SUMMER MEETING. 7i» 



by the inquiring mind of whatever age. We think this will supply a 

 long-felt and obvious demand. 



We presume to say that almost any member of this Society, or any 

 member of our many county societies, could avoid expensive mistakes 

 in horticulture after studying such a handbook of horticultural knowl- 

 edge. If this be true of us, how much more will it be true of our chil- 

 dren and the inexperienced? Mistakes in fruit-growing are exceed- 

 ingly expensive. If you plant wrong varieties or plant them in a wrong 

 way, you are at a great disadvantage for years. 



While we know that horticultural knowledge is added to and taken 

 from year after year, and no hand book would be complete in all details 

 and experiences, yet we do know that the most expensive mistakes are 

 made because men are ignorant of well established facts. We believe 

 the State of Missouri recognizes the truth of this assertion, and grants 

 means to extend this knowledge, knowing full well that the time and 

 money of the fruit-grower thus ignorantly and fruitlessly wasted, is 

 lost beyond redemption to the State and individual. So that personally 

 I want to say that my hands and brains were never engage in what I 

 thought was a more noble effort. 



Then, again, men in this the dawn of the twentieth century, are 

 reljing more and more upon written information for a guide in all the 

 undertakings of life. We all read; we all think; we all study more 

 than ever before about our common occupation, as well as everything 

 else. As this intellectual activity grows upon us and our children, the 

 demand for such knowledge as this committee should be able to furn- 

 ish, will dnd a special place in the schools and homes of our people. 

 It surely seems to be worthy undertaking for this Society to try and 

 supply this demand. Who will do it if we do not undertake it ? Who 

 possess superior knowledge, or experience, or to whom should the 

 State look for a more willing disposition ? 



If we have profited by the success and failures of others, why 

 withhold what we should be able to give f The horticultural resources 

 of our State are just beginning to be developed. A.s far as we know, 

 Missouri is in her infancy in this respect. The generations to come 

 will want a good foundation upon which to build the beautiful orchards 

 of the future. The horticultural art will dot our prairies and wood- 



m 



lands with scenes that will delight not only the eye but the taste of 

 man. 



As I behold the superior intellectual advantage of this closing 

 century, and as I see the sunrise of the twentieth century dawning 

 upon us and spreading out such wonderful possibilities before us, I 



