ANNUAL MEETING AT LEXINGTON. 127 



our investigations in all matters pertaining to one of the most ancient 

 arts known to man. 



I trust the members of this society, as well as all county societies 

 in the State, will not cease their efforts to advance the cause of horti- 

 culture until it shall be brought to the highest state of perfection ; nor 

 until Missouri shall stand forth as one of the first, if not the first horti- 

 cultural States in the Union. 



Ladies and gentlemen, I now extend to you, in behalf of the Lafa- 

 yette County Horticultural Society, the citizens of Lexington and of 

 Lafayette county, a hearty welcome to the hospitalities of our people. 

 Again I bid you thrice welcome to our hospitalities. 



EESPOXSE BY THE PRESIDENT, J. C- EVANS. 



The speaker was right when he said that horticulturists were not 

 much in the speaking business. We wish to show these people our 

 appreciation of their kindness and hospitality; we are not in the habit 

 of speaking, but we want to say a few words in response to the hearty 

 welcome we have received. We hope we will learn someihing from 

 them and that they will learn something from us. *AYe think that as a 

 society we are doing well. Twice a year seems not often enough for 

 us to meet, though only a few yers ago we had only one meeting each 

 year. We hope to go on with this work ; we feel that we can never let 

 go. We hope the people of Lafayette county will become members 

 and help us. We have commenced the work of adorning the school 

 grounds of the State, and we hope to follow it up till all the school 

 grounds of the State are improved. I need not say anything more ;. 

 we came here to work and we propose now to start in. 



