SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 425 



wonder that these shores were not in equal demand with those of the "fruit 

 belt" for the same purpose. 



Our situation as regards markets and facilities for shipment are, or soon will 

 be, of the best. By boat there is daily communication with Port Huron, 

 Detroit, and Bay City, and will be with the lumbering towns across the bay. 

 A railroad to Port Huron will be finished this year, and one to Pontiac and 

 Toledo is probable. Suitable lands can yet be had at very reasonable rates. 

 "We call attention to this subject now as one of importance, in the hope that 

 some may be induced to come and inaugurate the extensive growing of fruit as 

 their main business when they see the marked success attending the efforts 

 made in a small way. — Huron Co. News. 



APPLES FOR EXHIBITION. 



At the late meeting of the State Pomological Society, and at several previ- 

 ous to the one held at Allegan, there were some discussions as to what apples 

 should be selected for exhibition, or rather which should be allowed to com- 

 pete. The following pertinent remarks we take from the Canadian Horticult- 

 urist, as covering the points which were taken by Mr. Lyon, Mr. Beal, and 

 others : 



No doubt much of the dissatisfaction among exhibitors of fruits about the 

 awards made at our fairs arises from ignorance of those points which ought to 

 guide a wise judge. In nine cases out of ten the intending exhibitor thinks 

 only of size, and he selects from his orchard with the idea that whoever shows 

 the biggest will surely win. If he were competing for the best ten varieties, 

 and a pumpkin could by any means be grown on an apple tree, he would 

 surely include it in his list, regardless of its worthlessness in other respects. 



A very little consideration will show that this point of size is of little or no 

 value except among cooking apples. For instance, place on the table for 

 dessert on one plate the diminutive Lady Apple, or the juicy, melting Fameuse, 

 or the crisp Swayzie Pomme Gris, and on another the Cabashea, the Cayuga 

 Eed Streak, or the Gloria Mundi ; then give your guests their choice, and no 

 better test may be made. Even in the same variety of- apple, size is not so 

 important as uniformity of shape, fineness of grain, and general beauty of 

 appearance. As a rule, the largest Greenings have not the finest grain nor 

 the best keeping qualities ; the rule applies to other kinds, as has been well 

 exemplified during this season of abnormal growth. All these points ought, 

 therefore, to be considered, and that very attentively by the intending 

 exhibitor when selecting his fruit. Blemishes of every kind utterly disqualify 

 fruit for competition ; but of blemishes, the ruinous work of the codling moth 

 is most to be avoided. It seemed hard on one occasion for the writer to agree 

 to set aside plates of huge Cayuga Red Streaks of magnificent form and color 

 on account of this one fault, and award a first prize to a plate inferior in other 

 respects, but perfectly sound. But what else could be done? How would it do 

 to have our exhibition tables laden with wormy fruit, and the rearing of that 

 disgusting enemy encouraged among our fruit growers!' On one occasion we were 

 just awarding a prize, and my colleague was preparing to place "First Prize' 1 

 on a beautiful plate of apples, when I said, "Let us look under this label, so 



