114 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



frosts. I wish to remark here, that in the parterre, or sunken 

 garden leading out from the west end of Ilorticultural Hall, some 

 of the most beautiful and attractive gardens or beds were com- 

 posed of common varieties of foliage and bedding plants, such as 

 are to be found at any good florist's around home. 



To all our farmers and amateur gardeners, — to all who possess 

 a small bit of land, or yard, I wish to say that a slight investment 

 even, will well repay you in the effort thus to adorn your homes. 



Possibly I may be charged with egotism, in regard to my esti- 

 mation of the importance and advantages of the fruit growing 

 interests of Maine as compared with other States. With us this 

 enterprise is yet in its infancy, and it only remains for the feio, 

 yet earnest, unselfish workers in our youthful Society, to go for- 

 ward in their beneficent endeavors until a generous public shall 

 appreciate their efforts. That time will surely come. 



In these semi-annual meetings, — as yet but thinly attended, — 

 seed is being strewn on soil that cannot fail to yield a good harvest 

 in due time. 



After the reading of the report, The President, who was asso- 

 ciated with Mr. Varney on the Committee, made the following 

 remarks : 



As a few minutes yet remain, I wish to add a few words to the 

 report to which you have listened, upon one or two points to 

 which the speaker did not allude. One object we had in view, 

 and one of the lessons we set out to learn, was the art of exhibit- 

 ing. We intended to study the methods of exhibiting fruit, that 

 we might thereby be enabled to improve upon^what we had 

 learned at home in our exhibitions. This was kept prominently 

 in view while there. I think I may say without egotism that we 

 did not learn anything in that respect while there, by which we 

 could profit, unless it was what we learned negatively, for we did 

 learn " how not to do it " in several respects. We did not find 

 so attractively arranged an exhibit of fruit as we are in the habit 

 of making at our exhibitions. I do not say this to claim credit to 

 ourselves, but we expected to find something that we might learn 

 from, and in that respect we were disappointed. The arrange- 

 ment was bad, and the hall was exceedingly bad, and received the 

 condemnation of all fruit growers. The tables were bad. We all 

 know that a display of pictures in an exhibition has no effect in 

 an uncouth hall, and in this exhibition, held in a rough building 

 erected on the grounds at slight cost, all artistic effect was lost. 



