Annual Meeting at St. Joaepli. 91 



orchards — but one hundred per cent, more are now planted than 

 before. 



Pears have disappointed us all and none much more than my 

 friend Fink, at Lamar, who to-day would have a grand pear 

 orchard with a capacity of several thousand bushels, but for the 

 blight. And so of Scholton and the rest. 



Gentlemen, pardon me for intruding so long upon your 

 patience. D. S. HOLMAN, 



One of Committee. 



REPORT OF CHAS. PATTERSOInT, KIRKSVILLE. 



Mr. President, and Members of the Missotiri State Horticultural 



Society. 



Finding my name as one of the committee on orchards, I have 

 tried to learn what was expected of me without receiving any definite 

 or satisfactory instructions, which I will assume to mean that I may 

 fill the position as my own pleasure may dictate. From the usual 

 proceedings, and the secretary's efforts, I would infer that you ex- 

 pect a report on the productions of the orchard for the past year. 



As I am mostly confined at home, excepting an occasional 

 jaunt on the railroads, I have had but very few opportunities for 

 personal observation, and but little more for making inquiries ; 

 therefore my report will necessarily be made up from general, or 

 rather limited, impressions and estimates. 



The apple crop did not near justify the early promises, which 

 were rather unusually favorable. Much complaint was soon heard 

 of the fruit dropping off, and it seemed to keep dropping all sum- 

 mer, but there was enough left in numbers to have yielded a fair 

 crop if the scab, codling moth, etc., had allowed full development 

 and maturity. 



The scab was probably the most serious affliction on apples this 

 year. It was first observed here about the 20th of June, and soon 

 developed an appearance of almost total destruction of the crop, as 

 very few unaffected specimens could be found, which in fact was 

 verified at gathering time. A small proportion seemed to have 

 outgrown the disease, and were large and fair enough specimens 

 but for the marred and deformed effects of this pest. In previous 

 years I have thought certain varieties, especially Janets, were more 



