STATE AGKICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 4?1 



Six stems pot herbs— basil, E. 11. Wurtz, East Saginaw, 1st premium^.- $2 00 



Collection of four or more kinds sweet or ijot herbs — J. Dicckmann, East Sagi- 

 naw. 1st premium,.- 3 00 



E. H. Wurtz, East Saginaw, 2(1 premium ._ 2 00 



Six stems kohl rabi — Julius K. Eose, 1st premium. 2 00 



Theo. Rottmann. East Saginaw, 2(1 premium _. 1 00 



Sample snake cucumbers — E. II. Wurtz, East Saginaw Discretionary diploma 



Two stalks okra or gumbo, E. H. Wurtz, East Saginaw ...Discretionary diploma 



Your committee, to whom was assigned the duty of awarding the premiums in 

 Division E, Class 26, would commend in the highest terms the unusually fine display 

 of the products of the farms and gardens of Michigan. In years past it has been a 

 cause of deep regret that the exliibition in this important department has not better 

 comported with the character of our State in the line of agricultural products; this 

 year's exliibition is fully up to the standard, both in variety and quality of tlie speci- 

 mens on exhibition. We include in this notice a siunmary of articles exhibited by 

 the State College Farm, which were not in competition, but shown to the people of 

 Michigan as evidence of what their sons at the Agricultural College are taught to 

 l^roduce. In varietj', covering the entire list of farm products of this climaife; in 

 quality, not surpassed; and in accuracy of nomenclature — which made the exliibition 

 a school in itself to all practical agriculturists and gardeners— this exhibition has 

 done more to enlighten the public mind to the superior excellence of the practical 

 education taught at the Agricultural College than all the fniely written eulogiums 

 ever published. 



Of this College exhibition, the horticultural department occupied a large space on 

 the east side of Agricultural Hall. This exliibition was not intended as a display of 

 large products, but rather as a collection of varieties for comparison and instruction. 

 In the backgroimd v.ere arranged over thirty species of the more prominent grasses 

 and forage plants; of the former those of most interest and attracting special atten- 

 tion were the orchard grass, fowl meadow grass, blue joint, couch grass, and several 

 fescues ; of the latter, live kinds of clover, lucerne, vetches, etc. 



One shelf was devoted entirely to pumpkins, gourds and squashes, of which there 

 were twenty-five sorts. Each sort was represented by as nearly a typical specimen as 

 Xjossible; some of the gourds had peculiarly delicate forms, while others were more 

 unique than beautiful. 



The second shelf was occupied by seventeen varieties of beets, including the blood, 

 turnip, and mangel-wurtzel tribes. 



The remainder of the collection of vegetables was arranged in rectangular boxes, 

 each containing eight compartments. These were set up at an angle so tiiat the con- 

 tents could be easily viewed, and the different sections compared. This array of 

 boxes contained ten varieties of carrots, four of parsnips, six of peppers, twenty of 

 cucumbers, twelve of sweet herbs; also a plant containing the fruit of the vegetable 

 snail. Perhaps the most attractive feature of the whole display of vegetables was the 

 collection of 240 sorts of potatoes. We are informed that these varieties have all 

 been planted in separate plats, and the product of each section weighed for purposes 

 of comparison, so as to arrive at some definite opinion as to their comparative value 

 and productiveness. We observed among others several foreign sorts as well as those 

 more prominently before the public — CampbelFs Late Eose. Brownell's Beauty, Peer- 

 less, Early Vermont, etc. 



A striking feature of this display was a collection of all tlie more common weeds, 

 arranged in pots and labeled with their proper names. These are being continually 

 sent to our botanists and agricultural editors for names, and here they were placed 

 where thousands of people could associate the names and plants together. 



The fruit of the snake cucumber was coiled about one of the braces of the building, 

 and attracted much attention. 



The greatest curiosity of the college exhibition was a dwarf banana, transferred 

 from the tropical room in the greenhouse. The plant was seventeen months old, nine 

 feet in height, and in full fruit, and bore leaves the blades of which were live feet in 

 width, bv two feet four inches in breadth. 



PETEPv DOW, 



LYSANDER WOODWORTH, 



JOHX W. XICHOLSOX, 



Committee. 



CLASS 27.— FLOUR, MEAL, AND FEED. 



Barrel of tlour of white wheat — Mayflower, Mayflower Mills, East Saginaw, lj:t 



premium $'> 00 



Excelsior, Mayflower Mills, East Saginaw, 2d premium 3 00 



