316 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BUTLER COUNTY. 



Poplar Bluff, Jan. 2, 1890. 



Few counties of the State have a greater diversity of soils adapted 

 to the growing of fruits, vegetables, grains and grasses than Butler. 

 Black river traverses the county from north to south through the central 

 part, thereby dividing the county into two physical sections, thelighter 

 uplands of the western part, and the alluvial bottoms of the eastern. 

 No prairie lands are found in the county. 



Situated on the extreme southern boundary of the State, and with 

 a moderate altitude, the climate is temperate and well suited to fruit 

 culture, yet fruit growing, as an industry, is almost wholly undeveloped. 

 Enough, however, has been done, to establish the fact that the apple, 

 the peach, the pear and the plum, together with strawberries, raspber- 

 ries and blackberries, all succeed well on our uplands and on our drier 

 bottoms. 



The plum, the grape and the blackberry grow wild in our forests 

 and waste lands, and bear abundant crops almost every year. 



Of apples, Ben Davis, the Winesap, the Nickajack, Grimes Golden, 

 Red Astrachan, Red June, Maiden's Blush, Early Harvest, and many 

 others have proved to be profitable sorts of our locality. 



The peach seems to do quite well here, on both uplands and dry 

 bottom. I have been a resident here for eight years, and during this 

 period have not seen a total failure of the peach. 



But I have been peculiarly impressed with the success of the pear 

 in this section, and in a belt of country extending one hundred miles 

 to the south of this. If California grows finer or more lucious pears 

 than this belt can produce, they have failed to reach our markets. 



I know of no section that promises more to the pear-grower than 

 Butler county, or Southeast Missouri in general. 



Our county can offer cheap lands, as well as many natural advant- 

 ages to those desiring to engage in fruit-growing. 



Very respectfully, 



Geo. W. Register. 



CEDAR COUNTY. 



L. A. Goodman, Secretary : As per request, I give you a few 

 remarks pertaining to fruit matters in this (Cedar) county. There is 

 quite an interest manifested in the planting and production of apples, 



