14 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



DISCUSSION. 



C. W. Murtfeldt — Trees need feeding, and I have gone to manuring 

 my trees and now see a great difference in the growth. The tap-root 

 does not seem to be of much use in some localities, but in others it is. 



Thayer. Oregon County, Mo , June 3, 1S89. 

 Mr. S. W. Gilbert: 



Dear Sir— While walking over Elder Curry's young orchard yesterday, I saw 

 a seedling peach tree which came up from a cracked pit July 1, 1SS7— only 23 months 

 old— is now 2£ inches in diameter, 8 or 9 feet high, and hangs full of half-grown 

 peaches, enough so that one-half may be prunned off and still leave enough to pro- 

 duce a bushel or more of ripened fruit. Another tree, 3 years old, ten feet away ,. 

 will yield fully five bushels, I believe ; is four inches through and a sight to behold. 



Yours, etc . , T . E . TAB ER . 



D. S. Holman — It is because it is the home of the peach, and not 

 on account of the ashes. 



S. W. Gilbert — Has two trees 2 years old full. 



N. F. Murray — Report of crop is much less than was expected two 

 weeks ago, and the cold has injured the crop very much. Crop of 

 apples 25 per cent, pear 40 per cent. I am always in favor of whole 

 roots for our trees, and yet it does not matter as to the growth in some 

 soils, but is on other. Some still claim that pieces of roots are as good 

 as any ; this I do not believe, but will not be proved as long as we live. 

 We need a Bureau of Horticulture to test these things. They are so 

 in the old country, and can be told in all the orchards. Plant the seed 

 and bud or graft where they stand, will give age and stability to all so 

 done. Trees are as handsome on pieces as whole roots. 



Question : What has been the benefit to the county by the meet- 

 ing of the State society and of your local society f 



Mr. Murray — I am glad to answer to this question in favor of the 

 local society and the advantage of such organization. It pays to do 

 the work and do it systematically, and one year we saved at least 

 $10,000 to our county. 



Maj. Holsinger — Organization is just as necessary for this work as 

 in all other things. It is the way to get our reduced rates to market 

 by organization. The express company have reduced the rate. 



On the subject of whole roots, I believe the trees know what they 

 want to do as well as we do, and a piece of root one inch long is as 

 good as a whole root. I believe the trees know their business, and will 

 grow just as well as if it had a root two miles long. Small potatoes are 

 just as good as large ones ; so with our orchards. Any small trees are 

 iust as good as large ones. 



Don't take too much time in planting. 



