340 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



dorse all they have said. The moment I entered the courthouse and 

 saw the beautiful floral decorations, I knew we were among a refined 

 and cultured people, which opinion was more strongly confirmed the 

 longer we staid. By this trip I have got rid of an idea I have long 

 entertained in regard to the people of South Missouri and Arkansas. 



I once heard an old man say who had been through this section of 

 country years ago, that there were grown ladies there who had never 

 worn a shoe, and their feet had become so hard they would strike fire 

 from the flint rocks at every step. That you might take a basket of 

 soda biscuit and toll the entire population to St. Louis. Well, this was 

 certainly an exaggeration, or there has been a wonderful transforma- 

 tion since that time. 



I am not impressed with the idea that the country south of Spring- 

 field is adapted to the growth of agricultural products. There may be 

 spots where the cereals and grasses can be successfully grown, but the 

 country as a whole, can never hope to compete in this line with their 

 more northern neighbors. In passing through this country we notice 

 a luxuriant growth of wild bunch grass, similar to that found in Colo- 

 rado and New Mexico. This grass is very nutritious. It dries up in 

 the fall, and for winter pasture is equal to the best of hay. 



Why cannot this land be utilized for stock raising? Why is it that 

 men continue to battle with the polar climate of Wyoming and Montana, 

 where 50 per cent, of their cattle freeze and starve to death in winter — 

 while here is a country where there is scarcely any winter and where 

 cattle will do woU without feed almost the entire year I 



W^e believe that in time this will become a great pastoral country, 

 and stock raising oiie of its prominent and profitable lines of business. 



The formation of South Missouri is wonderful to contemplate. It 

 has every evidence from the fossil remains and shell formations found 

 in the rocks, of having one time been the bottom of the ocean, which, 

 ages ago, was thrown up by some mighty upheaval in nature. 



We cannot see why citizens of Missouri and adjoining States will 

 spend thousands of dollars annually in visiting the mountain gorges of 

 Colorado, in climbing the Alpine heights of Switzerland, in basking in 

 the sunny smiles of fair Italy and other famous resorts of Continental 

 Europe, while here within a day's journey of their own homes can be 

 found some of the most attractive scenery in the world. 



Here can be found fossil remains, and petrified specimens of every- 

 thing that grows upon the earth or abounds in the depths of the mighty 

 ocean. Here is found grand old caverns that rival in beauty and pro- 



