Annual Meeting at St. Joseph. 99 



■on the northeast side to the top, while nearly every one is gone 

 from the top, which is only wide enough for one or two rows. The 

 southwest was re-set in 1859. Scarcely a sound tree remains and 

 the larger portion are split by the winds, scorched by the sun, and 

 are giving way for a third planting. 



All high lands have not a dry, porous subsoil ; nor are all low 

 lands necessarily too wet for some varieties of apples. 



Never plant on '^ new ground," nor on land cultivated less 

 than three years — ten would be better. If we investigate the nature 

 and condition of soil and location, study the varieties, and location 

 of same in orchards, we shall find apples adapted to any location 

 where a tree will grow. The query shall thus be changed from 

 '• loliere shall we plant?" to '^ what varieties may be planted on a 

 given soil and location, with assurance of fruit ? " 



Trusting these suggestions may stimulate the more experienced 

 and intelligent to a careful investigation and observation of facts 

 necessary to a knowledge of what varieties may be planted on hill- 

 top, hillside and valley ; on the various inclinations of rolling land, 

 and on the levels of bottoms and upland, I submit this my first 

 paper to the criticism of my better informed brethren, 



Bakkt, Clay Coujsttt, Mo., Dec. Gth, 1884. 



Next followed a paper on 



HOW TO KEEP OUR ORCHARDS HEALTHY. 



BY N. F. iIURRY% OF ELM GROVE. 



This is a very important question : and one not only affecting 

 the interests of the orchardist, but also the commercial interests of 

 our whole country as well as the health and happiness of the fruit- 

 hungry millions who wait for the rich, luscious, and life-giving 

 fruits of our orchards. 



In order to speak intelligently on this subject we must first 

 seek to find out, as far as possible, the causes of the unhealthy con- 

 dition and premature decay of our western orchards before we 

 attempt to prescribe remedies. 



That our orchards in general are in a deplorable condition no 

 one will deny. We look up and down the blufE lands along our 

 rivers, and out over our broad, rich prairies, for healthy orchards, 

 but look in vain. In place of finding the rich, bright, green and 



