24 State Horticultural Society. 



Kansas City and St. Louis gives you twt) fine markets at your door. 

 Your soil and climate conditions are unexcelled in the State. Through 

 the courtesy of your reception committee, we were able to visit the 

 young commercial orchard of the Bailey Brothers. The thrifty con- 

 dition of their trees demonstrates the fact that the soil is exceptionally 

 well adapted to the growing of trees. I was surprised to find so large 

 an area of good soil as I found on the Bailey ranch and the surround- 

 ing country. No where in the Ozarks is the soil uniformly good. There 

 will always be here and there some spot where apple trees will not 

 thrive. Such spots will grow other fruits to perfection. This land 

 seems to be remarkably free from these undesirable spots, but when 

 discovered they shottld be planted to peaches or other fruits." 



Mr. Goodman, Secretary of the State Horticultural Society, ex- 

 pressed himself as highly pleased with the possibilities for fruit grow- 

 ing in Morgan county. "What are the particular features that attract 

 you?" we asked. ''Your soil conditions are not surpassed in the 

 Ozarks. The peculiar red soil in these hills is the finest for tree growth. 

 It resists drought in a remarkable manner. The subsoil stores the 

 moisture for a time of need. The elevation insures good air drainage. 

 These hills south of Versailles, if planted to fruit trees, would prove 

 veritable gold mines to their owners. I have found very few orchards 

 anywhere that are finer than the Bailey orchards. There are thousands 

 of acres on that plateau that ought to be in orchards." 



Dr. Whitten, President of the State Horticultural Society, said : 



"You have a fine fruit soil. Where you have that red clay subsoil mixed 



with gravel good and deep it is the best. The growth of your young 



orchards shows that you can successfully start an orchard here. The 



size and productiveness of some of the old trees show that the trees live 

 long enough to be profitable. Apples of various leading commercial 



varieties as exhibited from this county show that you can produce ap- 

 ples of as good size, color and quality as can be grown in the State. To 

 make your apple growing profitable there ought to be several large 

 commercial orchards, to attract buyers and to secure shipping facilities. 

 There are no more difficulties here than anywhere else. Orchards to 

 be profitable must be well managed and well cared for, as any other 

 crop." — The Statesman, Versailles. 



