SUMMER MEETING AT OREGON. 153 



souri was capable of producing the finest quality of fruit in abundance. 

 Back in the early days of 1855 Northwest Missouri was but thinly set- 

 tled, scarcely any fruit trees were planted, and consequently no fruit 

 could be obtained. We first began the nursery business in Andrew 

 County. At a leisurable time we took a trip through the several coun- 

 ties throughout Northwest Missouri. After a careful examination of the 

 soil we concluded that the Platte purchase would in time make the 

 finest fruit garden on earth. We were fully convinced that the Creator 

 had prepared Northwest Missouri for the production of fruit if the peo- 

 ple could be convinced of the fact. We had a fearful task before us. 

 Nearly all the settlers said it was too cold to raise fruit in Northwest 

 Missouri, and that the soil would not raise anything but corn. This 

 was the hog and hominy period. Often the remark was made to us, 

 young man you will fail. We modestly remarked that we had been to 

 school in our youthful days, but had utterly failed to learn the mean- 

 ing of the word. There is no need of a failure in the grand old state of 

 Missouri We are happy to realize that our labor has not been in vain, 

 and that our expectations of thirty-three years ago have been met. 



By the use of a little common sense, all the seeming hard problems 

 are easily solved. The second chapter of Genesis contains a grand des- 

 cription of the first fruit garden on earth, planted by an infinite Father's 

 hand, with consummate skill and perfection in every department. The 

 garden was called Eden or Paradise, meaning a place of bliss. We 

 sometimes roll back old* time and imagine that we are looking over that 

 lovely paradisical hom.e of our first parents. The infinite Father plant- 

 ed every tree that was pleasant to the sight, and every tree that was 

 good for food. We doubt not but that there was a rich profusion of 

 flowers also. The infinite mind saw that an abundance of fruit was 

 highly necessary in the economy of man's every day wants. Fruit is 

 an indispensable article of diet. Fathers and mothers, let your children 

 have all the good, ripe fruit they can eat, they will be healthier and 

 stronger by its use. There is scarcely a man or a woman here but what 

 can look back to the happy days of childhood and think with pleasure 

 and delight of the happy days when you ate with satisfaction the delici- 

 ous fruit of your favorite tree in the old orchard. 



What can be more satisfactory than an orchard of well-selected 

 varieties of apples from the earliest to ripen, to the longest keepers. 

 Thus providing the family with fine, ripe fruit all the year round. 



To this may be added a few varieties of pears, plums and cherries, 

 all the small fruits may be had, they grow successfully here, there should 

 be a rich profusion of flowers also. Home surrounded with finest of 



