REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 369 



Boonville, to T. W. Gannt, of Maryville, to Miss Murtfeldt, and to our 

 sister society at Mound City, to be present at our fourth of June meet- 



ing. 



Dr. Goslin was appointed to ask the Oregon cornet band to play 

 for the fourth of June meeting. 



The secretary was instructed to assure Mr. Goodman of the best 

 possible assistance of Holt county in making a great show of Missouri 

 fruits next fall at St. Louis and elsewhere. 



iN". F. MUKEAY, President. 



W. R. Laughlin, Secretary. 



PLANTING AND PKUXIKG. 



BY MR. BRODBECK. 



This is certainly a much more important feature to fruit growers 

 than the most of us are aware of. I here give my idea of transplanting 

 and pruning, and whatever I may say I will be sure of an opposite 

 opinion of some one. I believe trees should not be taken up until 

 spring as it is impossible for us to place the roots and fibers as nature 

 has placed them to protect them through the winter. They lay dor- 

 mant so long, from fall till spring, that to heal them in the ground, we 

 can't straighten out all the little fibers as well as where they grow and 

 they come out in the spring all crooked up, and more or less dried out 

 or mildewed. In setting the tree all the little fibers should be well 

 straightened out, no two to touch or cross each other. It is not neces- 

 sary to dig a great deep hole and put in brick or rock like they do 

 where they have hardpan ; our land here has a natural under drainage. 

 The ground should be well pulverized, using the top soil among the 

 fibers. Don't set them too deep. I use water in setting and lean the 

 trees a little to the southwest ; curtail the top in proportion to the root; 

 head four to five feet high ; three limbs and the center is enough for 



H. R.— 24 



