76 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



all, charit}^ which, all around seeing in our lives, shall so strive to 

 imitate that our earthly homes shall become like unto that final home 

 where love reigns supreme. 



REPORT OF THE DELEGATE TO THE MISSOURI STATE 

 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BY E. A. RIEHL. 



Mr. President^ Ladies and Gentlemen : 



Your delegate respectfully reports that he left home on the 

 evening of December 6th, and proceeded to Lexington, Missouri, via 

 St. Louis, and arrived on the morning of the 7th, where a goodly 

 number of the horticulturists of the State of Missouri were already 

 congregated, and gave your delegate a hearty welcome. The greater 

 part of the first day was given up to arranging the display of fruit 

 and receiving old and making new acquaintances. 



We found a most excellent display of apples of some four hun- 

 dred plates, some fifty varieties being entered for premiums. 



Among the most successful exhibitors we noted the Lafayette 

 County Horticultural Society, of Lexington, which carried off the 

 lion's share of the premiums, and made a large and fine exhibit be- 

 sides. The officers of the State Society had gathered and exhibited 

 a, fine cellection of some one hundred and sixty plates of apples. 

 We noted that, no premiums were offered for large collections, but 

 instead a first and second premium of one dollar and fifty cents re- 

 spectively for all exhibits of the leading varieties. In this way a 

 large display of many varieties is secured, and the money does not go 

 to some one person who has collected a number of varieties from 

 any and every possible source, but to the many different growers who 

 have grown them and taken the trouble to bring them to the meet- 

 ing. This seems to be a much better plan, and I think it well 

 worthy of adoption by our Society. 



The Grano, a new apple that is attracting much attention among 

 the growers of Western Missouri, was on exhibition. We found it 

 a very highly colored apple, smaller than Ben Davis, and, to our 

 taste, no better in quality. We learned from those who are best 

 acquainted with it that it is an apple of much promise, being an 

 annual and heavy bearer, the tree much resembling the Ben Davis 

 and possessing its good qualities. We were told the speciuiens ex- 

 hibited were not up to size, owing to drouth and heavy crops. 



There were on exhibition several new seedlings of handsome 

 appearance and fine quality that may prove of value when thoroughly 

 tested. 



In all the discussions on apples, the fact that the Ben Davis was 

 the best, well-tested commercial apple was strongly presented. Many 

 wanted an apple of better quality, but as yet the Ben Davis is by far 



