WINTER MEETING. 231 



the refrain, If all uiy apples had been Ben Davis my crop would have 

 been worth double. The scare of overproduction is answered by the 

 solution of the question of transportation. If our transportation com- 

 panies will only arrange to put our fruit where it is wanted there will 

 be a long time pass away before we will be over supplied. In October 

 of this year, while apples were being packed in Missouri at •*! to $1.25 

 per barrel, in Illinois and Michigan they sold for $1.50 per bushel. 



Missouri is fast stepping to the front in the production of fruit, 

 and especially of apples. New York, Ohio and Missouri is the order 

 at this date, and it will not be five years before we will be first on the 

 list. Hundreds of orchards have been and are being planted, having 

 one, two three or four hundred acres, and it is getting to be a business 

 of itself. May I urge upon you more thorough work in what we do? 

 Let us prepare the ground better, let us plant better, let us cultivate 

 better, let us wash, spray, prune, train, gather, pack and market better 

 than ever before, and we shall soon see the result in good prices, bet- 

 prices, the best of prices. 



Our fruit show at St. Louis most of you know of it and its success. 

 The reports that I made to the horticultural papers you have read. I 

 believe that ours is the only Society that has ever attempted so many 

 and so extensive exhibits, covering such a great territory and such a 

 long time. One or two counties do not do it all, but a map showing 

 all the counties making a display will cover many parts of the State. 

 I show such a map to you with all the counties colored red which were 

 represented. The good accomplished is, first, it shows that we are a 

 live people and a live Society in developing our resources ; second, it 

 shows to out-siders that Missouri is a great fruit-producing country ; 

 third, it creates an interest among our own people in these fine fruits ; 

 fourth, it helps to create an appetite for fruit instead of meats among 

 our city people ; fifth, it educates the people as to varieties, produc- 

 tiveness, hardiness and keeping qualities ; sixth, it gives the buyers an 

 opportunity to compare varieties grown in different sections and locate 

 them ; seventh, it gives the counties making a show an increased prom- 

 inence, people soon begin to inquire where it is, and what kind of peo- 

 ple live there and what lands are .worth, the kind of soil, the waters, 

 the prairies, the timber, products, and soon are going there to examine 

 them for themselves — one tells two, two tell four, four tell eight, and 

 already they are coming to Missouri to settle. 



These fruit displays and the work of this Society with the help of 

 our local organizations and the horticultural press have all been instru- 

 mental in bringing about this happy result. You are now and will see 



