96 State Horticultural Society. 



plant only the best seed from these specimens. These seedlings had 

 then to stand in the nursery row for three years before grafting. Many 

 of these seedlings were by this time discarded as unfit for grafting, and 

 only the very best were then used. Can you not see that such a plan 

 would insure a good, hardy, healthy root and likely gi've a good tree. If 

 this icy blast of last February teaches us this lesson it will be a blessing 

 in the end to the fruit growers. 



The School of Horticulture at Columbia has kept on its way and is 

 doing a grand, good work for the intelligent solution of the fruit industry 

 of Missouri, I want here to again give the hearty indorsement, as this 

 society has often done, to this school for the young people of our land. 

 The Agricultural College has put into motion one of the greatest helpers 

 to the farmer, in these schools it has established; it teaches the young 

 men and women how to think for themselves. 



If I can only impress upon every member of this society the advan- 

 tages of this school and that it fully meets the requirements of the 

 farmer, I am sure you would one and all make yourselves a committee 

 urging our young people to go there. 



COMMITTEE ON HOKTICULTUKE. 



Another step in this direction is the work of this committee on Hor- 

 ticulture. At the meeting of the executive committee on May 2, it was 

 decided that this committee be called together here to discuss this matter 

 and if possible to outline some plan for the best presentation of the sub- 

 ject to our teachers and schools. The subject is being discussed all over 

 our land and now it is no more "shall it be done," but "how shall it be 

 done?" This meeting will be the place for a full discussion and we 

 hope to see some outline discussed, referred to the State Teachers' Asso- 

 ciation and then fullv formulated at least in time for our winter meet- 

 ing. It is not necessary for me to discuss here now the advantages or the 

 necessity of this work, for we have passed by that stage, but we do want 



