Winter Meet in i^. 279 



'.h. 



in planting I selected the best and richest soil that was dry and roll- 

 ing for making my first plantings of pears. I note that when there 

 is rapid growth there is quick decay. Two Bartletts, for instance, not 

 more than fifty feet apart, one in a loamy m'oist soil, the other on 

 a high, dry bank, both planted at the same time ; the first two years 

 ago with a full crop of fruit totally destroyed by blight, the latter 

 making slow growth', but remaining perfectly healthy. 



The Garber and Kieffer have been fairly healthy with me. The 

 Garber rather inclined to overbear. Seven years ago my son, A. T, 

 Erwin, Prof, of Hort. Iowa Agricultural College, made a small plant- 

 ing of pears near Steedman, Mo., on a piece of very rough stony 

 land when we had hard work to find soil enough to cover the roots. 

 The natural growth was black hawthorn apple and brushes of 

 similar wood growth, one very much resembling pear in foliage and 

 wood growth. These trees have m.ade a very fine growth, fruiting 

 about one bushel to the tree in 1901 of most beautiful pears. I have 

 vs^atched their growth from year to year, as they have had very little 

 care, and notice the clean, glossy foliage and healthfulness of the 

 trees. I am led to believe that if we would make pear growing successful 

 and profitable we must look for a soil and exposure suitable to its 

 growth, that it is very provincial in its character and that places which 

 seemingly very uninviting for cultivation are best suited to its growth. 

 Thinning and careful handling pays. If we could .have a crate similar 

 to the egg shipping case for handling and shipping or hauling over 

 rough roads to market that would be a very great improvement. The 

 crates could be returned and used again and again. 



THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10—8 P. M. 



The closing session of the fort^'-sixth annual meeting was held 

 in the University auditorium and presided over by First Vice-Presi- 

 dent G. T. Tippin. 



THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



(Dr. J. C. Whitten, Columbia, Mo.) 



I want to talk to you for awhile not only of what the Agricultural 

 College has done for the farmer and fruit grower, but also of what 

 we hope to do in the near future. No institution ever reaches the 

 limit of what it is possible for it to do. The work of the Agricultural 



