Winter Meetins:. ^-Aii 



"is 



was at stake, so long drives were made lliroiigh Pulaski, Camden, 

 Miller and other counties for sound frnit. 



It is ever thus — in times of need we go to the country for help! 



Another trouble — peculiar to 1903 — was the large per cent, of 

 apples that were damaged by insect enemies. There were as many 

 codling moths this year as ever, and as the crop of apples was small 

 there were but a few more than enough to go around, and these few 

 were found and barreled. Jonathans, choice ones ; Missouri Pippins, 

 some as good as ever grown ; York Imperials, fine ones ; Ben Davis 

 and some others. The old stand-by — Ben Davis — was not so much 

 in evidence this year as usual. The few that escaped the frost were 

 mostly pre-empted by the codling moth, and but few of this great 

 basket-filler were wrapped. Still, there will be enough big Bens to 

 show the world that the Dzark product is the only Ben Davis that 

 can compete with the other great favorites in the home and foreign 

 markets. 



Again, the scarcity of apples discouraged the coopers from open- 

 ing their shops, so barrels had to be shipped from the larger cities. 



When the regulation wrapping paper was exhausted the packers 

 had to use old newspapers. Now, there are plenty of printing of- 

 fices in all these counties, and school houses, too, for present needs, 

 but where neighbors live four miles apart big bundles of old papers 

 must be obtained from a distance. 



The severest trouble was to get the barrels of packed apples to 

 tlie railroad station, fifteen miles away; particularly so on the nerves 

 nnd conscience of the collector who valued his reputation against the 

 time when the barrels will be opened May ist or thereafter in St. 

 Louis. 



Where the road was recklessly rocky, as close by Tavern creek, 

 for instance, we feared that the seeds would be shaken loose from 

 their fastenings and forced through the apples. If there are any 

 seedless apples at St. Louis, Mr. Superintendent, you will know the 

 reason why! 



T assure you, ladies and gentlemen, it was of the apples we were 

 thinking at such trying moments, not of our discomfort — we could 

 walk over the rockiest places. 



We hasten to state that the roads, for most of the distance, were 

 good. On the heights there were no rocks and driving was a pleasure. 



From some of these points, friends, there are views of fifty miles 

 to the south and as many to the north, of wooded hills where some- 

 times apples and peaches will be grown. 



Fortunately the weather was favorable, delightful all through the 



