Winter Meeting. 137 



cultivation. Too much cultivation destroys or lessens the humus in the 

 soil. One plowing in five or six years to root prune the trees in rich land, 

 I think, is a good practice. This is my experience in Pettis county. 



Mr. Elliot. — I don't believe it is a good idea to cultivate peaches 

 too early in the spring or apples late in the fall. In my orchard 150 

 apple trees hoed in the fall failed of a crop when those not hoed had a 

 fair crop. I built fires in my orchard two cold nights and had more 

 than a thousand dollars worth of peaches. I cultivate up to the first 

 of July and then I quit. The trees were five years old. The first two 

 Or three years we had berries in the orchard, for the last two years noth- 

 ing at all in the orchard except the trees. 



J. H. Ruddick, Bourbon. — The growth of cultivated trees is so 

 much greater than those not cultivated, that I believe in keeping "an 

 orchard clean in summer or winter. There are less insects in thor- 

 oughly cultivated orchards. Clean cultivation has much the same effect 

 as spraying. 



Mr. Cook. — I have made the most success with hoe cultivation ; 

 planting strawberries or blackberries in the orchard appears to give the 

 trees all the cultivation they need. I think there is a golden mean in 

 this matter. I can not approve of girdling. I think right pruning 

 preferable. Continuous cultivation upon sloping land would be ruinous; 

 all the soil would wash away. 



WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 9:30 A. M. 



The call to order was made by President Robnett. The morning 

 praver was offered by Rev. Wender. 



The following credentials were presented and the delegates intro- 

 duced to the society : 



Princeton, Illinois, Dec. 4, 1903. 

 To the Oft'icers and ]\Iembers of the Missouri State Horticultural So- 

 ciety, Greeting: 



This is to certify that Mr. Isaac D. Snedeker of Jerseyville, 111., is 

 a duly appointed delegate from the Illinois State Horticultural Society 

 to the annual meeting of your society at Columbia, December 8 to 10, 

 1903. 



Mr. Snedeker is an experienced horticulturist and an extensive fruit- 

 grower, and I am sure that his visit with you will be mutually pleasant 



and profitable. 



Yours fraternally, 



L. R. Bryant, 



Secretary. 



