State Agricultural Society. 303 



can be found for the purposes of shade or ornament. They have a lux- 

 uriant dark green foliage, are rapid growers, and can be trimmed or 

 trained to any desired shape or form. They are among the cleanest 

 trees we have, bring no offensive insect to breed in them or feed on their 

 foliage, and shed no unpleasant green or oLher substances ahout the place 

 like many other trees used for shade. Not only this, but they produce 

 a great abundance of most excellent fruit, much of it being nearly equal 

 to the blackberry for eating raw or for cooking purposes, and all being 

 a good food for chickens and pigs. Ripening as this fruit does about 

 the season of most varieties of cherries and early figs it will also be use- 

 ful in keeping the wild cherry birds so well supplied with food in which 

 they delight that the cherries and figs will be safe from their ravages. 

 But those who plant the mulberry for shade will find its greatest 

 value to consist in its value for silk purposes. The day is not far dis- 

 tant when in this country, as in the countries in the south of Europe, 

 the leaves of the mulberry tree will command in the market a regular 

 aud remunerative price. About every town there will be families who 

 will make it a business to feed each year a small number of silkworms 

 from the leaves they may be able to purchase from their more fortunate 

 neighbors. 



SIXTH DEPARTMENT. 



FRUIT. 

 Statement of J. R. Nickeson, of Lincoln. 

 To the Committee on Gold Medals for eighteen hundred and seventy-one: 



Gentlemen: As you require a statement of my claims to the gold 

 medal in the department in which I exhibited, permit me to submit the 

 following: 



I exhibited in the sixth department as follows: 



One hundred and twelve varieties of apples; 



One hundred and forty varieties of grapes; 



Forty-five varieties of pears; 



Seven varieties of peaches; 



Eight varieties of tigs; 



One variety of pomegranates, one of prunes, one of English walnuts, 

 and one of almonds. 



For the above exhibition the Committee on Fruit awarded the first pre- 

 mium for the " best general display of fruit, embi'acing the best and 

 greatest number of varieties," and for which 1 received the sum of one 

 hundred dollars. I could give the committee a full history of my experi- 

 ments, successes, and losses since 1 embarked in the fruit business in this 

 State; but, as I did this in full last year, I do not deem it necessary now. 

 If the committee desire any more detailed statement, I most respectfully 

 refer them to my last year's statement, on file in the Secretary's office. 



All of which is most respectfully submitted. 



J. R. NICK.ESON. 



