DIGEST OF STATE REPORTS. 489 



of the eartlj, should be disturbed as little as possible. lie abstains 

 from cutting auy of the youug shoots duriug the secoud year followiug 

 tlie planting, and cuts but sparingly the third year. Thus treated the 

 fourth year from planting will fully mature a bed. 



Mr. II. O. Thompson contributes an interesting article on the mineral 

 resources and agricultural capabilities of the State. According to the 

 statement of the writer, more than one-half of the 42,000,000 of acres 

 of laud contained within the limits of Missouri is mineral-bearing. This 

 estimate does not include the great coal-fields in the northern and west- 

 ern sections of the State. Iron ores of a more or less valuable character 

 have been discovered in over sixty counties. This ore is found in vast 

 quantities, that in Iron Mountain alone being estimated, as existing 

 above the level of the valley, at 320,000,000 of tons. The mineral- 

 bearing district of the State is thus located by Mr. Thompson : 



Taking; the Missouri River as a northern boundary, and commencing at the dividing 

 county line separating Coojier and Saline Counties, passing thence southwestward, the 

 entire region east of these lines may bo considered a mountainous one. -The western 

 portion of this indicated district presents the magnesian limestone series as the mineral- 

 bearing rocks. Through Vernon, Saint Clair, Hickory, Cedar, Camden, and Laclede, and 

 in a few counties farther east, an old, decomposing, saccharoidal sandstone is presented, 

 ])assing from northwest to southeast. This sandstone presents, in its composition in sev- 

 eral localities, from 10 to 18 per cent, of the oxide of iron. In Vernon and Cedar Counties 

 this sandstone covers the coal series in two localities examined by the writer. But the 

 great and reliable metal-bearing rock of the country is tlie third magnesian limestone 

 that extends over a great portion of the territory above indicated. In the southeastern 

 portion of the State the porphyi-itic and granitic formations are presented, and the 

 vast deposits of minerals evidently exhibit tmmistakable evidence of volcanic action. 

 Tlie siibmerged or swampy country of southeast Missouri was undoubtedly depressed 

 at the time, or soon after, the great convulsion which originated in its present form 

 the Iron Mountain, and other elevations of like nature, in that district. The swampy 

 lands contain millions and millions of tons of bog-iron ore, which seems to be the only 

 mineral of any value. 



Besides iron, lead, copper, zinc, nickel, and other ores exist in large 

 quantities in several counties of this remarkable mineral-bearing dis- 

 trict. 



A laclc of space forbids an extended notice of the transactions of the 

 State Horticultural Society. Better varieties of fruits are fast taking 

 the place of inferior sorts, and are proving both successful and remu- 

 nerative. Grapes do exceedingly well, the crop of 1870 being pronounced 

 enormous in quantity and excellent in quality. The wine manufactured 

 from this crop is estimated at 1,000,000 of gallons. Apples rarely fail. 

 The fruit is generally large, and free from specks and worms, and finds 

 a ready market in Saint Louis for all in excess of the home demand. 

 Tlie demand usually being greater than the supi)ly, remunerative prices 

 are generally received for this variety of fruit. aSTeither pears nor 

 peaches seem to do well in this latitude. The former is subject to blight, 

 and the latter to serious inj ury from the severe frosts of winter. Alluding 

 to pear-blight, the i)resident, in an address before the society, says that 

 the cultivation of this excellent fruit will have to be abandoned unless 

 some remedy for the disease is speedily discovered. Peach culture is 

 yet in its in fancy, and the finer varieties are cultivated but to a limited 

 extent. The i^resident urges the necessity of a carefully prepared list 

 of those varieties which have been found, by actual experience, to stand 

 the greatest degree of cold and yet prove fruitful. He thinks that fruit- 

 growing, as well as other branches of horticulture, would be greatly 

 benefited, especially on large prairies, by planting timber-trees on the 

 nortii and west sides of each farm, to act as wind-breaks. 



At the January meeting of the society occurred a discussion as to the 

 best mode of planting, and the proper treatment of hedges. Mr. I. G. 



