REPORTS OF COUNTY SOCIETIES. 341 



EIPLEY COUNTY. 



Doniphan, November 25, 1889. 



L. A.. Goodman, Secretary Horticultural Society, Westport, Mo. : 



Dear Sir: — Regarding the fruit-growing in this county, 15 per 

 cent more care taken in planting out trees and vines than 4 years, 3, 2 

 or 1 year ago. Not much care is taken with them after planting only with 

 few exceptions. All fruits that have been tried here do well, with the 

 exception, Purple-Duane plum and the currant, as I stated in my report 

 in 1884. We never have a failure of large fruits such as apples, peaches 

 and pears, and they are of good flavor. 



According to the situation and soil of this country (Ripley county), 

 small fruit is earlier in the spring, getting ripe by from seven to ten days 

 earlier than anywhere east or west. Nine years ago, and ever since, I 

 have in my nursery a seedling strawberry of the Wilson variety that 

 gets ripe earlier by seven to ten days than east or west of us, or 100 

 miles south of us. I have sold several thousand plants on the strength 

 of it. I find it is partly in the lay of the country, and a part in the way 

 they are cultivated. 



There is a big opening for great many good men with plenty of 

 grit to make money raising fruit, because they can buy improved land 

 or farms cheap. Land in the woods, the price at a song, and sing it 

 yourself. Yours, 



J. G. Hancock. 



COLE COUNTY. 



Jefferson City, Mo., November 23, 1889. 



L. A. Goodman, Esq., Westport, Mo. : 



Yours of November 11th is received, and in answer to your inqui- 

 ries, will say I am afraid I cannot give you as correct or full informa- 

 tion of the state and cultivation of fruits in this county as I would like 

 to. Unfortunately we have no local horticultural society, and I can 

 only write of what comes under my immediate observation. If any 

 other correspondent in Cole county can supply you with a fuller re- 

 port, please throw this aside. I assure you I appreciate your annual 

 report, aiul it seemed to me your report for 1888 was better than any 

 preceding one. 



