228 State Horticultural Society. 



viction that, notwithstanding these troubles, the soil shall still yield 

 its rich returns to a hungry world, and wheat and corn and fruit and 

 wine shall be still as much demanded and can be as fully supplied as ever." 



The next meeting was held at same place in January, 1862. Pres. 

 Spaulding recommended that the name of the association be changed to 

 Missouri State Horticultural Society, as one giving "a wider range of 

 purpose, embracing all the objects of horticultural design and improve- 

 ment." The suggestion was acted upon and the name changed accord- 

 ingly. 



The January, 1863 meeting, held in St. Louis, was a working one. 

 The number of Vice-Presidents was reduced from seven to five. The 

 firsi published report of the Secretary was read at this meeting. In it 

 Mr. Muir uttered a great prophecy. He said "The time is rapidly ap- 

 proaching when the membership in this Society will take high rank in the 

 community, and when this Association will be regarded as one of the 

 greatest agents that exists in working out the great future of our State." 

 Our subsequent history clearly demonstrated the wisdom and foresight 

 of the Secretary. At this meeting a committe was appointed to memori- 

 alize the State Legislature in regard to the Agricultural interests of the 

 State. This seemed strange to me, and especially so when I learned 

 that the Missouri Agricultural Society had an existence at least four 

 years before the Fruit Growers' Association was organized. How much 

 longer I know not, but surely the Agriculturists ought to think of us 

 very kindly. 



The committee agreed at once to petition the Legislature to accept 

 the conditions of the Agricultural College Act of Congress, and to pass 

 an act establishing a State Board of Agriculture. How successful they 

 were may be seen in the fact that on December ist, following, the act 

 v/as passed, the Agricultural College proposition accepted and at Colum- 

 bia you can now see an Agricultural College equal to the best. 



But the strangest thing of it was that all this was accomphshed with- 

 out the presence and assistance of the ladies. In his report of this meet- 

 ing, Secretary Muir made a strong plea that they should arrange and 

 "have a large supply of ladies for meetings, to check any tendency to 

 acerbity in all our future meetings." 



The first mention of an opening prayer was on January 12, 1864. 

 Morning prayers are also mentioned in these minutes. I would not con- 

 clude from this however, that these good men were as negligent in their 

 prayers as they seemed to have been in availing themselves, as Mr. 

 Muir said, "of the powerful aid of woman in promoting the cause of 

 Horticulture." 



