes 

 •can all be kept, I think, until January, at which time the premiums 

 will be awarded. We shall not insist upon the exhibition of the 

 varieties being kept continuous. Enough should be sent so that 

 two or three renewals ca^i be made of each sort. But all our rules 

 will be interpreted in the interests of exhibitors, so far as possible, 

 and consistent with the purpose of maintaining a grand exhibition 

 for a long term. AVe shall have the finest show, and the greatest 

 horticultural occasion ever known in the world, and we want the 

 fruit and plant men of Missouri to participate in it liberally. 



Very truly, yours, 



Parker Earle. 



BusHBURG, Jefferson^ Co., Mo., June 9, 1884. 

 L, A. GooDMAX, Esq., Sec'y. Mo. State Horticultural Society. 



Dear Sir : — Your card received a few days ago, together with 

 your very interesting report for the year 1883, for which please 

 accept my thanks — ^was the first information which I had of my 

 appointment as chairman of the committee on vineyards. 



The time intervening before the date of your meeting was too 

 short however to enable me to do anything to merit the honor which 

 your Society conferred upon me by such appointment ; or even to 

 enable me to place myself in correspondence witli my fellow mem- 

 bers of said committee, and under these circumstances I hope your 

 Society will kindly excuse my short-comings if consequently I am 

 unable to send or bring the report on vineyards, which you had 

 expected from me. 



I must also express to you my sincere regret that I am not able 

 to be with you at your meeting to-morrow, but hope you will have 

 •a well attended and good meeting. 



Regarding the state of our vineyards here, I would say that 

 the past winter has been a very trying one, especially on some of 

 the new varieties. The thermometer at one time in January went 

 down as low as 30 degrees below zero ; though probably it was not 

 quite so low as this in the higher locations of our vineyards. 



The following kinds came out of the trial unhurt, or damaged 

 so slightly only that it was almost inapjireciable : Champion, Clin- 

 ton, C!oncord, Cottage, Ellison, Hartford, Lady, Martha, Venango, 

 Bacchus, Brant, Cambridge, Canada, Challenge, Conqueror, 

 Moores Early, Mason Seedling, Montefiore, Pocklington, Early 

 Victor, Neosho, Northern Muscadine, Worden Seedling. 



