290 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



able ; all kinds of fruit thrive, but the business is not very much 

 developed. The cheapest and roughest land can, when away from the 

 market towns, be bought for oO cents per acre, while good land near 

 towns with good improvements sells as high as $40 per acre, so that 

 the buyer can generally be suited. With the exception of apples, very 

 little green fruit is shipped out. At Ole^n, a large canning factory was 

 started in 1892, and although the fruit-crop was much below the average, 

 did a good business. 



There is considerable prairie land in north and south portions of 

 county, while the central is largely timber. There are good openings 

 for enterprising men, and with care, the growing of fruits for market 

 can be made remunerative, and the new-comer will meet with a hearty 

 welcome. N. J. Shepherd. 



MONTGOMERY COUNTY 



Has many great inducements to offer to home-seekers, expressly so to 

 fruit-growers. It is located about 70 miles west of St. Louis, border- 

 ing the Missouri river on the north. The great Wabash railroad runs 

 through the center of it from east to west, while the M., K. & E., now 

 about completed, runs along the river bluffs along the southern boun- 

 dary. Between these two railroads is some of the finest fruit land in 

 the State. Most of it is yet in timber, though some very fine orchards 

 can be found, especially so near Bluffton and Hugo. Around Hugo 

 the effects of a Horticultural Society can very plainly be seen. Nice 

 thrifty orchards and strawberry fields can be seen in every direction, 

 all of them receiving the best of care, though all of the owners, like 

 the writer, had to commence at the very lowest round of the ladder, 

 with neither means nor horticultural knowledge. For fruit-growers 

 possessing these necessary qualifications there would certainly be 

 great inducements here. In fact, that is just what the county needs 

 to make it one of the best fruit counties in the State. Nearly all the 

 fruits grow to perfection here, though peaches are a little uncertain. 

 The shipping facilities are fine. We have good schools, churches and 

 society. The county is out of debt. Good fruit land can be bought 

 at from $5 to 840 per acre, according to improvements. A great por- 

 tion of the southern part of the county cannot be beaten for raising- 

 stock and grain, especially so along the river and creek bottoms. The 

 northern part of the county is mostly prairie, suitable for almost any 

 kind of farming. F. Lionberger. 



