ANNUAL MEETING. 31 



mending such awards and stating explicitly, in each instance, their reason for 

 such recommendation; such recommendation being subject to examination and 

 approval of the Centennial Board before the medal and diploma shall issue. 



As will be at once discovered these regulations placed each exhibit strictly up- 

 on its own merits; and judges were expressly prohibited from instituting 

 comparisons between exhibits, but were required carefully to state the reasons 

 on which they based their recommendations. This system of making awards 

 of merit is claimed by the Centennial Commission as new, and is, by them, 

 designated as the American system. These awards were intended for exhibitors 

 whether societies or individuals ; and in addition to such recommendation, the 

 Commissioners, by express resolution, authorized the issuing upon similar rec- 

 ommendation of diplomas, also to the societies or States under whose auspices 

 such collections should be placed on exhibition. 



The judges were also required in addition to the recommendations of medals 

 and diplomas, to prepare an elaborate report upon the exhibits coming under 

 their examination, characterizing such exhibits as they should deem meri- 

 torious, which report was intended for publication at the proper time; and they 

 were still farther required at the close of the exhibition to submit a general and 

 final report through the Secretary of the group, covering the entire field of their 

 examinations. 



Careful and well considered action in each case was secured by the require- 

 ment that the reports and recommendations should each pass the ordeal of an 

 organization by the entire group of judges, and be subscribed to by each 

 member of the group. 



It will doubtless be observed that, under this system of awards, the mere 

 granting of a medal and diploma supplies no means of determining the merit of 

 such exhibit as compared with another similarly favored. In such cases the 

 special and final reports must be looked to, to furnish reliable data for such 

 comparison. These reports are expected to receive the fullest publicity, through 

 the press of this country as well as that of Europe ; besides becoming part of 

 the history of the exposition by appearing in the published volume of its doings. 

 We are also given to understand that it is the purpose of our State Centennial 

 Commission to issue a volume embodying notices of all Michigan exhibits, with 

 the names of the contributors, as a means of bringing and keeping before the 

 general public a knowledge of the extent and value of the resources of the 

 State. 



Notwithstanding the regulation requiring all fruits to be exhibited in Pomo- 

 logical Hall, an exception was allowed as heretofore stated, in the case of 

 Kansas, which State, instead of having a building intended merely as "head- 

 quarters" for visitors from that State, had combined with Colorado in the 

 construction of an Exhibition building, in and about which was displayed nearly 

 their entire exhibit. The object sought in this arrangement seems to have been 

 the creation of a more patent or striking impression upon the mass of visitors; 

 an object which the very liberal appropriation for the purpose, and the spirited 

 support of land grant railroads, combined to enable them to develop very satis- 

 factorily, as was evinced by the crowds of people that constantly thronged the 

 building. 



The State of Iowa may be said to have had, during Pomological week the 

 most extensive collection of fruits on exhibition ; and this, with those of Kan- 

 sas and Nebraska, were doubtless the most attractive so far as large size, great 

 beauty and perfection of specimens are concerned, together with freedom from 



