Winter Meeting. 245 



"Of all the states making exhibit, Missouri easily takes first rank 

 upon its general exhibit. As might be expected, the display of apples 

 from this State far surpassed those from any other in the size of the ex- 

 hibit, and for the most part they had been well grown. While there was 

 a very large display of Ben Davis and similar varieties, the proportion 

 of Jonathan, Grimes, Huntsman, York and other varieties of high quality 

 was very noticeable. There were also from Missouri some 3,000 large 

 jars of processed fruit." (430 varieties, 21 kinds.) 



REGULAR WORK. 



Notwithstanding all this extra work which the State Society and its 

 members have been doing, we have not lost sight of our regular work. 

 There have been hundreds of letters to answer just the same as usual, 

 as to location, soils, lands, varieties to plant, results of other work in 

 cultivation, spraying and pruning, a continual call for information and 

 statistics. 



Reports have been called for more than usual, more printed matter 

 has been given to the public, more call for the fruit crop reports and more 

 criticism of that report as sent out, possibly, but still as results have proven 

 more nearly correct than any other of the reports sent out. Twenty per cent 

 of an apple crop has been very nearly correct, as the results have indi- 

 cated. From the finest prospect as shown at blooming time, the crop 

 dropped to nearly zero through all Central Missouri and a small part 

 of Southern Missouri ; and. in only a very few instances has the crop 

 been a paying one, a full crop, or even one-half of a crop. 



Prices have been low, grades have been poor, buyers have been 

 few, packages have been dear, insects have been prevalent, and yet, in 

 spite of it all, we have had many bushels of peaches, many barrels of 

 apples, many crates of berries and many baskets of grapes. 



The Horticulturist, ever hopeful, looks to the bright prospect ahead 

 in the trees and vines and plants for the new year, and in the promise 

 that the fruit buds now give for a bountiful crop again. 



The fruit growing districts are now so extensive that the place 

 which makes the best showing for crop of fruit secures the buyers, 

 and the place which reports a very light crop loses the buyers, so that a 

 very small crop is hard to sell, unless it be to the local market. Where- 

 ever, therefore, we find a local market, there we may be sure the best 

 prices will rule. The best business plan of the fruit grower is to de- 

 velop the local market for himself and thus make himself independent 

 of the regular buyers. This is good business sagacity and enterprise, 

 you may be sure. 



