Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-10

executive committee WHO Sldll consult
with and work in conjunction with the
horticultural department of the state
board of agriculture. l further recon-
mend that 800 be set aside this COM
ing year toward the making of an ex-
tensive collection of fruits to be pre-
served in alcohol. Our society should
always be ready to make an exhibit OF
our fruits and to do this we must pre-
pare many samples in this way to be
able to bridge over the contingencies
like we have passed thru the past sea-
son.
I'VE are now on the eve Of holding
great national exposition in 1903 at ST.
Louis commemoratirg the Louisiana
Purchase. AT this exposition, Iowa
will be expected to take front rank,
and to do this, work must be early COM
menced and plans deeply laid by this
society to see that the horticultural In
terests of Iowa are not tagging, as Iowa
cannot afford to relinquish the proud
position that she attained at the great
expositions at Philadelphia. New Or
leans, Chicago, Omaha and other places.
The only regret that the writer had
when viewing the beautiful exhibits at
the Pan-American was that Iowa with
her great prosperity and public spirited
men, had not seen fit to take part in this
exposition. 1t has been with many re-
grets by members of this society that
it was not made possible for us to main
tain the reputation and excellency OF
Iowa's horticulturists there. To this
end deem it wise that advanced steps
be taken to meet any emergency or help
to- 1,ok tn16 nyr0
the front rank as one of the greatest
horticultural states of the Mississippi
valley.
I'm this line believe am safe in
saying that we have made general and
forward movement when we required
these rooms to be kept open to thu gen
eral public and made the secretary GUS
todian of the same. In doing this 1t was
the object Of the society that the Sec
retarys salary should be sufficient to
have him make his residence in the city.
While have heard no complaint from
the present secretary yet / am conf
dent that the amount paid for his ser
vices is not adequate, nor in compari-
son with men of other state who hold
like positions. If our financial condition
will warrant, recommend that the sal
ary of our secretary be increased at
least $780,
Now, at the close of this meeting
return to your hands the trust you con-
fided in my keeping one year ago;
thank you for the honor you conferred
upon me. / have tried to do my best.
u have never lost an opportunity to hold
the banner of Iowa horticulture wheth-
err at home or abroad, to the front; and
I can assure you that my associa tions
with such earnest, intelligent and prac-
tical men as are found in this society
has been pleasant. only hope that the
greatest prosperity may attend the
work and efforts of the officers Of this
society
A feature Of the convention was the
reports from the directors Of the differ
ient horticultural districts OF the state
on the condition of the crops in the state
this season. In general these reports
showed that the past season was good
one for some kinds of fruit and poor
one for others. Apples were only fair
crop, but peaches and small fruit did
we'll and brought good prices. The pros-
poets are regarded by all fruit growers
as excellent for good crop next year,
as conditions a thus far are all that
could be desired.
w. o. Willard, OF Grinnell. reported
for his district that the winter was IA
vorable and the season of 1901 started
out we'll for all fruit. There was no
killing frost in the spring. But in CEN
tral Iowa apples were a failure, owing
in part to the fact that the preceding
year had been an unusually good one.
Cherries and plums produced well, es-
pecially the young and thrifty trees.
There are not many pear orchards in the
state, but interest in the growing of
pears is on the increase. The peach
trees that survived the winter Of 1899
bore heavy crop this year, some or
chards reporting 100 or more bushels of
fine fruit. New peach orchards have
been extensively planted the present
year. The loss of grape vines has only
in measure been replaced, and the
fruit was not as large nor as good this
year as usual. The strawberry crop
was the largest and finest for years.
The season was not good for raspber-
ries Currants and gooseberries did
we'll.
A. l.. Plummer, Of Ivy, Polk county,
for lis district reported that the fruit
trees and vines came thru the preceding
winter all right, that the peach trees
were loaded with fruit, that there was
fair crop of native plums, and that
grapes were fairly abundant, but quail
ty poor In other respects his report
was much like the preceding.
b. Shontz, Of Correctionville, reported
for northeastern Iowa. The year just
past was a remarkable one in that it
started out as desirable as possible with
plenty of moisture for all crops, and
later was poor. His orchard made fine
growth The strawberry crop was eS-
pecially fine, the berries being large and
the vines full. The 'blackberries and
raspberries set we'll, but the season was
too dry. Grapes We're a full crop and
good prices were obtained. Plums and
cherries were all right and abundant.
The early varieties of apples We're good,
but not so with the later ones. The
prospects are good for the next season.
William Langhan, OF Cedar Rapids,
reported that his portion of the state
suffered from the heat and drouth; but
cherries. plums peaches, strawberries
and raspberries were a good crop. There
was a great deficiency in winter apples
in the district Cherries and plums were
never better.
Similar reports We're received from
other portions of the state.
Among the papers read was an excel
III CSp-z