S8 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



serious loss, even at ordinary rates, flisks are constantly being taken, 

 by florists, with the necessary consequences. The big stories in the 

 newspapers are usually without any foundation in truth. 



The reason why no rose ever brings such a price as many an orchid 

 does is, that the propagation of orchids is slow and doubtful, while a 

 rose may be multiplied almost indefinitely, and that quickly. Ko one 

 would be so foolish as to pay $2500 for a rose ( as was done lately for 

 •an orchid ), when the next year the market might be flooded with th& 

 same variety. Rose plants are high priced while they are new ; and 

 the flowers are expensive in the season of the year when they are 

 rare; but even at the highest they are of small commercial value when 

 compared with orchids. 



There are among modern roses such magnificent developments 

 from the crossing of different varieties that it is difficult to select speci- 

 mens. The ancestors of our present varieties are mainly the China,, 

 the Damask, the Bengal and the Persian rose, combined with the wild 

 roses of England and France, Sometimes the parentage is clear, and 

 at others it is impenetrably obscure. But the blood of all the rosec of 

 history is running in the veins of our modern beauties, and we need 

 not look too curiously into its source. 



Our Country Villages— Their Make-up and Outlook. 



[Extracts from a paper >ead by Mr. George B. Lamm, at Greorgetown, Mo.,. 

 Dec. 4, 1892, on invitation from tlie Library Association and Epworth League.] 



Ladies and Gentlemen — There are in the State of Missouri about 

 1100 country villages. Of these, perhaps two-fifths have railroads, 

 which bring more or less activity and growth to them, while the other 

 three-fifths remain quite the same year after year. 



You know that whatever of character and culture the farming^ 

 commuities possess is given to them largely by these little towns^ 

 Without any further description of them, you can readily understand 

 the influence of these towns, and can see their relation to the outside 

 world. Anything that can be done for their benefit is that much done 

 toward bettering the condition of the whole people. They are the 

 little centers from which should radiate the intelligence, the enterprise 

 and the growth of our people. Help them and you help everybody ;^ 

 harm them and everybody is injured. Is it a matter then of no little, 

 consequence that they should look up ? 



If we take a map of Missouri and notice the little dots and their 

 names, and remember that they stand for the living, moving mass of 



