^84 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the premiums upon the same, would respectfully tender the following report 

 and awards: 



Upon the first day of the meeting, after hearing about the excessive drouth, 

 and receiving such discouraging accounts of the condition of strawberry fields 

 and cherry orchards, we anticipated but a limited display of fruit, and had 

 decided to rest contented with a good social time and the education that inva- 

 riably accompanies the discussions and papers before the meetings of the soci- 

 ety, leaving out the usual concomitant, — a fine exhibition of fruit. Need we 

 say that the surprise of a table bountifully laden with delicious fruit was to us 

 a most agreeable disappointment. We found in our department apples in vari- 

 ety, of fine texture and quality, and in admirable state of preservation, as well 

 as cherries in the most tempting form, and as we afterwards ascertained, of the 

 most delectable flavor. First we will call your attention to the 



APPLES. 



William Strong, Kalamazoo, has brought in a plate of Jonathans and another 

 of Golden Russets ; the former well colored, and for the period of a year, in 

 fine condition, although, of course, beyond their prime. 



J. W. Pierce presents plates of Ben Davis and Northern Spy, both fine keep- 

 ers and apparently well handled. The Ben Davis, to be sure, is nobody's favor- 

 ite, but certainly has the undoubted excellence of being a good keeper. The 

 Spys were in prime condition, finely colored, rich, juic^, delicious. While test- 

 ing this fruit your committee were in no condition to receive testimony as to 

 its quality of late bearing and other objectionable traits of character, for we had 

 undeniable evidence of a weightier argument than any other for the moment, 

 in the delicious flavor of the fruit. 



Plates of Ben Davis, American Golden Russets, and Switch Willow were 

 here from H. D. Adam's cellar, of Climax Prairie, all in fine condition. 



S. M. Pearsall of Grand Rapids showed a plate of beautiful Roxbury Russets. 



J. T. Elliot, Grand Rapids, brought not only a plate, but occupied the whole 

 corner of a table with his incomparable Red Oanadas. 



CHEERIES. 



J. D. Husted, Lowell, presented a fine can of Gov. Woods, fresh, large, and 

 sweet. 



D. T. Fox, Oshtemo, a box of Black Tartarian. 



W. H. Han ford, Bristol, Indiana, 8 boxes, containing several good varieties. 



P. C. Davis, Kalamazoo, box Black Tartarian. 



D. R. Newton, Cooper, 12 boxes beautiful cherries, containing several vari- 

 eties. 



H. Dale Adams, Comstock, a fine collection, containing 14 varieties. 



The committee had no hesitancy in pronouncing the following awards: 



Best collection apples, J. W. Pierce, Kalamazoo. 



Best plate single variety, J. T. Elliot, Grand Rapids. 



Best collection cherries, H. Dale Adams, Comstock. 



Best single variety, D. T. Fox, Oshtemo. 



With regard to single variety of cherry, the test was between Mr. Husted's 

 Gov. Woods, and Mr. Fox's Black Tartarians. The former were the largest 

 and finest of their kind, but the variety precluded the idea of awarding a 

 premium. 



The collection of Mr. Adams contained the Early Purple Guigne, Cleve- 

 land, Napoleon, Holland and Great Bigareau, Burr's Seedling, Reine Hortense, 



