WINTER MEETING. 223 



FRUITS, JELLIES AND PRESERVES. 



Frnit is one of our greatest blessiags, the extent of which we can 

 never appreciate until dev>rive<l of it, like the water that is not missed 

 until the well goes dry, or the sweet music 'til the bird has flown. 



In a country like this, if we do not have fruit the year round, it is 

 alack of thrift; everything that will grow in this latitude will grow 

 luxuriently if properly cultivated. We have a few around Moberly 

 who are trying to follow in the foot-eteps of the horticulturist. They 

 have tested our soil by planting apple, blackberry, raspberry and straw- 

 berry, all on the same ground; in between the apple trees are planted 

 the berries; they harvest from each a good crop; it is wonderful so 

 much fruit can be grown on such a small spot of earth; it shows what 

 horticulture can do. 



It is just as necessary for the man who attempts to grow fruit to 

 be educated in horticulture, if success follows his work, as it is for a 

 physician to understand the anatomy of the human body and the reme- 

 dies for its relief. When we take into consideration what might be 

 done in fruit-growing and the little that is done, we can see the great 

 need of this great body of men here today from every part of our 

 State. 



Fruit is both a luxury and healthful. The father who takes home 

 one apple and divides it among three or four children, giving to each 

 just enough for him to see how hungry they are for apple, I'd think 

 would blush with shame that he had been so improvident in a land 

 where plenty could be had. Children should have fruit as regular as 

 bread. It makes them happier, healthier and better, whatever con- 

 tributes to the health, brightens the mind and sweetens the disposition. 



It was fruit that helped to make Eden a paradise. We all know 

 how tempting rich red apples are; their fragrance and beauty draws to 

 them ; there are tijnes when we can hardly keep our hands off. I 

 don't believe God would have blamed Adam very much for partaking 

 of the forbidden fruit if he hadn't have said ''It was the woman thou 

 gavest me;" when he said that I believe God thought the best thing to 

 do with him was to put him to work. 



If man will grow the fruit I believe the women will take care of 

 it. We are only too glad to have an abundance ; the perishable goes 

 into our pantries in the form of preserves, jellies and canned fruits, 

 which is ever ready, and no household is complete without it. I will 

 not enter into anything so tedious as to tell how preserves and jellies 



