3fi4 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



hundred acres of peach and apple trees. Judging from the finely-flavored 

 and handsomly colored fruit grown here one can not but conclude that the 

 soil and climate are more fittingly adapted to growing and cultivation of 

 all the varieties grown in a temperate climate. 



The ten acres of pear trees promi.se well, and most of the thirty va- 

 rieties of grapes do well. The climate has no superior for peach culture. 

 There are now on the farm, peach trees that were put out eighteen years 

 ago and are to-day sound and as prolific bearers as ten years ago. Another 

 thing that strikes the visitor is the price of lands, which ranges from 

 $2.50 to $4.00 per acre. Of course first-class valley land commands a 

 higher price, but the upland seems to be better adapted to fruit culture. 

 As a confirmation of that fact I visited Mr. E. F. Hynes, whose fruit 

 farm lies on the high land near the town of West Plains, eight miles 

 south of this. Mr. Hynes came to this country twenty years ago and he 

 began experimenting with fruit twelve years ago. Has originated sev- 

 eral varieties of apples and peaches; of apples the Loy and the Levi, and 

 of peaches, the Surprise and the Nectar. Both these peaches are among 

 the earliest varieties known and are being very successfully propagated 

 in New York and California. He has about 150 varieties, and when he 

 hears of any new thing he procures it and experiments with it. He 

 may properly be called the "daddy" of fruit-men in Southern Missouri. 

 He also exhibited thirty four varieties in glass at the late Kansas City 

 exposition, and took the lion's share of blue ribbons. In conclusion, 

 for this time I, will say that I am more than ever convinced that this sec- 

 tion of country possesses greater and better advantages for fruitgrowing 

 than an}' other I have visited, and for these reasons: The price of land 

 is very low, especially so when one makes a comparison with the prices 

 of lands in, say California, ranging from $300 to $1,000 per acre. Take 

 the same amount of money that w'ould be required to pay for high-priced 

 land and the amount necessary to be paid out before any returns would 

 come from the sale of the crop, and right here in Southern Missouri in 

 ten years time the same money will bring a higher rate of interest than 

 in either Florida or California. It only needs to be carefully investi- 

 gated and the mo.st skeptical, I think, will agree with me. 



" PROVISO," In Kansas Farmer. 



Olden, Howell Co., Mo. Dec. 6, 1888. 



