SUMMER MEETING. 99 



vicinity. Therefore, by re<iuest of a number of our best citizens of the city and country, I 

 Klve and extend a cordial Invitation to the state Horticultural Society to hold their next 

 annual meeting at Marcellne, Mo. , and on behalf of the good people of this place I feel safe 

 In saying that all things requisite and adequate to make an Interesting meeting will be 

 done with the greatest of willingness and pleasure. Hoping this request may meet with 

 favor, wishing you a pleasant and Interesting time at your present meeting, I am with 

 duo respect. Yours truly, 



s. H. Linton. 



MOBERLT, Mo., March 23, 1S95. 

 Mi;. L. a. GOODM.\n: 



Dear Sik— Yours received. In regard to the change, I am confident It will suit our 

 people fully as well, If not better, in December. You will please give me all the informa- 

 tion and Instruction you may have, so we "can get ready In due time. I will see all the 

 irult men I can and talk it up. Respectfully yours, 



J. P SiXNOCK. 



Thursday, June 6 — 2 p. m. 



What We Learn by Failures. 



This is the topic given me by our worthy Secretary. A full answer 

 would call for columns of both narrative and of facts. One cause of 

 failure and perhaps the greatest is that many are too stingy to pay a 

 dollar for membership in our State Horticultural Society, by which 

 they would get needed light and knowledge, as developed in the life- 

 long experience in fruit-culture of those who both, by success and 

 failure, know how to avoid expensive mistakes and how to accomplish 

 the best results ; men whose lives are spent more in the interests of 

 others than themselves. 



If I had an enemy that wanted to grow fruit and had no experience 

 and 1 wanted to keep him poor, I would advise him to work every 

 moment, to never read a horticultural page, and to buy all the new 

 varieties of trees and plants the glibtongued tree agent offered him. 



We pay enormous prices for new and untested varieties of fruit, 

 "which in a few years prove to be failures, and then cry " fruit-growing 

 is a failure." But are we not ourselves to blame? Are we not the 

 men who pay the tree agents big salaries and traveling expenses *? 

 Look at their pictures which will make your mouth water if you think 

 of planting fruit trees or vines. But if you wish to succeed go to the 

 nearest reliable nursery and buy your trees and plants. 



If we aim to succeed we must devote not less than one-fourth of 

 our working hours to eye and brain work looking around on soil like 

 ours and ask fruit-growers who are honest for advice. One key to 

 success is to learn that an acre in orchard or berries with a selection 



