466 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



packing and forwarding ; compensation for necessary outlay in collection, and gath- 

 ering fruit, etc., and applications for space, should be addressed to Charles W, Garfield, 



secretary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and they will receive prompt attention. 



♦ ******* + ** 



« 



In response to this circular quite a proportion of the branch secretaries 

 responded, agreeing to make exhibits, and a special arrangement was entered 

 into with a number of these societies to make an exhibit, the State society 

 agreeing to pay all expenses of freight, placing upon shelves, etc., ami remit 

 all fees to State society for the year to pay expenses of gathering and packing 

 the exhibit. 



THE EXHIBIT. 



Twenty-one counties were represented in the exhibit and there was a spread 

 of 3,000 plates of fruit. The plant show occupied the center of the hall and 

 was all made by Mr. Joseph Blessing of Jackson, containing 1,100 plants. 

 Every nook and corner of the hall was filled. 



Entering on the east side of the hall at the left, was the agricultural col- 

 lege display of 173 plates of tomatoes and thirty-seven kinds of peppers. 

 This was the most complete exhibit of this kind ever made in the world as fa 

 as recorded. This number of varieties was not represented, however, as 

 some numbers were duplicates of the same variety, the seed having been 

 obtained from different sources. For example, there is Trophy from Amer 

 lean seed, and from English, French and German seed. 



The collection embraced all the sorts grown in America, England, France 

 and Germany. At the Agricultural college these tomatoes occupied an acre 

 of ground. This is the second year of the experiment. 



Arranged on tables the whole length of this side of the hall were exhibits 

 from Berrien, Jackson, Lapeer, Eaton and Jackson counties, while Allegan, 

 Wexford, Van Buren and Kent occupied the end farthest from the entrance, 

 and several lesser exhibits from individuals. 



The range of fruits spread by Lake, Antrim, Charlevoix, Benzie and Mid- 

 land counties astonished even the old pomological veterans who have for 

 years been claiming great things for this north country. An exhibit of Kus- 

 sian varieties of apples sent from Wisconsin attracted a good deal of atten- 

 tion, and the spread of over 160 varieties of grapes by T. S. Hubbard, of 

 Fredonia, N. Y., was the centre of interest to the grape men. 



Among the individuals that had been prominent in making the collections 

 were Prof. L. H. Bailey, Agricultural College; W. A. Brown, Benton Harbor; 



D. G. Edmiston, B. W. Steere and E. W. Allis, Adrian ; C. A. Sessions and 



E. J. Shirts, Shelby ; W. R. Wadsworth and H. W. Davis, Lapeer ; Messrs. 

 Griffith & Fuller, Eaton Rapids ; John C. Sharp, H. F. Thomas, and Mrs. J). 



