72 JAMESTOWN CONGRESS OF HORTICULTURE 



the need of public schools before 1855, when they were established by 

 law in that state. Illinois early began the campaign for instruction in 

 natural sciences and in 1872 secured a law requiring the examination 

 in this line of her school teachers. 



Because of our distances from markets, because .of our extensive 

 plantings, we have had to study the questions of storage and distribu- 

 tion. The cold storage methods are yet to be perfected and it now 

 seems that it will be necessary to cool the fruit before it is put into 

 refrigerator cars. New districts are opening up as markets for our 

 large yields of fruits. The Northwest will support a vast population 

 that will need fruit from the South. Not one-half of the land now in 

 farms is improved, not one-fifth of the land area of the United States 

 is improved. "The farms now existing," says the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture, "could be made to produce enough to feed many times the coun- 

 try's present population, were the best and most intensive agricultural 

 methods of European countries applied, and still have a surplus for 

 export." 



Fifty years after the discovery of America and sixty-five before 

 the landing at Jamestown, the first white man, a Spaniard, put his foot 

 on Missouri soil. Two hundred and seventy years later (1812), Mis- 

 souri was admitted as a territory, and in 1821 as a state. The develop- 

 ment of the central west has progressed since then and is the result of 

 the natural locality, the physical and geological conditions, the climate 

 and also of man and his work. This latter begin in 1735, and seventy 

 years ago reached as far as Kansas City in the person of Mr. Evans, 

 father of our Col. J. C. Evans, of Kansas City, Mo. 



From the influence of famous eastern pomologists, horticultural 

 societies have been organized in most of our states, and the impulse 

 toward study, experimenting and co-operation thus stimulated. The 

 exhibitions, large orchards, our advertising, the changed plans of 

 orcharding, of pruning, different choice of varieties all have con- 

 tributed to make this central west the wonder of the world, for its 

 capability, adaptability, possibilities and financial ability. The pall of 

 soil robbery which has devastated the fertility of all our eastern land 

 has begun to settle upon our central west, but clover, cowpeas, alfalfa 

 are being utilized to their best and we hope to see the great spectre 

 averted and our soil fertility preserved. Each state has partaken in the 

 advancement. 



From Wisconsin, J. C. Plumb suggested in 1877, what has already 

 taken place : the Northwest has indeed and according to the urgency of 

 the case, created a pomology of its own; new varieties adapted to its 

 climate have been produced both by introduction and modification of 

 foreign kinds, and by the origination of seedlings on its own soil, by 

 its own horticultural citizens. The Wisconsin Horticultural Society 

 maintains four trial orchards, and so its good work goes on, and not 

 for "Badgers" only but for neighbors as well. The horticulturists of 

 Minnesota share in and assist in the producing and adapting of varie- 

 ties ; South Dakota and other states are doing the same. All are ener- 

 getic and deeply in earnest. Kansas leads with a law requiring of 



