Historical Sketch. 261 



■committee was appointed to invite the horticulturists of the Western and 

 Southwestern States to meet in convention, for the purpose of efiecting the 

 organization of a Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society, and also to arrange 

 for an extensive exhibition of fruits and flowers during the coming autumn. 

 After consultation with horticulturists in several States, the undersigned 

 have decided to call a convention for that purpose, to meet in St. Louis on 

 Wednesday, the 8th day of September next, at 9 o'clock a. m., the particular 

 place and programme of meeting to be hereafter published. 



We are also pleased to be able to announce that the Merchants' Exchange 

 of St. Louis has, with characteristic courtesy and liberality, granted us the 

 use of their great hall for the purpose of a horticultural exhibition; andilhey 

 also guarantee the funds necessary to enable us to ofler a schedule of prizes, 

 amounting in all to nearly $3,000, which is herewith published. This exhi- 

 bition will be held on September 7, 8 and 9, 1880. 



We offer a very liberal list of premiums, and have encov;ragement to be- 

 lieve that we can secure the largest and best arranged display of horticultural 

 products ever made in our country. Certainly there has never been an op- 

 portunity for making so magniflcent a display, as the hall of the St. Louis 

 Merchants' Exchange is the largest and finest in America. 



While the purpose of the proposers of this organization is to serve more 

 immediately the interests of pomology, forestry and floriculture in this great 

 Mississippi Valley, yet we invite the co-operation, both in the convention and 

 in the exhibition, of all persons interested in the horticultural growth of the 

 country, without regard to locality. 



We confidently hope that lovers of pomology and rural art in all these 

 States will join us, with the enthusiasm and energy of the Western men, in 

 the eflbrt to make such an organization and such an exposition of our horti- 

 cultural resources as shall be worthy of the great country in which we live : 



NORMAN J. COLMAN, President Missouri State Horticultural Society. 



J. C. EVANS, Missouri State Horticvdtural Society. 



S. M. TRACY, Secretary Missouri State Horticultural Society. 



S. H. NOWLIN, Secretary Arkansas State Horticultural Society. 



C. C. SMITH, Arkansas State Horticultural Society. 



J. B. HOAG, Arkansas State Horticultural Society. 



PARKER EARLE, President Illinois State Horticultural Society. 



O. B. GALUSHA, Secretary Illinois State Horticultural Society. 



J. E. STARR, Illinois State Horticultural Society. 



H. TONE, President North Texas Horticultural Society. 



T. V. MUNSON, Secretary North Texas Horticultural Society. 



W. H. RAGAN, Secretary Indiana Horticultural Society. 



T. T. LYON, President Michigan Pomological Society. 



C. W. GARFIELD, Secretary Michigan Pomological Society. 



J. M. SMITH, President Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



C. L. WATROUS, President Iowa State Horticultural Society. 



