.126 State Horticultural Society. 



have become almost entirely exterminated, before we found that 

 they were the farmers' best friends, and now, almost too late, we arc 

 seeking- to protect them in every way possible. What a careless, ex- 

 travagant, destructive man our American settler did become to his 

 own best interest in the destruction of all that was meant for his hap- 

 piness in this goodly land of ours. Sadly now we are reaping the 

 result of this profligate plan of the destruction of our forests, bird 

 life, and the loss of fertility of our soil iiy careless cultivation. 



About the middle of the last century an impetus was begun in 

 fruit growing because of the demand of our towns for fresh fruits, 

 and when fruit growers began to plant orchards of twenty or forty 

 acres there came the cry that "there will never be a market for them.'' 

 Rut some brave hearts did plant and did care for, and cultivate their 

 orchards well and began to realize some dollars for their good judg- 

 ment and labor. 



MISSOURI STATE SOCIETY. 



In the year 1858 the interest seemed so great and the possibilities 

 so vast that a few enthusiasts began the discussion of a united effort to 

 help themselves in their experience and to let other people know of 

 the empire west of the Mississippi river. 



In the winter of 1859, therefore, pursuant to a call, there met in 

 Jefiferson City some of these men and organized the Missouri State So- 

 ciety. Of this organization it is only necessary to say that its history is the 

 history of Horticulture in Missouri. Its first president was Norman 

 J. Colman, the first Commissioner of Agriculture at Washingtpn, 

 and now still editor and proprietor of Colman's Rural World. 



For forty-six years, therefore, this society has been doing valiant 

 battle for the cause of Missouri horticulture and the results have more 

 than fulfilled the most sanguine prophecies. From this time of the 

 first organization of this society we find more and larger orchards 

 being, planted as transportation advantages seemed to be provided for 

 their marketing. Again, we find the same cry being made that when 

 all these trees came into bearing fruits would not be worth the gath- 

 ering, and again we find that the demand was greater than the supply. 



About twenty-five years ago there was another advance and 

 great development in orchard planting all over our State and we then 

 began to see the planting of our large and commercial orchards of 

 forty, eighty, one hundred, five hundred, and even one thousand acres^ 

 over many parts of our fruit soils. How did the cry again go up 

 "Now surely you will see the fruits drop down to zero mark." 



