226 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The reason why some make money and others fail in the same in- 

 dustry (and this is true of every business and every profession) is not 

 so much because one labors so much harder than the other. Both 

 may work hard from sun to sun, one succeed and the other fail. Now, 

 why this difference ? Simply because one understands his business 

 thoroughly and every move and every lick struck is directed by intel- 

 ligence, while the other man doesn't understand his business, and 

 every move and every lick is in the wrong direction and can never 

 bring him success. 



I have known men who were exceedingly industrious, always 

 worked hard, early and late, year in and year out, who never had time 

 to read or visit, who could not afford to even take a paper or buy a 

 book, and with all his hard work could not make a good living for his 

 family or rise in the worll, simply because he was firmly anchored 

 down by ignorance and groped his way in darkness. Now, I am quite 

 sure that success in life is the happy goal we all desire to reach. 



To all who are engaged in fruit-growing, permit me to say : If 

 you expect success you must read and study the very best books and 

 papers obtainable on the subject. Join a horticultural society, attend 

 its meetings, take time to visit some of the leading fruit-growers of 

 your section and learn all you possibly can and carry your knowledge 

 into practice. Be energetic, strike out boldly, have faith in God, in 

 your country, in your business, in your fellow man, in yourself, and you 

 need not, will not and cannot fail to win success. 



Having seen eleven of our states and having read up on fruit- 

 growing in the most favored sections of the world, I am now prepared 

 to say that I feel sure there is no other state in the Union that offers 

 so many advantages to the fruit-grower as Missouri, especially the 

 south half of the state, where choice fruit land can be had at prices 

 ranging from twenty dollars to five dollars an acre and convienent to 

 railroad stations. 



But right here some of your readers may take a scare at these low 

 prices and imagine there is something surely wrong with the country. 

 I know that there is an impression abroad that South Missouri is a 

 broken, worthless country, that the people are "moss-backs" and fifty 

 years behind the times. 



Having been over the State several times in Farmers' Institute 

 work, I want to disabuse the minds of the people on these points. As 

 to the country in general, some of it is rough and rocky, but a large 

 per cent of it lays very well, is as level as need be. The country is 

 well watered and healthy, climate mild, and the winters are short. 

 Grass, grain and vegetables can all be grown in abundance and of the 



