LIVE STOCK BUKEDERS. 95 



"In agriculture it is the garden spot of the universe. In summer n 

 land of growing crops and delightful air; in winter, fat herds, full tables 

 and bright firesides," 



In other words, Missouri is a part of the garden spot of the west. 

 Its fertility and resources are unsurpassed by any similar area on the 

 American continent. The market value of the land, when its productive- 

 ness is considered, is far below that in other States. Transportation facili- 

 ties to the great markets of the world are unexcelled, with such natural 

 gateways by rail and river routes as St. Louis and Kansas City, no State 

 in the Union is more favorably situated for continental travel. More 

 railroads and steamboat lines center at these two points than at any met- 

 ropolitan center west of the Alleghany mountains. St. Louis is known 

 to the world as the "Solid City ;" the bonds of the State of Missouri, as 

 well as those of the City of St. Louis, are floated on the markets of 

 America and Europe on the same per centage basis, and almost the same 

 identical basis as United States Government bonds. In other words, the 

 credit of Imperial Missouri at home and abroad is as good as that of the 

 National Government. Her State debt has been practically wiped out, 

 and no commonwealth in the Union enjoys greater immunity from tax- 

 ation. Figures will show that property owners and citizens of Missouri 

 generally, pay less taxes per annum than the citizens of any State in the 

 L%ion. 



Missouri, for a greater part, is an agricultural State with a large 

 amount of lands that have never been cultivated, never been subjected to 

 the keen edge of the plow, never been tilled. 



Many farms to-day are not worked to their full productiveness be- 

 cause of a lack of up-to-date methods. While this may seem strange, it 

 is nevertheless true. 



The population of Missouri has gradually increased from the hun- 

 dreds of thousands into the millions. Statistics have shown that nearly 

 one-half of the adults of the State, engaged in active business and com- 

 mercial pursuits, have become rich from the soil. 



Agriculture predominates over the other industries and appears to 

 hold out surpassing inducements to those who wish to engage in it — the 

 stock raiser, poultry raiser, dairyman, fruit grower and the miner. Its 

 cities, towns and villages are rapidly filling up, and farm lands are grad- 

 ually being brought under a higher degree of cultivation. All the cereals 

 of the western and northwestern states, as well as the fruits, grains and 

 vegetables of the south attain a degree of great perfection in Missouri. 

 Our wheat makes most excellent flour and ranks high on all markets ; 

 corn crops are always assured and attain a high degree of perfection. 

 while our fruit lands rival those of California. 



