54 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



Society met and called to order by the President. 

 EEPORT OF GREENE COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



D. S. HOLMAN, SPRINGFiELD, MO. 



To the Missouri Horticultural Society at Broohfield : 



The Greene County Society would hereby report through their 

 representative to your semi annual meeting at Brookfield : While we 

 have but little that is special or important to say, we deem it proper as 

 a duty and a privilege and pleasure to put our Society on your record 

 as a loyal, earnest helper in the grand work of developing the horti- 

 cultural interests of Missouri. Though our field of work is local, we 

 feel it a privilege to be identified with the whole body as to rejoice with 

 you at any advance anywhere along the line, any knowledge gained 

 and facility obtained, any advantage, any victory won, whether in the 

 center or at any of the outposts of the work; the good news always 

 brings us a horticultural joy in common with the rest ; and in reference 

 to the work in which local societies can help, we cheerfully announce 

 our readiness to do what we can. 



The Horticultural Society of Greene county had a very small be- 

 ginning twenty-one years ago in a new field. We struggled into exist- 

 ence and did what we could in a small way by a few for several years, 

 and so gained strength and encouragement as to grow in numbers and 

 as to be considered a fixture among other enterprises here. Still, we 

 advanced some every year, and would modestly say it for ourselves. 

 We see the fruits of our labors so clearly in the orchards and fruit 

 gardens of our county as to make our work less difficult and fidl of re- 

 ward. Our Society rarely misses a meeting in a whole year. We are 

 now holding our monthly lawn or basket meetings, which are well 

 attended, very enjoyable, and, we think, profitable. Last Saturday, at 

 the home of our President, the meeting was a fine success. The straw- 

 berry show made by the berry-growers of the Society was the best we 

 ever saw, for which premiums were paid from 50 cents to $2 50. 



In these meetings we combine business with pleasure ; take an all- 

 day rest from labor or business at home, and do a full day's work at 

 horticulture in a picnic meeting with friendly workers while we are 

 resting. When we thus make the work so pleasant, we get many will- 

 ing helpers. Even the birds, if allowed a picnic among the berries,. 



