MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 317 



He said, "you have reminded me of something I have been prom- 

 ising my wife for a long time, and now, with your^help, I intend to carry 

 it out." 



I said, "what is it that you need my help in ?" "I am going to 

 plant some fruit in the spring, and I want you to tell me what to plant, 

 where to get it and how to plant it." 



I said to him, "you might have become possessed of all that infor- 

 mation long ago by becoming a member of the horticultural society, 

 and by this time had your fruit trees and plants all in bearing, and 

 further, your family would have had the pleasure of attending many of 

 our meetings, and you would all be in a position to appreciate the 

 fruits of your trees and plants the more." I further said to him, "Sir, 

 for the sake of your wife and children I will give you the information, 

 but you do not deserve any sympathy or help from any one." 



But I started out to tell you how to buy nursery stock, and might 

 have done it just as well without talking about my neighbor ; but we 

 are told to "look after the widows and orphans," and I offer this as my 

 apology for the slight digression, hoping this may be the means of in- 

 ducing others, like my neighbor, to provide for the better health, com- 

 fort and pleasure of their families. 



Fruit Growing. 



By F. M. Brown, Jefferson City, Mo. 



It is not intended in this article, as its title would seem to imply 

 to discuss the methods of planting, cultivating and marketing the vari- 

 ous kinds of fruits, or of any particular variety, but rather to speak of 

 the adaptability of the soil and climate of Cole county to' the success- 

 ful culture of fruits, and especially of the arboreous or tree fruits, the 

 advantages of transportation and proximity to markets, and the remu- 

 nerative features of the business. 



The growing of small fruits in this locality has long since passed 

 beyond the stage of experiment, large quantities of strawberries, rasp- 

 berries and blackberries of the finest quality having been grown here, 

 and strawberries particularly, shipped to distant markets and sold at 

 prices satisfactory to the growers. 



While, perhaps, so much cannot be said of the various tree fruits, 

 few, if any, commercial orchards having been grown in this county, 

 still it has been demonstrated that apples, pears, peaches, plums and 

 cherries will yield large crops of excellent fruit, and there is every 

 reason to believe that if people would engage extensively in the grow- 



