Annual Meeting at St. Josep//. 213 



Eui'opeHn grape grower, the Phylloxera, but which have since seen 

 them restored, thanks to the resistent American vine, of which 

 Missouri furnished the old world, ten fold, to those from any other 

 state of our union. It would be strange indeed if ''poor old Mis- 

 souri," who has contributed so much to the re-establishment and 

 strengthening of the threatened grape culture of Europe, would 

 not offer her own children an ample field for successful grape cul- 

 ture within her borders. All that she requires from ns is that we 

 cultivate this field with perseverance, energy and intelligence, and 

 . that we profit from the lessons which varying seasons and ex- 

 perience teach us. The fact is that we lack experience more than 

 anything else in grape culture, because this industry, as a branch 

 of business, is yet too young in this country, but every year adds to 

 our stock of information, and your society and in fact every other 

 well conducted horticultural society, the agricultural press, all tend 

 to inci'ease and diffuse our knowledge of the subject, by enabling 

 us to learn, one from another, througii an interchange of our ex- 

 perience. • There is none among us who knows so much, but what 

 he can learn something from his brother horticulturists, and there 

 is none who knows so little, but what he can impart some knowl- 

 edge and experience to his brethern, if he will only communicate 

 it. . " 



But above all let us not despair, if our first efforts do not meet 

 with immediate and brilliant success. The man who, after having 

 planted and cared for a vineyard for years, who, after sjiending 

 much time, trouble and money, becomes discouraged or even dis- 

 gusted with grape culture and declares it will not pay ; who roots 

 up his vineyard as hundreds and hundreds of acres have been rooted 

 up in this state, seems to me like a scholar who prepares for a 

 profession and who, after years of study and struggle, would give 

 up his aim because he finds it too difficult a task, and, declaring it 

 will not pay, would take to wood-chopping or some other mere 

 manual labor, where all his store of knowledge would be of no 

 avail. It would be also so much time, money and trouble thrown 

 away ; only with the difference that the wood chopper, even though 

 his studies would not help him to cut a cord of firewood, or hew a 

 railroad tie, would at least derive some benefit therefrom in his 

 social . life ; while the poor grape grower, who throws away his time, 

 trouble and money, has not even that little satisfaction. 



Therefore I say, let us not despair, let us not throw away what 

 little experience we may have gained, at great expense perhaps, but 

 let us regard it as so much capital which, if we continue in our 



