BOARD OF HORTICULTURE 91 



' 'Lest We Forget"— Kipling 



THE WILDER IVIEDAL 



By Henrj' E. Dosch 



The winning of this much coveted medal is an honor to aiiy State and is soiight 

 after by all fruit growing sections of America and Canada. In order that the 

 high value of this medal may be understood, and the reason why all fruitgrowers' 

 s^ocieties and states, as well as individuals, are competing for it, and the winners 

 are the recipients of the congratulations of their less favored friends, I will 

 explain. 



The Pomological Society of America comprises all the noted horticulturists 

 and fruit savants, both professional and practical, actual growers of the United 

 States and Canada. Sentiment or sectional favoritism has no place in the delib- 

 erations, and nothing but absolutely fruit of merit is taken into consideration by 

 the committee on awards, of which Dr. F. M. Haximer, the veteran editor of the 

 American Agriculturist, is and has been chairman for many years, a guarantee 

 in itself that all favoritism is eliminated from their deliberations. Decisions are 

 based strictly on merit, which is perhaps the principal reason why so high a 

 value is placed on the Wilder Medal. 



Origin of the Wilder Medal 



The Pomological Society of America, which includes the British provinces, 

 was founded some 85 years ago. Marshai F. Wilder, the veteran enthusiast in 

 horticulture, was its flrst President and for many years filled that important 

 Position. It included among its members, then as now, all the noted fruit 

 growers and horticultural Professors. In order to stimulate the production of 

 new varieties as well as perfect fruits, the society gave money prizes, which, 

 however, for obvious reasons, did not prove satisfactory, and they decided on 

 medals of award instead, and in honor to their President and promoter, the name 

 "Wilder Medal" was given it. 



When Mr. Wilder died he left a fund of one thousand dollars, the interest of 

 which was to be devoted to silver and bronze medals for new fruits, most perfect 

 fruits, largest collection of fruits of any given pomological variety, etc., to be 

 awarded by its own members for pure merit, which has been religiously carried 

 out ever since. 



We entered fruits in the name of the State of Oregon, rather than as individ- 

 uals, as "the most perfect fruit," so all could share in the honor and glory thus 

 bestowed. We exhibited 2.50 plates of fresh fruits, against thousands of plates 

 from other competing states. The immense size and high color of our apples, 

 pears, plums and prunes, strawberries, cherries, peach plnms, apricots, sugar 

 plums and peaches was a revelation, not only to the committee of awards and 

 other members of the American Pomological Society but also to the thousands 

 of visitors, who were so profuse in words of admiration. 



The winning of the Wilder Medal means much to Oregon. It is worth more 

 to our State than all the medals and diplomas awarded to us at all the exposi- 

 tions, past, present and to come, as it is an honor no exposition, however large, 

 can confer. The praises of the Oregon fruit exhibit will be sung and published, 

 not alone in America and Canada, but in England, France and other European 

 countries, and will do a missionary work at a stroke that years of advertising 

 could not accomplish. 



