40 
SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 
Mr. Rooks —I would like to know the best kind of fertil¬ 
izer to use. I have used fertilizers that are prepared for the 
orange trees on my pineapples. It has a wonderful effect on 
my orange trees and on the oranges. My pines are planted 
about two to three feet apart. All the plants I got from the 
Indian River country had the mealy bugs. Something de¬ 
stroyed them; I do not know what. I have none now. I 
do not know what the cure was. 
Mr. Richards —The fertilizer I mentioned is the best. I do 
not know what killed out your mealybugs. We are not 
troubled by them. 
Gf. P. Healy —I would like to ask Mr. Richards if he has any 
difficulty with the stem rot in his pines. 
Mr. Richards —The stem rot is caused by the red spider. 
The spider works round the root of the plant and causes them 
to rot off. I do not know what the remedy is. I have no 
red spiders because I do not plant the varieties they infest. 
The Kaki—Japan Persimmon. 
The Committee on Kaki submitt ing no report, the subject 
was taken up and discussed as follows : 
C. F. A. Bielby —1 think almost every one present has an 
interest in this subject, and it would be gratifying to every¬ 
one here to hear from those who have raised Japan persim¬ 
mons and of their successes. There is no question about the 
possibilities of raising the fruit, nor is there question about 
the quality of it, but how to prepare it so that in getting it to 
market it may be presented sound and whole and induce the 
people of the consuming portion of the country to purchase 
it, is the only question we have much interest in. I shipped 
quite a large quantity last year, and every box I was able to 
put in the market sound, sold for a very good price; but un¬ 
fortunately I do not seem to have the knack of putting it up 
so that it will go to the market in good shape. Pack it ever so> 
green, or as ripe as I might, it would always reach the mar¬ 
kets in bad order. On the whole the shipments were disas¬ 
trous. If anybody here knows how to ship it so that the 
