Winter Meeting. ■ 281 



part of fruit growers in receiving instruction. The work of the experi- 

 ment station will result in great good to the State, in the methods of spray- 

 ing to control insects and fungous diseases which it is working out. 

 While the work of spraying has finally to be practically developed in 

 the hands of the fruit grower, it starts from the station. Some times 

 a bulletin may not, at first view, seem, to have a practical bearing upon 

 fruit growing, but it may fall into the hands of a man and cause him 

 to think and perhaps argue against it, and thus awaken him to new life 

 and energy. He discusses and questions whether it is true and in the 

 long run it may do him more good by causing him to think and try to dis- 

 cover a better method. 



Another method of instruction is by correspondence. When I first 

 came I received 130 letters in a year asking for information in regard to 

 horticulture, entomology, and kindred subjects. Last year the Horticul- 

 tural Department alone received 3,500 such letters ; and I presume there 

 were as many in the Department of Entomology. 



The past proves that the institution can do something for the fruit- 

 grower and that he is availing himself of the help we can give him. Cor- 

 respondence is the most important source from which the man in the 

 station gets information and inspiration for the work. 



In the growth of the work year by year we believe that a large 

 number of additional features can be added, and that the influence of the 

 University on agriculture is only just beginning. 



J. C. Evans. — I have been asked, can a student take a course in 

 horticulture and receive a degree in this institution ? , 



J. C. Whitten. — The student who takes a college course with a cer- 

 tain amount of literary work and general culture can make his work 

 largely horticultural and take a degree. 



BITTER ROT. 

 (Dr. T. J. Burrill. Urbana, 111.) 



I have lived long in your neighboring state of Illinois, but it has 

 never been my pleasure before to meet with the State Horticultural So- 

 ciety of Missouri. I take off my hat and every thing else between my 

 head and the sky to the fruit-growers of the State that grows more 

 apple trees than any other state and keeps in office such an able secretary 

 as you have. 



My subject is not very attractive, especially when it is too plentiful 

 on your apples. Bitter rot is no new thing. It was as abundant fifty 



