ANNUAL MEETING AT LEXINGTON. 179 



life. Carbolic acid is a deadly poison to insects, and retains its strength 

 for a long time. Gar tar will make the wash stick well, till spring rains 

 wash it off, but it or anything- of a greasy nature should not be used on 

 .trees in summer. 



JACOB FAITH, Montevallo. 



REPORT BY W. :.I. HOPKINS, SPRINGFIELD, MO. 



To the Missouri State Horticultural Society: 



As one of the committee on small fruits I submit this brief report. 

 As a new comer here it must not be expected that I am sufficiently 

 posted to do the subject full justice or add anything new. I learn from 

 growers of small fruits in this vicinity that the strawberry crop was 

 about an average, but a two weeks drought caused the fruit to ripen up 

 all at once, causing too many small berries and a glut in the market and 

 very low prices. One large grower became disgusted and let much of 

 his crop go to waste. Red and black raspberries only a fair crop with 

 very good prices. Blackberries a very small crop on account of the 

 rust (as usual all over the west) with good paying prices. One grower 

 near Springfield has had the same plants on his place nearly twenty 

 years and no rust yet. I saw the Red Dutch Currant growing here 

 Tinder treatment that surprised me, and loaded down with that beautiful 

 fruit. I think with the right kind of treatment and proper care it will 

 be a paying success. I think from what I can see that southwest 

 Missouri is well adapted to the raising of all the small fruits. Let me 

 again urge all engaging in the business to ])lant no more than you can 

 cultivate well, and handle the fruit better than is generally done. I 

 know from fifteen year's experience that it does pay to handle fruit 

 well. As far as I see and can learn, all small fruits that have been 

 properly attended to since fruiting are looking very well. The straw- 

 berry crop will not be so large the coming season as last, many patches 

 have gone to waste and not many set last spring. It might not be out 

 of the way to add that I consider -winter protection indispensible to 

 success in raising strawberries. Cover with clean wheat straw from 

 one to two inches as soon as the ground freezes hard ; as soon as spring 

 opens rake the straw lightly from over the plants and let it stay between 

 the rows for a mulch and to keep the fruit clean till the fruiting season 

 is over. / 



Springfield, Mo., Dec, 1, 1888. 



