ANNUAL MEETING AT NEVADA, 301 



No wonder then that we are enthusiastic in our profession, when 

 we hear calls on every hand for our young people to become horticul- 

 turists, not in the narrowest sense ot the word, but in the broadest — 

 good, intelligent, honest fruit growers, enthusiastic, educated florists, sys- 

 tematic judicious vegetable gardeners, skillful, well posted, live, wide- 

 awake landscape gardeners. These, all of these, come under the domain 

 of horticulture, and dare you to say that there is no opportunity for a 

 young man in the line of horticulture. 



But listen. I tell you there is no more noble occupation in all the 

 realms of business and professions in all this broad land of ours than 

 that offered by horticulture. There is no better opening in any line of 

 business than horticulture offers. There is no more lucrative positions 

 offered anywhere than those offered to the entomologist, botanist and 

 horticulturist. Will you tell me there is no chance for growth in knowl- 

 edge — that the way for study is blocked up for the horticulturist ? I say 

 that it presents greater inducements and opportunities than can be found 

 in any other profession. 



Our agricultural colleges are calling to-day all over the land for 

 good botanists, entomologists, landscape gardners, florists, and fruit and 

 vegetable growers, in fact horticulturists, which embraces all of these. 



And ao it is with the fruit interests; we want good intelligent, en- 

 thusiastic, systematic, judicious fruit growers, on the cheap, rich, fertile 

 lands of Missouri; men and women two, who will plant good large com- 

 mercial orchards all over our state, who will use as much judgment, as 

 much brains, as much money, as do our other businessmen, as do our 

 cattlemen, horsemen, sheepmen, or merchants even, and then we will see 

 this wonderful state of ours produce more fruit than is now grown by any 

 state of the union. 



And this country, where we now meet, I should like to see our fruit 

 growers plant every tree of profitable winter apples, which could be found 

 in our nurseries, and plant them in large lots of 40, 80, or 160 acres, and 

 it will be worth more to them than any of our mines of South Missouri, 



But we are here to learn. What have you learned the past year.? 

 What has been your success.' What of your failures.'' How could you 

 have improved on your plans.-* How of the marketing.-* Did any of your 

 varieties succeed beyond your expectations.' Have some of them dis- 

 appointed you.' Would you now plant the same varieties you would one 

 year ago.' Has the transportation problem been a bugbear.' Did the 

 express companies cat up all the profits.' These and a hundred other 

 questions will have to be answered right, before you can take many ad- 

 vance steps in fruit growing. 



