84 GENERAL HISTORY. 



In the department in charge of the State Pomological Society there were 

 above twelve hundred entries. 



"The executive board of the State Pomological Society, quite early in the 

 year, undertook the task of re-arranging the premium list for the purpose of 

 making the annual exhibit more instructive, and also to secure, if possible, 

 a greater exhibition of skill in choice of varieties and a more definite expres- 

 sion of opinion regarding the comparative value of varieties on the part of 

 both exhibitors and committees." 



"The principal changes were instituted in the departments of collections, 

 which were placed in the hands of President Lyon for revision. His report 

 was unanimously adopted, and although a year's experience has developed a 

 necessity for some amendments, still there was certainly a great improve- 

 ment recognized over any previous arrangement of premiums." 



Divisions A and H, as here given, will illustrate the changes made. 



LIST OF PREMIUMS. 



FRUIT DEPARTMENT. 



Division A. — General coUections of fruits, not less than five specimens of a variety. 

 Note. — In awarding premiums upon any and all exhibits of fruits, committees are 

 instructed to exclude any and all unnamed and incorrectly named specimens, and to 

 consider: 1st. The value of the varieties for the required purpose. 2d. The color, size 

 and evenness of the specimens. 3d. Their freedom from insect marks and other blem- 

 ishes. 



Committees are further instructed to govern their investigations in accordance with 

 the following rules: 



1. That the occurrence in a collection or exhibit of very large and showy, but com- 

 paratively worthless varieties is to be considered as a discredit to sucli collection or 

 exhibit. 



2. That the true or legitimate purpose of the premiums offered is to draw out the 

 views of both exhibitors and committees as to the relative values for the purposes speci- 

 fied, of the varieties included in these exhibits. 



3. That the society desires to encourage the planting of only a sufficiently large vari- 

 ety of sorts for the desired purpose. Hence, it is important that the committees in their 

 reports specify, in the order of their value, the varieties upon wliich the determination 

 of the awards is based, 



4. That useful and valuable varieties only are expected to influence their awards, 

 while indifferent sorts, even though large, showy or attractive, should not, for these 

 reasons alone, be held to add to the value of an exhibit, except, possiblj^, as a means of 

 education. 



5. In classes three, four and five of Divisions B, C, D, E and F, the purpose is to 

 bring out prominently before the public the views of both exhibitors and committees 

 as to the varieties most esteemed in this State for strictly market purposes. It is, 

 therefore, essential that committees be full and explicit in their reports of awards in 

 these classes. 



6. In all cases in which duplicate plates of any variety shall appear in a collection, 

 it shall be the duty of the committee to select the best plate of such variety in such col- 

 lection, and to strictly exclude from the competition any and all other specimens of 

 such variety. 



