WINTER MEETING. 253 



We, the Committee on Flowers and Plants, respectfully submit the following report: 



To Mrs. X. F. Murray, 4 vases of chrysanthemums. 



Henry Schnell, 2 vases of "mums." 



Mrs. II. V. EstUl, 1 orange tree and other plants 



Mrs. W. H. H. Day, collection of plants 



Mrs. Chris. Gootgon, palm and plants 



Total 



20 00 



Sam'l Millkk, Chairman, 

 Mrs. A. Nelson, 

 Mrs. A. Chandler, 



Committee. 



We, your Committee on Finance, have examined the report of your Treasurer and 

 find vouchers for each and every account as stated in his report, and report correct In 

 every particular. D. A. Hobnett, Chairman, 



N. F. Murray, 

 J. T. Snodgrass. 



C. C. Bell, Committee on Sugar Beet — At Marceline one year ago 

 I was appointed to investigate the sugar beet industry. I took the 

 resolutions to Canton, Ohio, to President-elect McKinley. He was 

 very busy, but he was very much interested in the step this Society 

 had taken. He read the resolutions over carefully. He said he was 

 glad we had started the matter, promised to do all he could through 

 the Depaitmeot of Agriculture and made an appointment for me to 

 see him at Washington after his inauguration. Accordingly, I went to 

 Washington and had an interview with him on the 8th of March. I 

 found him just as much interested as at Canton. He introduced me 

 to his new Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Wilson, and told him to do 

 all he could in Lhe matter. Mr. Wilson sent seven hundred pounds of 

 sugar beet seed to the State. 



I distributed this seed to six thousand persons throughout the 

 State. A great many samples of the beets were sent to Washington 

 for analysis, and at the right time a bulletin will be issued giving the 

 analysis and other valuable information. They can then see what we 

 can C50. I believe that twelve per cent is the lowest that can be profit- 

 ably worked. Some of the samples may not go as high as twelve per 

 cent, but others go far beyond that ; some as high as seventeen per 

 cent of sugar. In some localities it can be made a success. I am 

 more than ever convinced that we can produce sugar in Missouri as 

 well as they can in Germany. Our land is only one fifth as valuable in 

 money as theirs, yet there they make it a success. We have the soil, 

 the climate, the people, everything but the information. I venture to 



