3li6 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



My object in sending the article to the "Republic" was: first, to give it ex- 

 tensive circulation; second, I assumed that possibly the "Rural World" and 

 "Journal of Agricultnre " v?ould copy it; third, if tirst published in either of the 

 latter, no big daily would copy it. 



By the same mail that brought me the paper containing the article I received 

 a letter reading as follows : 



"8t. Louis, Mo., Aug. 12, 1S92. — Your article, "Missouri Fruit Growing," 

 in this days. Republic, prompts me to respeclfally inquire how and where can I 

 procure the specified reports. Any information will be received with the sincerest 

 thanks. Very respectfully, A. Borlinghaut, 315 Olive bt. " 



Yours truly, 



H. Strother. 

 MISSOURI FRUIT-GROWING. 



To the Editor of the Republic: 



The thirty-fourth annual report of the iState Horticultural Society of Missouri 

 has been received, and. like the preceding reports edited by Mr. L. A. Goodman, of 

 VYestport, Mo., Secretary of this Society, is of extreme value to the fruit-growers 

 and farmers generally of this State, and should be carefully studied by them and 

 then placed in their libraries and zealously guarded for future reference and for 

 the benefit of their children. Great would be the results if the people of our State 

 would only study these reports and plant and care for their orchards and fruits as 

 therein directed and advised. The State Horticultural Society is composed of not 

 only the best men in Missouri, but also of the best posted, most scientific and most 

 successful horticulturists in the west. They are men who prepare themselves for 

 their profession by hard and close study and research, just as the successful lawyers 

 doctor, preacher, artist and scientists do; but, wholly unlike these professions, the 

 great big-hearted, brainy, successful fruit-growers give their knowledge, experi- 

 ence and advice to all freely. On this point I will quote a few lines from Secretary 

 Goodman (Thirty-fourth Hort. Rep., p. 170): "How many of us give out facts of 

 our profession which have cost us months of labor and many dollars of money to 

 prove for the mere asking. Can you point to any other profession which will begin 

 to do as we do? The other day a certain lawyer in Kansas City asked me question, 

 about planting an orchard which were worth thousands of dollars to him, and yet 

 he never once thought of paying for any of it. The same lawyer charged me $5 

 for writing a contract." 



The members of this Society are not only giving so much away, but they are 

 the most unselfish men in the world, for they beseech their neighbors, friends and 

 foes, andbeg of the entire agricultural population of the State to plant more trees, 

 more apple trees, and fruit trees of all kinds. This has been the constant theme of 

 th is Society since its organization in 1859. That veteran horticulturist, Norman 

 J- Colman, is the father of this Society, and he still takes a lively interest in its 

 welfare. To enumerate the benefits of this Society to the State at large, and 

 give the names of the prominent horticulturists who have been its leading mem- 

 bers, and show the results of their work, would require a volume. 



When it is considered that the value of the fruit crop of the State has steadily 

 increased year by year from a very insignificant amount in 1859 to the enormous 

 sura of over $10,000,000 in 1890, and nearly $20,000,000 in 1891, and the business 

 has grown from the embryo state to full-grown, full-fledged science — a learned 

 profession— all the direct results of the labors of this Society, should not every- 

 one who has the best interests of his State at heart do everything in his power to 

 help the good work along ? 



