106 Missouri State Horticultural Society. 



kill. All cultivation should be done by the first to the middle of 

 July, except the fall plowing, which should be done quite late. If 

 done early it may start the sap and induce winter-killing, and 

 especially with peach trees, which, in the west, suffer more damage 

 from hard winters than from all other enemies or causes. The last 

 two winters were so extremely cold as to leave all our peach orchards 

 more or less damaged — some almost dead. In such cases I can give 

 no better advice than to cut out all dead wood, to shorten back the 

 living branches, cultivate thoroughly, apply lime or ashes, and your 

 trees will renew surprisingly and may last for years. 



Except winter damage to peach trees, in our part of Missouri, 

 we find all other conditions most favorable. With no borers in the 

 roots, and no yellows, we find the peach tree stumps in northwest 

 Missouri, lasting from twenty to forty years. Having been several 

 times badly injured by the severe winters, or broken by the weight 

 of ice or of their fruit, still they keep renewing, and bearing the 

 finest of fruit. 



In a review and study of this important question, we find 

 much that would be beneficial to the health of our orchards if 

 written and followed out in detail ; yet it would be out of place, 

 and impossible to bring it all within the scope of an essay. 



Quite a volume might be written, studied, and practiced to our 

 advantage on how to keep our orchards healthy. 



In the treatment of diseases of the human family, and the 

 diseases of our domestic animals, we have physicians diligently 

 plying their vocation all over our country. Why not have them in 

 horticulture — that we may know, as much as possible of the causes, 

 and cures of the various maladies, that leave so much doubt and 

 darkness to retard the triumphant march of the fruit grower. 



Discussion : 



^. Listoii : objects to cutting down W. W. Pearmain. His 

 orchard is on high, dry, ground. They are in fine condition. 

 Objects also to this teaching of not using pieces of roots for 

 grafts. 



J. A. Dufkes. Likes W. W. Pearmain. In Platte he has the 

 variety in good health and would not cut them down. 



Z. S. Ragan. 40 years ago, heard some say discard the R. I. 

 Grreening. And yet it could not be, because it succeeds in so many 

 places. 



We should learn a lesson, that in certain localities one apple 

 will succeed, and in another location another will succeed. Or- 

 chards in certain locations were injured in the year 1880, and in 



