ANNUAL MEETING. 29 1 



lection of summer and autumn apples from my original orchards in Plymouth, 

 Wayne county, which arrived in season for exhibition during the week of the 

 Pomological exhibit. These small collections of early apples with the remains 

 of the plums and peaches spoken of, and during part of the week a large and 

 line collection of pears from I. E. Ilgenfritz and E. It. Reynolds of Monroe, 

 with several fine dishes of the earlier grapes from E. Bradfield, of Ada, Kent 

 county, constituted the Michigan exhibit for Pomological week, much of the 

 space reserved for Michigan remaining unoccupied. To those who were not 

 aware of the deferring of the main Michigan exhibit this circumstance was felt 

 to be discouraging, and the feeling that we were being distanced in the contest, 

 was quite freely expressed. 



Such continued to be the position of affairs till late in the subsequent week, 

 when the arrival of a new installment of our later peaches from Mr. Bidwell, 

 together with a fine additional lot of pears from Mr. Ilgenfritz, with some ex- 

 ceedingly beautiful Bartletts and Flemish Beauties from Traverse, with plums 

 from Judge Kamsdell, and a very fine collection of grapes from the same source, 

 as well as others from Mr. Bradfield, including some of wonderfully large size 

 which attracted much attention, began to put a more encouraging aspect upon 

 our affairs. About this time also Mr. Samuel Hoppin of Van Buren county, 

 arrived with the news that a large additional collection, including grapes, 

 peaches, and apples, might be expected at once. These actually arrived on 

 Thursday, and when they came to be opened and displayed, Michigan at once 

 manifested a strong upward tendency, as the very large size of the specimens 

 generally, together with the rich and beautiful coloring, attracted great atten- 

 tion and elicited many expressions of admiration. This last collection may be 

 considered as the opening of the Michigan display, as it contained the first gen- 

 eral collection of Michigan fruit that appeared upon the tables. 



My own connection with the exhibition of fruits closed with the making up 

 of the reports of fruits exhibited during Pomological week, and duties at home 

 compelled me to forego a longer continuance at the exhibition. I therefore 

 left soon after the arrival of the collection of Mr. Hoppin. I am hence obliged 

 to give all subsequent information at second hand. My duties at Philadelphia 

 detained me there till after the close of our State fair, but I am informed that 

 the finest of "that display was gathered up and forwarded to the Centennial, and 

 that during the first week in October Mr. Adams collected and shipped an 

 additional car load of our very finest fruit, fully matured in size, color and 

 quality. This and the preceding shipment, judging by the reports that come 

 to us since their arrival, must have placed the Michigan exhibit of fruits in a 

 very creditable position as compared with any and all previous displays ; although 

 we are informed that several other States, as well as the Dominion of Ontario, 

 maintained their collections by the shipment of fresh fruits, till nearly or quite 

 the close of the exhibition. 



Much credit is due to Mr. C. A. Ilgenfritz, of Monroe, who was in general 

 charge of the Michigan Agricultural and Pomological exhibits, for the dili- 

 gence, energy and taste displayed in the arrangement and management of these 

 collections ; and the State is under great obligations to Messrs. Ghilson, Adams, 

 Bidwell, I. E. Ilgenfritz, Edward Bradfield, and Judge Kamsdell for the effic- 

 ient manner in which they discharged their arduous duties as collectors of fruit, 

 while Ave escaped a similar obligation to Mr. A. 0. Winchester of St. Joseph, 

 as collector of small fruits, only for the reason that it was judged impracticable 

 to secure a creditable exhibit of these, at so remote a point, on account of their 

 very perishable character, together with the warmth of the season. 



