40 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



remaining for a profitable crop, and, of course, must be larger and bet- 

 ter from thinning. The crop of apples in Dallas, Polk, Dade, Lawrence 

 and other counties near us is pretty satisfactory. In some parts of 

 the district it has been injured some by hail, but in Greene we escaped. 



Where there are pear trees there are pears this year, and thus far 

 we have escaped the blight. 



Peaches in Greene did not even bloom, and the older trees are so 

 damaged they will probably never fruit again. The peaches there 

 twenty years ago were plentiful and almost sure every year, but now 

 the peach belt seems to have moved south and east of us, if, indeed, 

 the right place for a sure crop can be found anywhere. 



Kespectfully, 



D. S. HOLMAN. 



Mr. Holman — There seems to be a disposition to grow fruit with- 

 out labor, and I think in part of the country we are trying it pretty 

 well, but I am satisfied we can not grow apples without cultivation any 

 better than we can grow corn without labor. We find that grass and 

 clover are smothering our trees, and I think we are now learning that 

 if we cultivate our trees we may hope to be able to eat Ben Davis and 

 other kinds of apples. 



REPORT BY CHARLES PATTERSON, KIRKSVILLE, MO. 



KiRKSViLLE, Mo., June 7, 1886. 

 To tlie President and Members of Missouri State Horticultural Society : 



To indicate my respect for you and your requirements I will en- 

 deavor to go through the form of making a report on orchards without 

 much hope of contributing anything useful or reliable. I have had but 

 very few opportunities of observing other orchards than my own, and 

 that but very superficially, and inquiries from others no more favora- 

 bly situated, could hardly elecit more than current impressions. 



And these seem to agree unanimously that the present prospects 

 are uncommonly favorable for good crops of all kinds of fruits, as well 



