64 Missouri State Horticnltiirat Society. 



was greater than the ordinary proceeds of tlie wheat crop. The 

 statement was received with astonishment, for this is not a connty 

 where orcharding had received much attention ; but the fact is an 

 interesting iUustration of the wealth of our horticultural resources, 

 which are often very poorly utilized. There are many districts 

 where the money received from the orchards and gardens exceeds 

 the profits from all other branches of agriculture. 



The business aspects of horticulture are worthy of very serious 

 attention, and the societies and the newspapers, which work to 

 promote these really immense and rapidly exj^anding interests, 

 should receive all necessary recognition and support. It is a lead- 

 ing purpose of this society to introduce better methods in this 

 business in various directions. We want better management in 

 field and orchard ; better and more certain crops ; better facilities 

 for transportation ; wider markets. And w^e want to promote a 

 greater sympathy and spirit of co-oj)eration between all the various 

 sections competing in these enterprises, and between tlie different 

 agencies necessary to make this business a commercial and financial 

 success. We who grow fruit should cheerfully recognize the fact 

 that there are other men who are as essential factors to the suc- 

 cessful issue of our business as the producers themselves. Can the 

 grower of peaches or strawberries in Mississipjii or Michigan, in 

 California or Delaware, make it a profitable enterprise without the 

 facilities furnished by railroad companies, and without the indis- 

 pensable agency of the fruit merchant or commission dealer ? You 

 will all agree with me that without these three factors of production, 

 transportation and sale, there could be no such thing as commercial 

 fruit growing as we understand it. 



TRANSPOETATION. 



As most of our fruits now go to market in railway cars, it 

 becomes a matter of great consequence what kind of cars we have 

 to use. The amount of horticultural freight has now become so 

 large that railway companies should be induced to build cars 

 specially adapted to carry this valuable produce in the best manner. 

 I know that certain companies have shown a willingness to do this. 

 But the question of what constitutes a good, or the best fruit car, 

 has never been settled. If we could do something as a societv to 

 determine this question it would be a help to growers in making 

 their claims upon railroad companies for better cars. Fruits of a 

 delicate and perishable character are shiiDped yearly in great 

 quantity and with entire success from California across the conti- 

 nent. It will be Avell for us to inquire into the precise means 



