154 xMISSOUKI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fruit and (lowers must shed a refining influence on the inmates of that 

 home. Its refining influence makes better husbands and wives, and bet- 

 ter sons and daughters. He is a wise man who has provided for his 

 household an orchard that will yield its fruit for all seasons of the year. 

 We can never expect to raise the fine tropical fruits, but we are happy 

 to realize that we are well supplied with a fine variety of fruits suited 

 to our climate and the wants of the people. We have had enough for 

 our families and many thousands of bushels to spare. We think that 

 the state horticultural society is doing a grand and noble work. 



They arc at labor in the morning of the great day of horticultural 

 splendor. There is a great future for the grand old state. Future gen- 

 erations will realize more profit than has been realized in the past. The 

 profits of an orchard are considerable more than if the ground was 

 planted to wheat or corn. We think that first-class apples wall never 

 rate lower than 25 or 30 cents per bushel. Nothing but the finest and 

 beit of fruit should be marketed and that will command the highest 

 price. All inferior fruit should be fed to stock, and it is worth 25 cents 

 per bushel to feed. Stock of all kinds are very fond of apples and are 

 as beneficial to them as to the human family, at the rate of one ration 

 per day. It is the best to plant all decidious trees late in the fall. The 

 trees should not be taken out of the nursery until the wcod is well ripen- 

 ed. There is no danger of freezing out or damaging during the winter 

 if properly planted. Fine surface soil should be used in filling about the 

 fibrous roots, using plenty of water to settle the soil. The surrounding 

 earth will soon absorb the superabundant moisture, and your trees will, 

 in a few days, be as firm in their new situation as old established trees. 

 For a standard orchard the trees should not be planted any closer than 

 30 to 33 feet, an orchard in full bearing should have entire possession of 

 the ground and should receive good culture. Timothy or Blue grass 

 should never be allowed to take possession of an orchard as it saps the 

 ground too much, and thus the vitality of the trees are sodu impaired. 

 The fatal error of allowing an orchard to over bear every alternate year 

 induces premature old age and decay. By good culture and judicious 

 pruning out the small branches when the tree shows an excess of fruit of 

 what it ought to bear, many years of profitable bearing may be added 

 to the life of an orchard, and the so-called ofT year will then become a 

 profitable one. Every man who plants an orchard or fruit garden is a 

 public benefactor. 



We have the satisfaction of knowing that we are following up the 

 example of Him who planted the first fruit garden for the benefit of His 

 creature man. The duty of the man was to dress and keep it. We of 



