The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-06-11
semi-AnnuaI Meeting of the State
Society.
Much Interesting Information

ing. The work is not general. but is
in strips and spots, mostly along the
streams and in the towns and Villages,
where they take the gardens and every
green thing. The first of their tracks
l saw was near Leroy, although they
have done considerable work between
there and Hartford, but only In spots.
In places, all the way to Fort Scott,
whole fields and heighborhoods are
completely stripped Of every vestige OF
vegetation. Corn fields, which two
weeks ago the owners were blowing,
are as In January. Wheat fields with
only few inches of the stubs of the
wheat stalks, are sights of common but
not unusual occurrence. In passing
along the road at Usage Mission and in
the suburbs of this place, had to in
quire the reason that along the river
side to the commons there was not q
sign of weed or grass. In Emporia
there would have been a growth of to
inches of weeds and grass, but this is
as if it had just been plowed and har-
rOWed. The answer was "hoppered
out" Upon closer investigation 1
found such to be the case. The var
minis have taken all. A general de-
preston of spirits prevail, and in many
cases complete encouragement. To-
day the air is full of these on the
wing, with their heads toward Empo-
ria, but / hope they will not cOnde-
scend to stop with us.
The people, when they are able to
get seed, are preparing to replant The
corn and potatoes, and if the season is
favorable quite an amount will be
raised yet, of corn, potatoes, aud late
vegetables.
l anticipated at this meeting show
of strawberries and flowers, but, with
the exception OF a few house plants,
there is not II thing to be got for the
exhibiting tables. You may wonder
what this has to do with a meeting OF
fruit-grOwers; but it has much to do.
Could you pass through the nurseries
and Vineyards and see hundreds and
thousands of trees with not leaf on
them, and the gra peries literally eaten
up; to see yards with not blade OF
blue grass to tell the tale; the rose
bushes, shrubs and evergreens dead
and dying; you would soon see the
connection between this plague of
Pharaoh and the Horticultural inter-
estsss of the country. This would ac-
count for the apathy and apparent
lack of interest shown By the people of
Central and Southern Kansas in this
meeting.
The citizens Of FIT. Scott have gener-
Ously entertained all the members and
others in attendance, free of expense,
and made the meeting as pleasant as
possible. Mcdonald Hall, where the
meeting was held, is pleasant room,
and has beeff< decorated with boughs
and flowers, tastefully arranged by
Mrs. Sinner and others. The attend
ance has averaged about fifty, except
in the evenings, when there are more.
There are in attendance from other
parts of the state, among others, Prof.
E. Gale, of Manhattan, president; Rob-
ert Milliken, Emporia, vice pre- sident ;
G. c. Bracket, of Lawrence, secreta-
ry; DR.. Stayman and F. Welhouse. OF
Leavenworth; DIR. Warner, II. f.
Venderman, Spicer, Latimer, G. Y.
johnson, and many others whose
names escape me at present.
The meeting was called to order at
10 o'clock on Tuesday, June I'd, and
was opened by prayer; most of the
former was occupied in appointing
committees and transacting other mis-
cellaneOus business.
The venerable ex-president DR.
Howsley, being unable to attend, sent
in paper ON the causes of rot and
mildew in the grape, which was read
by the secretary, and discussed at some
length. 1 have not the room or Il
would give you a synopsis of his theo-
ry, and the opinions of others in the
discussion that followed the reading of
the essay.
Mr.. SAKE read paper in the after
noon on the subject of small fruit cult
ure, bnt elected but little that was
new on that subject, except that our
Kansas soils need undertakings, es-
pecialiy Central and Southern Kansas.
Mr.. S. recommended to discard the
Wilson's Albany strawberries for some
deeper rooted kind-advice which Il
fear bnt few will feel like taking.
ID. b. Skeels read Il paper on fruit
culture, in which ne gave the ''villain-!
Gus tree-peddler" particular fits, as
well as the careless purchaser. QuiteI
a discussion followed on the propriety
of such a wholesale denunciation off
tree caHVassers, some oE the nursery
men defending them and insisting that
there are some honest men ia that bu-
siness as well as In 6thersa 1t was
shown that much of the fault attribut-
ed to the seller is often the fault of the
buyer. Mr.. S. illustrated his point by
two or three appropriate examples,
which made good deal OF sport.
The society have made arrangements
with the Kansas Farmer to publish the
papers and essays, and you had better
look for Skeelis essay, as it is both in
structiYe and amusing.
The evening session was called to
order by the vice president, and was
opened by prayer by Rev. Mr.. Porter.
The exercises were interspersed with
music by Mr.. And Mrs. Mckinney.
The address of welcome was made to
the society by Gen. Blair, followed by
some remarks by Mr.. Manlove, presi-
dent of the Bourbon County Horti-
cultural society, and the response was
made by G. Y. johnson, of Lawrence.