132 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Willow Sfrings, May 17TH, 1888. 



Mr. L. A. Goodman, Secretary, etc. 



Dear Sir : — My orchard is too young to bear, so I send, in place 

 of filling your blank, the 



EXPERIENCE OF AN .\MATEUR. 



In November, 1875, I left the land of lakes and blizzards for the 

 South Slope of the Ozarks, intent on engaging in fruit-growing in a small 

 way. " They " told me to " plant and wait " was all one had to do. I 

 ' planted and waited." The apple borer did not "wait," neither did the 

 peach grub — so I lost nearly one-fourth of my trees ; then the rabbits 

 finished a few more, when a great and good editor advised me to "paint" 

 my trees with lard and sulphur, I plied it on thick, and my peach trees 

 are now dying. I am now possessed of less patience to " wait," am hot 

 nearly so handsome as I was, but I am infinitely wiser! While "all you' 

 are having a "powerful " good time at Oregon, I .shall be "smearing" a 

 barrel of soft soap and carbolic acid on my trees — building log fires in 

 the orchard, etc., to frighten off the beetles. This done, 1 will treat the 

 roots of each peach tree to a fourth pound of tobacco, then build a wire 

 and picket woven fence to head off the rabbits. These conquered, I hope 

 to erect a stand-pipe, from which, with hose, I can spray to the death, at 

 a moment's notice, the codling moth and curculio. 



I don't think the Ben Davis apple fit to eat, and I don't know how 

 to live and grow any other kind. Tried to get a sample of Shackleford^ 

 but failed. Don't like to plant them, till I know more of them ; can the 

 Society recommend them as better than " Ben " to eat and an equally 

 sure and heavy bearer.-* Blackberries loaded with bloom, ditto raspber- 

 ries. Pears on Duchess all fe 1 off ; frost on 14th (and more expected 

 to-night, 17th May), I think did the work. Cherries about ditto. Plums 

 only on my Robinson and wild trees. Strawberries hurt by drought and 

 winter. Currant bushes nearly all died, because they don't like the sun- 

 shine of July and August. Gooseberries come up " smiling " for more 

 sugar. 



