84 MISSOURI AGUICULTURAL RErORT. 



I wish to extend to all the various Associations meeting here, the 

 greeting of the i\Iissouri State. Grange. W'c hope that some arrange- 

 ments may be made whereby we may meet in conjunction with you in the 

 future. Having placed this meeting beyond the time limit of this law as 

 laid down by the National Organization, it was impossible for us to meet 

 with you as of yore. Hence, I will say that the Missouri State Grange 

 sends greetings to each and every one of you, and, your Honor, we 

 thank you for your kindly words of welcome. 



RESPONSE IN BEHALF OF STATE POULTRY ASSOCL\- 



TION. 



(By Dr. J. H. Casey.) 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : It is with feelings of pleas- 

 uie and also of regret that I arise to-day to say a word in response to his 

 Honor's remarks — with regret, because I am ill-fitted to reply in ade- 

 quate terms to the generous welcome of the Mayor, and with pleasure, 

 that at last the Missouri hen has finally found a place in the State Board 

 of Agriculture. It is only a few years ago since the hen was relegated 

 to the barnyard, and very few of you farmers or you agricultural men 

 knew anything about her, but to-day, thanks to the united efiforts of the 

 State Boards of Agriculture throughout the different States, through 

 their Agricultural Colleges, and the scientific researches of so many men, 

 the American hen to-day is fast taking a place throughout this country 

 as one of our greatest commercial factors. 



During the past two or three weeks I have gleaned from our worthy 

 Secretary of the State Board a few figures of the breeders of the Mis- 

 souri hen, and when you gentlemen listen for one moment, if 1 am not 

 mistaken, I think you will be surprised, not that I wish to discourage the 

 efiforts of any other part of this great Board of Agriculture, but sinv)ly 

 to bring them forward to your notice that you may know that poultry 

 has taken a stand and is worthy to-day of your consideration. Just think 

 of it, in the year 1901 the total product of poultry, eggs and feathers in 

 the State of Missouri was $22,500,000. These are facts, gentlemen, not 

 simply figures, and I can prove that by our worthy Secretary. Take the 

 United States, for instance, you scarcely realize this when you hear the 

 figures, but look, in 1898, the output of wheat, your great staple, was 

 $237,000,000; oats, $150,000,000; tobacco, $60,000,000; barley, $120,- 

 000,000; coal, a little over $200,000,000; and lliat of poultry, $290,000,- 

 000. It seems incredible, and yet statistics show this. I speak of these 

 things to show you, gentlemen, that the poultry industry is not to be de- 



