46 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



PKOTECTJ]:^G OUR ORCHARDS FROM SXEAK THIEVES. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Goodman — We Imve been troubled very much with loafers, or 

 tramps, who take our fruit. They ought to be shot, I presume, but we 

 can not do that. 



Mr. President — Why not ? 



Mr. Goodman — I don't like to kill a man for stealing apples, but 

 Low shall we protect them? What is the law upon the subject? 



Mr. President — I tell them to come by the house and they can get 

 "what they want. 



Mr. Bayles — I had to abandon fruit growing even for my own use. 

 In the East they put up signs around the place against trespassing, and 

 they enforce the law. They arrest and prosecute the trespasser. 



Mr. President — -Is it necessary to put up signs before we can en- 

 force the law against trespassers ? 



Mr. Goodman — I think it is better to put up the signs, and then we 

 can prosecute them. 



Mr. Lionherger — I know a man who has a night watch. 



Mr. Holman — I tried shot guns, and other guns. The best way is 

 to make them believe you will hurt them. We built a guard-house and 

 kept a guard in it some of the time. We shot once or twice, and hired 

 a man to halloo as if he were hurt. Nothing will do but to watch your 

 fruit and keep them out of it. It is tempting. It was tempting in Eden 

 and good folks will steal fruit. 



Mr. Mclntyre — I think the pruning process is destructive to or- 

 chards. My plan would be to use the pinching process. 



Mr. Evans — May it not often depend entirely upon the time when 

 the pruning is done? I can not undertake to tell when it does hurt, or 

 when it does not hurt. I knew of a case in which thirty Northern Spy 

 trees were pruned, one each day, in June. Some of those trees havg 

 died and others have done well. 



Mr. Mclntyre — I would like to know what is the best time. 



Mr. Goodman — I want to get facts from the members of the society 

 as to when we can prune and have the wound heal up completely. 



Mr. Burr ores — We prune nursery trees just as soon as we think 

 the cold weather is over, and the cuts are nearly all grown over now. 

 We usually prune the last of February or early in March. 



