174 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The following- letter was read : 



BusHBERG, Jefferson County, Mo., Dec. 6, 1886. 



My Dear Mr. Goodman — Unforeseen circumstances almost at 

 at tlie last moment, prevent my attending your meeting to-morrow, at 

 which I had confidently hoped and expected to be present. While I 

 regret it sincerely that I must be deprived of this pleasure, I may, at 

 least, express the hope that your meeting- will be a very pleasant and 

 profitable one, and will be greatly enjoyed by all who are present. 



I must also offer yon my apology that I have not prepared a report 

 on vineyards, as you will have expected from me. The fact is, how- 

 ever, that there has been so little of encouraging and cheering result 

 in the grape crop of this section, owing to the very unfavorable season 

 which we had here, that I have had no heart to make a report, and I 

 intended to ask the society rather to excuse me for this time. 



I hope that under the circumstances my failure to make such a 

 report, which in itself could have reported but little else besides failure 

 of crops, may meet with a kind and charitable indulgence for 



Yours very truly, 



G. E. MEISSNER. 



Mr. Teubner — I have no material of which to make a written report. 

 The few vineyards we have are mostly Concord. It has rotted badly 

 thisyear, but not as bad as last year. We have had, perhaps, half a crop. 

 In some vineyards three- fourths of a crop. Sacking, in a small way, 

 was successful in preventing the rot, and also in keeping the berries 

 from being- wormy. 



Mr. Ambrose — At what time should the sacks be applied to pre- 

 vent rot "? Many have failed with the system, perhaps from the fact 

 that they did not sack the grapes at the right time. 



Mr. Teubner — That is an important question. I think the sacks 

 should be put on as soon as possible after the berries are set — say 

 within four or five days after they are set. 



Dr. Gordon — I had bunches affected on the 10th of June, before 

 the berries were as large as goose shot. I am satisfied that any family 

 can sack enough grapes for their own use. 



Mr. Irvine — The matter was up at the Warrensburg meeting. I 

 believe it was said there that the disease was caused by the exhaustion 

 of some necessary element in the soil. One gentleman laughed at the 

 idea. I know of a gentleman who had a large vineyard in good soil. 



