260 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



• 



cheap lands of Missouri. The fact is, that when we can get large, com- 

 mercial orchards at forty, eight)' or one hundred and sixty acres in bear- 

 ing and a dozen or so of them in any one piece, then we can get good 

 paying prices for our fruits. The more we have at any one place of good 

 shipping fruits, the easier it is to sell them " 



Some of these counties, in their display, have had on their tables 

 over 200 varieties of fruit. These have to be replaced every two or three 

 days and fresh fruit put in their place. The peaches, pears and grapes are 

 nearly past their time, and their places will betaken with apples as they 

 disappear. Some of the county displays are made up by one individual, 

 who has enough love for his business and public spirit to at least send in 

 a fine collection of fruit ; these have been put up by the State Society 

 and their county sign put over them. The visitor finds among the fruits 

 apples of all sizes and colors ; he sees the beautiful little " Lady Apple,' 

 which has a world-wide reputation as a "party" apple, and near it the 

 "Monstrous Pippin" and "Gloria Mundi," which measures from fifteen to 

 seventeen inches in circumference and weighs from twenty-four to thirty 

 ounces ; perfect monsters. Here he sees, also, the perfect specimens of 

 hundreds of varieties of apples, some for family use, some for special 

 amateur use, and some for purely commercial use. 



MOUTH-WATERING SPECIMENS. 



But what strikes the fancy of the visitors most is not so much the 

 large or small varieties as it is the beautiful colored specimens of eating 

 apples. They do not want the very large or the very small varieties of 

 fruits, but they want these nicely colored and extra good in quality. 

 Hence, the beautiful specimens of Jonathan, Grimes' Golden, Huntsman, 

 Flora, Ladyfinger, Northern Spy, Wagner, Fall Pippin, Penn Red Streak, 

 Maiden's Blush, Belle Flower, Winesap and such class of apples striking 

 their fancy the most. Their inquiry is always, " where can we get such 

 varieties of apples for our own use ?" It seems as if it would pay some 

 commission men to have had a display there for their own advertisement. 



The wonder of another class, and very many of them, too, is when 

 they enter the room and see the signs all around of so many different 

 counties of Missouri, to ask the question, " Is all this fruit grown in 

 Missouri.'" " Well, I am astonished. I did not have any idea that Mis- 

 souri could grow such fruit, and especially apples." Many a man from 

 the east and north, who is looking for a home in a milder climate, has 

 thus expressed himself, and has gone away with his mind made up to 

 look further into the matter. Two men by the name of Withers, from 



