244 State Horticultural Society. 



packing season. The people were obliging, whole-hearted"; proud if 

 iheir fruit came up to the tests, Missourians clear through, and are 

 hoping that they will have some fine apples for St. Louis in 1904. 



We found many orchardists who regretted they could not con- 

 tribute apples this year who will send their best next year. Everyr 

 where the people are thinking of the great fair. Many are deter- 

 mined 'to go and take the older children. It will be an education — 

 an inspiration to them of inestimable advantage materially and in- 

 tellectually. 



Permit the suggestion, brethren, tliat ever}^ member of this society 

 should encourage those who live out on the farms, who think they 

 •can afiford the trip, to spend a few days at the exposition. Better 

 should they borrow the money for such an investment than to forego 

 the opportunity to see the greatest exhibit of all the ages. 



It may not be out of place in this paper to suggest that our able 

 World's Fair commissioners should take some action durins: the 

 fair towards looking after the lodging of her own people, not to offer 

 free entertainment. You know full well that there are among your 

 neighbors those who will prefer to remain at home rather than go to 

 the fair without knowing where or at what cost. they can obtain 

 lodging. With such a committee with headquarters at our State 

 building, thousands will see the show and be lifted up by it, who, 

 without it and its guarantee of service, will remain at home. The 

 opportunity of a lifetime, brought about by the expenditure of millons 

 of the people's money, should be enjoyed by the greatest possible 

 number of our citizens. 



Take it all together the troubles in gathering World's Fair apples 

 were more than coiiipensated for by the pleasures experienced. 



First, the cause was inspiring, next, the people were glad to help, 

 and when we found some choice fruit we rejoiced. And, then, the 

 grandeur of the region, the glorious views, the trees, the vines, the 

 inexhaustible resources in the soil, its special adaptability for fruit 

 growing, the wonderful possibilities of the country, all impressed us, 

 and, looking ahead, we saw this same country divided into farms 

 where prosperous thousands have orchards on the heights, vine3^ards 

 on the slopes, corn and wheat, timothy and clover in the valleys and 

 sheep and cattle grazing on the uncultivated places or contentedly 

 chewing their cuds in the shade. So will this be in the coming years, 

 the home-iest spot — to coin a word — of the earth. 



Again, looking ahead a few months, really but a few days now, 

 from this crest of the Ozarks we see the World's Fair city — the hor- 

 ticultural palace with its seven acres of fruit — and we see a proces- 



