Origin and Importonce of the M. V. Hort. Society. 15 



that at the Rochester meeting of the American Pomological Society, at a late 

 hour, bounced in a dark, keen-eyed man, with such a breeze as to suspend 

 the important discussions. Said he in a loud voice : ' Mr. Bresident, I am a 

 representative from Arkansos— hope I am not too late.' They gave a cheer 

 of welcome for Arkansas. We may all cheer now. Arkansas is coming to 

 the front as a fruit growing Statf." 



That same individual is before you to-night. I traveled some 1200 to loOO 

 miles to attend this meeting at Rochester. I found myself a total stranger 

 to every man I met except Gov. Colman, of Missouri, the editor of Colmmi's 

 Rural World. There were a few representatives in the body from Western 

 States. Missouri was there, so were Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and, I be- 

 lieve, Kansas. An exhibition of horticultural products was made in connec- 

 tion with and by invitation of the Western New York Fair Association, and 

 if I remember correctly the West carried off a majority of the prizes, Mis- 

 souri alone bringing away three of the Wilder medals. This was a feather in 

 the cap of Missouri, of which she is justly proud. During the discussions, I 

 observed that there existed a very wide diflerence of opinion as to the value 

 of certain varieties of fruits, between Eastern and Western men, soine, being 

 adapted to and taking high rank in the West, were discarded in the East, 

 and vice versa. It was also apparent that there was a wide difference in the 

 mode of culture and general management of orchards and vineyards in the 

 respective localities and climates Taking these things into consideration, 

 and the almost inaccessibility of the meetings of the American Pomological 

 Society to the majority of Western men, it occurred to me that it would not 

 be of any great practical value to us in the West or South ; that however 

 important that association might be to the East, where it was first founded, 

 and notwithstanding the very kings of the horticultural world assembled at 

 its biennial meetings, and believing that it gave to the world more wisdom 

 in this particular branch of husbandry than any other body of men on earth, 

 yet it was clear to my mind that it lacked that practical utility to the West- 

 ern horticulturist that the age demanded. 



I wondered, then, why the vigorous, active, wide-awake men of the West 

 did not strike out from their old mother, and with their energy, zeal and in- 

 dependence, establish for themselves a head to their own horticultural em- 

 pire in the Mississippi valley. The first man, if I remember correctly, to 

 whom the subject was mentioned, was one of those very kings we have just 

 mentioned (and he is no less a king here than there) our esteemed and ven- 

 erable friend. Dr. John A. Warder, of Ohio, who, since then, said he thought 

 at the time it smacked of considerable impudence. The next man was J. 

 C. Evans, of Missouri, who greatly encouraged the scheme. 



When I returned home it was not long until there was a meeting of the 

 Arkansas State Horticultural Society, and while giving in my report this 

 suggestion of forming the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society was laid 

 before them. Although the scheme appeared rather gigantic for an institu- 

 tion so young and feeble to put in motion, it was determined to make the 

 effort. 



