WINTER MEETING AT LEBANON.. 287 



run a curculio catcher under the trees. Avoid acute angles in the 

 branches of your trees, or they will break down. The peach will not 

 grow together in an acute angle. I want peach trees very open. Some 

 of my best trees have only three or four limbs and no uprights. I 

 want all the tree exposed to the sun. It is necessary to remember 

 that the fruit is borne on the last year's twigs. Are those twigs on 

 the whole length of the limb or only at the ends of the main branches ? 

 If the latter, then the weight of the fruit will act on the limb like a 

 lever and split it down. Keep the little twigs all along down the 

 length of the main branches. You have got to prune every year, for 

 if you once lose these twigs you cannot regain them. 



Secretary Goodman — I have never pruned in that way, but cut 

 back from one-third to two-thirds of the growth made last season; 

 this, of course, takes off from one-third to two-thirds of the fruit, 

 which is part of the thinning. When we were done thinning, the 

 ground was literally covered with peaches. 



Mr. Hollister — I can give you an illustration of the benefit of thin- 

 ning peaches. Seventeen years ago Dr. Hull, of Alton, thinned his 

 peaches to six inches apart on the twigs. He put his peaches in peck 

 baskets, which sold for $1.25 each, while his neighbors sold theirs for 

 $1.75 per bushel. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE OX TRANSPORTATION. 



C. I. ROBARDS, BUTLER. 



Your committee appointed to investigate and report upon the fruit 

 growers' and shippers' interest of Missouri, would respectfully recom- 

 mend that, in their opinion, the true way to overcome the dificulties 

 lying in the way of fruit transportation is to offer every inducement 

 possible to encourage fruit and vegetable growers to embark more ex- 

 tensively in the business of producing. We believe the truth of the 

 old adage that none are so far from market as those who have nothing 

 to sell. In other words, we belive that the interest -of buyers is more 

 surely and more speedily attracted to districts where extensive crops are 

 grown than to places where little is offered for sale. Wo would also 

 recommend that a plan of close co-operation by shippers will more 

 speedily accomplish the desired end; that a union of interests will not 



