494 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THK IRON MOUNTAIN RAILROAD REGION— SOUTHEAST 



MISSOURI. 



I'.Y A. A. 15LUMEK, OF FREDERICKTOWN, MO. 



The magnificent fruit show made in St. Louis in 1888 must have 

 convinced the most incredulous and skeptical that Missouri is really the 

 garden of the United States of America, exclusively, without fear of 

 contradiction. Do you not except California.'* I do not. That state of 

 land monopolists, with the corns oloe on the olive trees and cociis esperi- 

 dinms on the citrus family, cannot produce an apple or a pear so ex- 

 quisitely flavored as those of Missouri. Grape is the only fruit Cali- 

 fornia can boast of, when freed from the phylloxera, which fetch no 

 higher price in market than those of Missouri. 



Why has population gone through in lieu of settling into so inviting 

 a state.' Because of slavery; that was the curse. See the stream of 

 immigration that has poured into it since its suppression! Is that not 

 significant. -• The immediate future of this grand state will be still more 

 astonishing for a state located in a mild and salubrious climate, frugifer- 

 ous soil, with such a variety of resources, many of which it equals and 

 in many others excels the most favored state, cannot but be attractive 

 to the seekers of a comfortable home. But our task being confined to 

 the adaptability of the Iron Mountain region to fruit growing, we wil 

 try to give a brief and succinct account of its prospect and resources for 

 growing fruit. 



Leaving St. Louis southward the first county we come to is Jeffer- 

 son, situated on the bank of the Mississippi river. One-third of its area 

 is rich alluvial soil, chiefly devoted to cereals. The uplands seem to 

 possess rare fruit growing qualities; apples, pears, plums, cherries and al 

 kinds of small fruit seldom fail; grape growing and wine making is a 

 growing and lucrative industry long established. 



This county is well timbered, well watered by the Merimac, Big 

 river, the Joachin and Plastine rivers, besides many springs and creeks. 



The developing ot its mineral resources, its mines, furnaces, its ten 

 flouring mills, plate glass, cheese and agricultural implement factories 



