132 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



Nine years ago, through the invitation of A. W. St. John and C. 

 A. Emry, the State Society met in this queen city of Southwest Mis- 

 souri. At that time, the first meeting at which I was Secretary, we had 

 just an inkling of what was to be the future of orcharding in Missouri. 

 At that meeting I said in my report "that it would take only a 

 few years to show to other States what Missouri could do in the fruit 

 line," and a plan was laid out then whereby we could have the State 

 organized in a systematic manner. The names collected from all over 

 the State of the fruit-growers, the persistent letters to them, the strange 

 replies, the apathy of the horticulturists, the want of confidence in our 

 State work, were strange to me and serious barriers. By persistent 

 effort, before the end of the year we had a list of 700 or 800 names of 

 the best fruitmen of the State, and a signification from them of their 

 willingness to assist in making our Society the best in the country. 

 The earnest efforts of a hundred good workers have brought about 

 the result you see all about us to-day. 



For ten long years we have been working together without a 

 single break, every member willing and anxious to do his part fully and 

 well. We can point with pride and satisfaction to the work accom- 

 plished during these ten years. It has been one of pleasure and 

 triumph — of pleasure because it is the love of our lives, and when we 

 love a thing we are sure to succeed; of triumph, because we always 

 had thrown up to us that Missourians would never carry the matter to 

 a successful and triumphant issue, because in spite of all the obstacles 

 in our way, in spite of the lack of interest in the organization and 

 unity of work, in spite of the lack of knowledge in all horticultural 

 matters, in spite of the old idea that no money could now be made 

 with fruits, in spite of insects, and bags, and rots, and bad markets 

 and poor transportation — I say, in spite of all these obstacles, we see 

 to-day our Society among the first in the land, with laurels of which 

 we are proud and others are jealous, a grand society, strong and united 

 in action, the best of the nation's list in the best State of the Union, not 

 only in stock, grass, grains, wool, minerals, woods, but above and 

 beyond all, the best in fruits. To-day this State stands the peer of any 

 in the amount of good fruit lands in all parts of it, and the first to take 

 advantage of this knowledge. 



