154 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Pears appeared, in nearly all the collections, and those in the Van Buren 

 county exhibiiion were some of them very fine. The same was true of those 

 from Monroe county, and also from Mr. Husted, of Lowell. Very many of the 

 varieties shown were comparatively small and indifferent in appearance, show- 

 ing the season to be unfavorable for this fruit. 



Grapes were shown in very considerable quantities, and were generally of 

 very fine quality, although we observed that generally they were less mature 

 than is usually the case at this season. We especially observed that Delawares 

 and Israellas from Grand Traverse were but slightly colored, while lonas from 

 that region were yet entirely green. The finest display of this fruit, by a 

 single individual, Avas from Mr. Bradfield, of Ada, Kent county, grown upon 

 plants the most of which were killed to the ground by the cold of last winter. 

 They were beautifully grown, and generally well ripened, and the collection 

 embraced nearly all the native varieties of any note. A few bunches of Mer- 

 rimac (Rogers' 19), grown by what is known as the "ringing process," were 

 nearly or quite as large in the berry as well grown Black Hamburg, but they 

 of course lacked quality. The show of grapes in the collection from Spring 

 Lake was especially fine ; the quantity was large and the specimens beautifully 

 grown. Croton, the new white grape sent out recently by Dr. Underhill, was 

 ehown in several collections, but do not seem to be doing as well as in previous 

 years. A very beautiful exhibition of foreign grapes, grown tinder glass, was 

 made by an exhibitor whose name and address is forgotten ; also a similar one 

 from the graperies of Capt. E. B. Ward, of Detroit. A very large and fine 

 exhibition of grapes, and also of wines, v.'as made by J. M. Sterling, of Mon- 

 roe, from the vineyards and wine cellars of the Point au Peaux Company. 

 From the Grand Rapids Eagle, September 17, 1873. 

 POMOLOGICAL HALL, 



that is to say, the hall of the State Pomologlcal Society, lies next south of 

 Art Hall. The enlargement of room in this, to meet the increased demand for 

 the showing of Michigan fruits, has been obtained by the addition of twenty- 

 five per cent more of shelving, and more economy in the shelf-room as it was 

 before. The dimensions of this hall remain unchanged, — 44 feet by 130, and 

 14 feet posts. 



THE DISPLAY OF FRUIT 



here is nothing less than wonderful, and after all the fears that have spread 

 abroad concerning the effect of last winter's terrible severe weather upon fruit 

 culture in this State, this superabundant and lordly heaping up of earth's 

 choicest riches seems to challenge the Arctic lances to pierce our orchards to 

 their utmost power. 



THIRTY-FOUR HUNDRED PLATES 



of fruit are here crowded upon the long tiers of shelves, many of them hold- 

 ing two or more varieties. All day the number of visitors in this department 

 have been assorting and arranging specimens of our home pomological bounty, 

 that Avill cause all the thousands who will see them during this week to rejoice 

 that they live in Michigan, where kindly Nature yields such glorious returns 

 for the reward of the husbandman. The display of fruit this year is enormous, 

 and notwithstanding the increase in shelving, every available niche of room in 

 the hall is crowded with a wonderful profusion of apples, peaches, plums, 

 pears, grapes, quinces, many hundreds of varieties, all that are grown in this 

 State and on its borders; flowers of rarest beauty, hundreds of varieties ; 

 canned fruits, preserved fruits, dried fruits, fruits in all manner of shapes, 

 wines, jellies, — in fact anything that Pomona's bounteous hand rewards the 



