106 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



country is known to-day than our own state, and yet we arc but in our 

 infancy in this industr)-. Thousands upon thousands of acres of land 

 that are now comparatively worthless, because they are not suitable for 

 raising grain, could be made to pay five times as much per acre in 

 orchards as the most productive acre planted to corn. The same worth- 

 less land, so considered, could be made to produce an hundred dollars 

 per acre planted in small fruits. But, says some one, where is your 

 market ? You will have an overproduction. Such expressions were 

 heard twenty-five years ago when our fathers began setting out a few 

 trees, and yet sale for all the fruit, and at remunerative prices, 

 has always been found. The local press can greatly assist our horticul- 

 turists, and in doing so greatly benefit the community in which they 

 are published, and add to the wealth of the country, by encouraging, in 

 every possible manner, the development of these lands; for, unlike most 

 other beings, the horticulturist is an unselfish mortal, and knowing that 

 his profession is the noblest of them all he welcomes, with open arms, 

 all new aspirants in this field. ,Also the local press can assist horticul- 

 ture by encouraging the planting of orchards ; the establishment of 

 canning and vinegar factories ; by giving practical information as to 

 what and how to plant; when and how to cultivate — for all horticul- 

 turists are not experienced, and he who disregards the experience of 

 others is sure to make a sad failure ; by encouraging and assisting, in 

 every county, the organization of horticultural societies. Perhaps there 

 is no one thing that will so stimulate and encourage the intelligent and 

 successful raising of fruits, as the horticultural society. It is in them 

 that experiences are interchanged, and new thoughts and plans con- 

 ceived that will help to lighten work and bring about better results. 

 The novice at the business of raising fruit is enabled to shun the pitfalls 

 that the pioneer fruit growers fell into, by profiting on their experience. 

 The local press can not do the interest of fruit growing in our state a 

 greater service than by urging and insisting on the formation of these 

 societies. 



It would seem that with the many destructive insects with which 

 the horticulturlist has to contend ; the extreme cold of winter and the 

 hot, dry summer, that his lot was a hard enough one, and that he would 

 certainly be exempt from the sharks that prey upon all other classes and 

 professions. But no ! The fruit tree peddler, in the garb of a great 

 benefactor, with his highly colored plates representing his new varieties, 

 (sold only by one nursery, you know,) puts in his annual appearance, 

 and induces you to buy his new Russian apple at 50 to 75 cents a tree ; 

 or some new pear or plum, or cherry, whose only recommendation is its 



