220 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



can afford to be taxed for. Let us see ; there are in Missouri about 

 300,000 farmers; suppose they were taxed ten cents each for the cause 

 of agriculture. There would be $30,000, $10,000 for the use of the 

 Agricultural College, $10,000 for the State Board of Agriculture and 

 $10,000 for tbe State Horticultural Society. Is it too great a burden 

 when the sura is to be raised by taxing all the property f 



Thus I have, gentlemen, presented to you, in a paper too lengthy, 

 yet in a hasty and imperfect manner, some of the claims of the industry 

 you represent, upon the State for support and encouragement, and have 

 offered a suggestion how the justness of these claims can be brought 

 to the attention of our legislature, and a consideration given and relief 

 offered. Act upon this suggestion as in your good judgment you think 

 best. Let me simply state, that what ever Oolman's Eural World can 

 do to further the praiseworthy efforts of this society shall be done; 

 and all it asks of you, that it may thus labor in your behalf, is your 

 countenance and support. 



Mr. Ragan. — There is one thing that struck me in the paper of 

 which I would like to say a few words, and that is the suggestion to 

 have a landscape gardener visit the school grounds to suggest what to 

 plant and how to plant it. How many have the knowledge to plant a 

 clump of trees, a border, or a fringe or a bed of plants ? The landscape 

 gardener will look over the ground and help us to do all these things. 



Mr. FoUett My story will come in here as an argument. I was 



musing upon the great motives of human action. We are engaged in 

 a work of love. It will influence the laborer to love his country and 

 educate his children better. The paper suggests that if some of the 

 money raised by taxation be spent in promoting agriculture and horti- 

 culture, it would be of much more benefit to the country than if spent 

 in augmenting its " poor " bill, because of the love of coitntry and the 

 enlightenment it would cause. The story of the Enchanted Harp came 

 to me and I will repeat it if I can. 



Poem recited not reported. 



