Annual Meeti7ig at St. Joseph. 147 



LIBRARY. 



I have brought this subject up at nearly every meeting, and yet 

 I feel it to be of so much importance that I refer to it again. 



We should have a certain amount set aside each year for the 

 purchase of standard works on fruits, insects, gardening, landscape 

 gardening, ornamentals, nursery and green house work, &c. This 

 library would be for reference on any subject that may present 

 itself, and would usually settle many points in dispute. 



Such a library would benefit hundreds of fruit growers all 

 over the state, and when I can see all matters referred to the office 

 of the secretary or librarian for information, and close connection 

 between all members on the subjects of common interest, questions 

 continually coming in and answers going out, and the secretary 

 kept busy every day at his work, I shall believe Missouri is taking 

 her right position as a fruit state. '' 



STATE REPORT. 



Our report has to be paid for out of our yearly appropriation 

 and it does not give us the money we need for our work. It takes 

 about one-half of it for our printer's bill, when we should have our 

 report printed by the state as do other horticultural societies. 



For this year's report I found that we had been to so much ex- 

 pense in state work and in the collections of fruits for the World's 

 Fair, that I went to Jefferson City to see the state auditor, John 

 Walker, and present the matter to him and ask his advice. He 

 went with me to the state printer and told him to use the state 

 paper for printing and that we should pay what we could on it and 

 the balance would be placed in the deficiency bill. Our bill by this 

 contract with the printer will be $(300.00, of which we are to pay 

 in cash 1150.00 and the rest goes i^to the deficiency bill. 



This will relieve us considerably this year, and return to us 

 what we have spent for the World's Fair. 



I hope that this matter will be taken up and a request or 

 committee sent to the legislature i-equesting them to have the state 

 printer print our reports as all other state reports are printed. 



The report of our summer meeting is compiled and is at the 

 printer's. It will be printed by the time this meeting closes and 

 the printer will be ready for the report of this meeting. 



The Secretary's Budget is nearly complete and if we have no 

 mishaps we will have our state report out by the middle of January. 



Every year I find more and more work on these reports and 



