Proceedings at Semi-Aiinual Meeting. 59 



of that venerable iudividual, the "oldest inhabitant." The last 

 winter was considered unnsually cold, tliough to me, used to our 

 Missouri winters, it seemed odd to hear people complain about cold, 

 Avhen geraniums and roses were blooming out doors, and the heav- 

 iest ice we could boast of was hardly an eighth of an inch thick. 

 Spring and summer were also unusually cold and backward, and we 

 had quite a heavy frost in the low lands of 8onoma and Napa, 

 seriously damaging the crop in many vineyards. The vineyards 

 under my charge were fortunate enough to escape, and all those 

 vineyards which 'did not sutfer from it, yielded a very heavy croj^. 

 The moral to be drawn from this is, that no one should locate his 

 vineyards or orchard in locations subject to such frosts, late in 

 spring or early in fall. 



Fruits in general yielded an abundant crop, and sold at rather 

 low figures,' except those handled with the most care and of the 

 best quality, which paid their shippers very well. As soon as all 

 shippers learn to send only the best, handle the most carefully, and 

 abandon the evil of the returned package, using new boxes, and 

 these but once, they can not help but make mouQy, with the easy 

 and sure production here. Insect pests are on the increase, especially 

 codling moth, and the different scales, red spider and wooly aphis, 

 and only those who keep their orchards clean in future, can be 

 certain of fine and perfect fruit. The curculio has not as yet made 

 his appearance here, and the different stone fruits, plums, nectar- 

 ines, almonds, apricots and peaches, are wonderful indeed, in quan- 

 tity, quality and size. We have the most remarkable quince in the 

 orchard here I ever saw. I measured one specimen, twenty-four 

 inches in circumference, nine inches in diameter at the broadest 

 point, a very heavy bearer, apple shaped, smooth, golden yellow, 

 rather early, good flavor, and cooks very tender. I send you a few 

 cuttings for distribution and trial, also a few of the buds of the 

 native walnut, just from the tree. The kernel is larger than that 

 of our Missouri black walnut, not so strong in taste, and the tree 

 one of the finest shade trees I ever saw, with long wavy leaves, and 

 a very rapid grower. If it will flourish in Missouri it will be a 

 valuable acquisition. 



The vintage was later than last year. We could not commence 

 before the last week in September, and did not finish all before the 

 first of this month, with an intermission of a week, however, 

 between first and second crop ; for our vines are not content with 

 producing abundantly the first time, but set another crop of small 

 bunches on the laterals, which ripen late, but yet make a fair 



