364 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



Nine thousand four hundred dollars worth of grapes were 

 sold from the "Loess" district in Missouri in 1912, and $179,050 

 worth were sold from the part of it not in Missouri. The Mis- 

 souri grapes were not sold through associations. Those across 

 the river were. Had the Missouri grapes been sold at the same 

 price as those through the associations they would have brought 

 $9,400 more. The difference between 1 ^ cents, the average price 

 received by growers not in associations, and 2 3^ cents, the average 

 price received by association members, might easily represent 

 the difference between profit and loss — between prosperity and 

 the other things, good roads and bad roads, the best schools and 

 those not so good, and many other things of fundamental con- 

 cern to the agriculturist. 



As stated, all of the papers read by representatives of the 

 various associations in the "Loess" district will not be pub- 

 lished here. The paper by the secretary of the Board of Horti- 

 culture and two papers by association representatives will fill 

 the available space. 



REPORT OF CO-OPERATIVE MEETING. 



This meeting began Tuesday, January 13th, with Dr. W. 

 L. Howard in the chair. In welcoming the fruit growers Dr. 

 Howard said, "I do not recall any time when so many successful 

 business men in the horticultural line have been gathered to- 

 gether in one conference. This is truly a remarkable work that 

 is just beginning here this evening. The State Board of Horti- 

 culture has called this meeting as the first step toward the or- 

 ganization of the people of Missouri, in order that they might 

 accomplish much that Colonel Dalton outlined to you yesterday." 



An appropriate address of welcome was made by Colonel 

 Richard Dalton. John Bland, secretary of the Board, was then 

 called upon and spoke as follows: 



REMARKS BY MR. BLAND. 



We are at this meeting, first, to discuss the various things 

 that contribute to the success or failure of co-operative fruit 

 growers' associations and, second, to form a temporary or per- 

 manent bureau for the exchange of crop and market informa- 

 tion from districts represented. We have in attendance about 

 thirty-five representatives of associations, a large portion of 

 whom are from the famous Missouri river fruit district. Our 



