STATE FAIR, 1874. 42^ 



THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE STATE FAIR. 



BY GEORGE FARM ELBE. 



The committee on nomenclature would respectfully report that they have 

 examined all the fruit on exhibition as carefully as the time would permit. 



Owing to dilatoriness on the part of some exhibitors, and the haste of some 

 to take away or dispose of their fruit, the committee had no more than three 

 days in which it was practicable to work. 



On invitation, Mr. Adair, of Detroit, and Mr. Bradfield, of Ada, joined us in 

 our work and rendered valuable aid. 



On the collections of plums we could do but little that was satisfactory to 

 ns or useful to exhibitors, from the fact that most of the fruit was past its 

 season and had had but little pains taken to preserve its freshness. Especially 

 was this true of varieties of the Gage family, and some were doubtless new 

 seedlings from the same class of plums. 



Of the names of peaches we found but few to correct. Of grapes we can say 

 the same, and considering the great number of varieties shown, the nomencla- 

 ture was very'creditable to the growers. On pears and apples we had the larger 

 part of our work. 



One fault was noticeable in most collections of both these classes of fruits. 

 We refer to the quite frequent absence of stems. It may seem a small matter, 

 but with many varieties the stem is a characteristic feature. They should be 

 nnjointed where they unite with the spur or twig, and, your committee may 

 add, the same rule is very important in picking fruit for late keeping. No 

 apple or pear will keep well with the stem pulled out. We would urge exhib- 

 itors, when picking fruit, to preserve this small but distinguishing part; to 

 remember that color, form, and russet are some of the unreliable marks, while 

 the dots, the calyx and basin, the stem and cavity, are much more reliable. 



There were present large collections from the extremes of the Lower Penin- 

 sula, — points 250 miles apart, — and the differences in color, form, and russet 

 in some varieties was enough to completely disguise them to persons acquainted 

 with them in only their own locality, the Eoxbury Eusset from some parts 

 being found smooth as a Greening, and again with a deep red cheek. The 

 Fall Pippin in some places is yellow all over, and in other sections yellow with 

 bright red cheek. So also of the Porter, Swaar, and others. In form the Ben 

 Davis, for instance, changes from angular and nearly flat in one part to smooth 

 and elongated conic in another, so wide is our range of latitude and so varied 

 our conditions of climate and soil. We hope future exhibitors will remember 

 the importance of preserving this distinguishing appendage. A fat Shorthorn 

 steer, minus a tail, can hardly look more incongruous to a stock fancier than 

 a nice pear or apple, minus a stem, does to a fruit man. He sees in it what a 

 gardener sees in a plugged melon, — premature decay. It is not perfect. 



Owing to the lung drouth in some parts of the State, some pears imperfectly 

 developed were shown. In such cases the Committee did not think best ta 

 venture on names. 



