No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 143 



proved varieties of cherries, the Heart, Bigarreau and the Duke and 

 Murcllo types, are in increawed supply and demand, and, in general, 

 fruit growing has attained a higher position than ever before in 

 the history of the vState, The displays of grapes are larger than ever 

 before, while small fruits, such as the strawberry, raspberry, black- 

 berry, currant, etc., are a profitable adjunct to the crops of many 

 successful and leading farmers. 



Of course, a large measure of this prosperity is due to the increased 

 knowledge how to grow fruit and to combat the various enemies that 

 in many instances made the production of sound fruit an impossi- 

 bility. The important factor of convenient and rapid railway fa- 

 cilities has very greatly contributed towards making fruit growing 

 profitable, as we are now able to ship fruit to markets thousands 

 of miles distant. The exportations of apples to European ports is 

 only in its infancy and the trade will assume immense proportions 

 in the near future, a® the American apples are in demand above all 

 others, and realize profitable prices. 



The importance of the State and county fairs in educating the 

 people in relation to the varieties and qualities of the choicest pro- 

 ductions of the orchard and vineyard must not be ignored. By edu- 

 cating the visitor you will tempt both the eye and pocketbook. The 

 displays made at the Lehigh, Berks, York and other county fairs 

 deserve our highest commendation. The Inter-State Fair, held at 

 Trenton, N. J., also has a display of fruit that ranks second to 

 none, a considerable proportion coming from Pennsylvania fruit 

 growers. In many cases the premiums awarded for the largest and 

 best collections made by a single exhibitor are exceedingly liberal. 

 The newer varieties, as well as seedlings, are usually recognized and 

 premiums awarded where the exhibit is meritorious. Unless, in the 

 case of seedlings, fruit must be correctly named or it will be dis- 

 qualified from competition. 



Many of the leading societies will not have a judge from the home 

 county to award the premiums; neither will they permit the name 

 of the owner to be attached to the display. It is only after the 

 awards have been certified at the secretary's office that the identity 

 of the owners can be made known. This plan has worked most 

 admirably, as it relieves both the society and judges of the charges 

 of partiality or unfairness. 



A serious problem in the awarding of premiums has been in the 

 matter of the number of specimens of a variety that should con- 

 stitute an exhibit. In many cases the premium list w^ould call for 

 the best plate of five specimens of a kind. In some cases an apple 

 may be removed by a visitor or by an interested party, thus falling 

 short of the required number; in other cases, innocent exhibitors 

 may unwittingly add a superfluous apple. In all such instances, thf 

 plate of fruit was not recognized for competition. 



