352 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



been recognized in our influence over the commercial interests of our 

 county. Encouraging words and flattering encomiums are extended to 

 us, not only by our county press, but we have been honored by praise, 

 not. unmerited, w'e hope, through organs of high standing and popularity 

 in other parts of our State. 



We have just begun our career. Favored with a county of great 

 fertility of soil, rich in mineral resources, so situated as to be enabled 

 to reap the first benefits of the newly occupied territories on the west; 

 is easy and direct communication with the markets of the east. Our 

 duty to ourselves and our countrymen is to seize and apply every cir- 

 cumstance or opportunity that may oifer to enable us to make rapid 

 progress in the development of the resources of our county. 



Zealous, well directed eft'ort, not only brings the reward of com- 

 mercial gain, but carries and culiives the enabling influence of public 

 benefaction. 



While acting as members of this society we cannot work from 

 selfish motives if we would. He who plants a tree or a shrub, or he 

 who influences his neighbor to do so not only adds so much material 

 wealth to the value of his own home, but makes an investment at the 

 same time that adds to the wealth of his county and state. 



He who ascertaines by years of toil and actual experience, what 

 trees or plants we may and ought to grow and what methods of culti- 

 vation are most successful, and cheerfully impaits his knowledge to his 

 neighbor, freely conveys just as many dollars to that neighbor as it 

 might have cost to gain, the same information through the channel of 

 long and weary days of toil, of misdirected eft'ort and many disappoint- 

 ments. 



If then we love our neighbors as ourselves — if then we have that 

 sincere desire for the growth and prosperity of our county, that as true 

 patriots we ought to possess, and highest and most important to each 

 of us who are members of this society, if we would expect such success 

 as we ought to expect we must work as a unit with an unfaltering 

 determination that our infant society shall carry off the banner as the 

 first, the strongest and most useful society in our State. 



C. I. KOBAKDS. 



