138 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THE SOCIAL INFLUENCE OF OUR HORTICULTURAL MEET- 

 INGS. 



BY J. "W. HALL. 



" Man cannot live by bread alone," was the saying of One who un- 

 derstood the many sides of human nature, and that each side needed 

 to be ministered unto. Now, in all the hurry and rush of life — the 

 buying and selling, the getting and losing — there is an unseen quantity 

 which is not sufficiently estimated or often considered in making up 

 life. 



The exhibitions, county and State fairs, coming once a year, sug- 

 gests the benefits of fellowship among horticulturists. This is aided 

 through the influence of the frequent meetings of the minor socieiies ; 

 the love which every true horticulturist has for his labors; the pleas- 

 ure which he takes all alone in looking at his fine fruit, by his long 

 continued patience, perseverance and skill have been raised; the profit 

 received by all careful and thoughtful co laborers in this noble work ; 

 the excitement incident to competition — all these are good things and 

 have their place in the success of the business- 

 There is one thing that I wish to speak of, that, perhaps, has not 

 been noticed in the light that it deserves: that is, the kindly and 

 neighborly fellowship enjoyed by all at these monthly, semi pic nic, 

 social and business meetings du ing the past summer. 



There is a practical side to this, one in my way of thinking of suffi- 

 cient importance, if rightly estimated, to insure the continuance of 

 these meetings, if there were no other considerations. This fellowship 

 brings out the finer feelings. Whatever has been said in sharp con- 

 troversy in expressing our different views and ideas in regard to the 

 subject matter before us, all is laid aside. The gentle, the kind, the 

 noble part comes to crown the man, and when, after a few hours of 

 seeing each other, receiving (he warm grasp of the hand as an expres- 

 sion of sincere frindship and congratulations, we separate, and as 

 we wend our ways homeward, we feel that it was good for us that we 

 were there. 



Then there is, as we have intimated, a necessity for such fellow- 

 ship. The wear and tear of life to an average busy American is really 



