254 Report of State Board of Horticulture. 



PROUD BAY FOR OREGON. 



FRUIT AT BUFFALO RANKED ALL COMPETITORS — WHAT WIN- 

 NING OF THE WILDER MEDAL MEANS — LIST OF THOSE 

 WHO CONTRIBUTED THE FRUIT. 



By Hon. Henky E. Dosch, Special Commissioner. 



In order that the high A^alue of this medal may be better understood, 

 and the reason why all fruitgrowers' societies and states as well as indi- 

 viduals are competing for it, and the winners are the recipients of the 

 congratulations by their less favored friends. I will explain. 



The Pomological Society of America comprises all the noted horti- 

 culturists and fruit savants, both professional and practical, actual 

 growers of the United States and Canada. 



Sentiment or sectional favoritism has no place in the deliberations and 

 nothing but absolutely fruit of merit is taken into consideration by the 

 committee on awards, of which Dr. F. M. Hexamer, 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 delib- 

 erations. Decisions are based strictly on merits, which, perhaps, is the 

 principal reason so high a value is placed on the Wilder medal. 



ORIGIN OF THE WILDER MEDAL. 



The Pomological Society of America, which includes the British Prov- 

 inces, was founded some seventy years ago. Marshal P. Wilder, the 

 veteran enthusiast in horticulture, was its first president; and for many 

 years filled that important position. It included among its members, theu 

 as now, all the noted fruitgrowers. 



In order to stimulate the production of new varieties as well as per- 

 fect 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 of their president and promoter the name "Wilder 

 medal" was given it. When Mr. Wilder died he left a fund of $1000, 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 porcol- 

 ogical variety, etc., and to be awarded only by its own members for pure 

 merit, which has been religously carried out ever since. 



OREGON CONTRIBUTORS. 



We entered our fruits in the name of the state of Oregon, rather than 

 as individuals, as the most perfect fruit, so all could share in the honor 

 and glory thus bestowed; but it is in order to give the names of those 

 who were kind enough to contribute to our exhibit to make the winning 

 of so high a prize possible. 



