.Additional Papers. 123 



the mistake has been made by the failure of some of the orchardists 

 throughout the State to observe this fact. 



Without question, the best soil in the world, for fruits, is the 

 "Loess" formation, along the Mississippi and Missouri river bluffs, 

 and some few of our lajger rivers in north Missouri. This "loess" 

 is of wonderful fertility and depth and is very specially valuable for 

 fruit production, allowing the roots of the trees to penetrate to a very 

 great depth, ofttimes 20 to 30 feet, giving the rains an opportunity 

 to penetrate easily and quickly when they come, and allowing the 

 moisture to rise promptly when the weather is dry; this makes the 

 ideal soil for fruit-growing. 



The Ozark uplift stands close second to this "loess," and wherever 

 the lands are underlaid with the red-clay-porous-shale, through which 

 the water filters easily we here find also in south Missouri ideal lands for 

 fruit-growing. 



To a greater extent does the Ozark region spread in south ^^lis- 

 souri, than in any other state, and this "red soil of the Ozarks" has 

 become noted the world over in the production of the "big red apple." 



Not only the apple, but also the strawberry and other berries, 

 the grape, and especially the peach, is in its peculiar home where it 

 reaches its utmost perfection. The naming of the Ozark region now, 

 at once causes one to lose sight of everything but the fruit district. 

 And when speaking of the strawberry, the peach, the red apple land 

 at once the Ozark region of South Missouri is called to mind. The- 

 iron in the soil and the lime in the subsoil all give character, quality, 

 color and size to the fruit. 



The grand river system of our State is one which gives us an- 

 other peculiar advantage for fruit-groAving. The Mississippi along 

 the east border, the "Missouri through the center of the State and along 

 the western border. The smaller rivers branching off from it on the 

 north and south with its many hundreds of tributaries give on their 

 hills many thousands of acres of good fruit lands and the best of air- 

 drainage, which is just as important as water drainage. 



These hills are virtually the fruit lands of our state. They are 

 usualh^ underlaid with subsoil which is porous enough to let the water 

 sink when weather is wet and rise when it is dry. Water flows off 

 these hills easily and quickly, and the cold air in early spring, late 

 fall or cold winter flows down just as easily and just as quickly, and 

 just as surely, and it is just as necessary in each instance. 



The gravelly soils come next in order. The timber lands always 

 being best, provided the subsoil is porous enough. In fact, the subsoil 



