ANNUAL WINTER MEETING AT WARRENSBURG. 297 



REPORT OF THE BATES COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BY HENRY SPEER. 



In July, A. D. 1883, a call was publishad in the local papers for 

 those interested in horticulture to meet at the court house, in Butler 

 for the purpose of organizing a society, signed by E. P. Henry, L. P. 

 SicelofF, C. I. Robards. J. B. Innis, Henry Speer and W. H. Halloway. 



On August 11th, 1883, the first meeting under the call was held. 

 Hon. J. B. Newberry was elected chairman, and Henry Speer secretary. 



Committee on cosstitution and by laws were appointed to report 

 at an adjourned meeting in one month. Small meetings were held 

 monthly with some interest, but a permanent organization was not 

 lor.ned till February, 1884, when J. B. Durand- was elected president 

 and Henry Speer secretary, who were re-elected at the next annual 

 election, and still hold the same positions. 



Owing to the inclement weather the society has missed a few, but 

 very few, meetings since its organization. It meets on the third Sat- 

 urday in each month, during the winter at Butler, and during the 

 summer it holds picnic meetings with its members, which are always 

 pleasant. 



The June meeting of the State Society this year was held at But- 

 ler by invitation of our society, and the influence of that meeting has 

 been of great and lasting benefit to our society. The papers read dur- 

 ing the year have been varied and interesting, and the society has 

 come to stay. We made a small exhibit at the Kansas City lair which 

 paid all expenses, and left a neat little balance in the treasury, and as 

 an advertisement of our fruits and county, did a vast amount of good. 

 All kinds of small fruits made a fair crop with us. The apple crop was 

 spotted ; some orchards very full, others nearly a failure; shipping ap- 

 ples brought from thirty to fifty cents per bushel, and cider apples from 

 fifteen to twenty. The full amount of apples shipped from the county 

 has not yet been obtained, but will be in due season, and furnished to 

 the Secretary of this society. 



Trees -and plants are at the present time in fine condition for a crop 

 next year, and, upon the whole, we have no just grounds for discour- 



