AVINTEll MEETING, 1879. 9 



Mr. Avory. — But was there ever a crowd with the jam that we have at times 

 at our State Fair? 



Mr. Lyon. — Most certainly. During the month I was there, upon many 

 occasions I found as great a throng of people crowding along the passages next 

 the fruit as I ever saw at a State Fair, notwithstanding the statements that 

 with all the people at the Centennial there was no crowding. I wish it 

 distinctly understood also that all fruit shows to the east of us have discarded 

 the employment of the bars. I would like to enquire of Mr. Chilson how he 

 has planned for lighting this hall? 



Mr. Chilson. — Entirely by skylights in the roof and the doorways, which 



.arc large. 



Prof. Beal. — This will be a great improvement upon any previous plan, 

 .and my opinion, based upon experience in doing committee work for many 

 years, is that there should be no light admitted through the sides of the struc- 

 ture to blind the eyes. I commend this arrangement. 



Mr. Guild. — I am interested in the flower department and must confess that 

 I have some criticisms to offer upon the plan looking from my standpoint. In 

 the first place it seems to me best to have the plants and flowers occupy a section 

 of the hall taking middle and outside so as to have the department more com- 

 pact. The plan of placing plants upon a shelf above fruit is a very unsatis- 

 factory one, because in watering and caring for the plants the fruit will be 

 injured. 



Mr. Chilson. — I water plants in similar positions every day at home with 

 things beneath that must not be wet and without difficulty. You must re- 

 member that the lower shelf or table is only thirty inches high and the one 

 for plants not more than forty-five inches high, so there will be no difficult 

 reaching with the watering can. 



Prof. Beal. — I have always advocated the placing of classes together in 

 fruit, and I see no reason why it is not just as necessary with flowers and plants, 

 and for this reason I would advise giving one end of the hall up to plants en- 

 tirely, and not mixing along with the fruit. 



Secretary Garfield. — It seems to me while we are arranging the hall we should 

 have a good deal of regard for appearances as well as convenience of commit- 

 tee work. Very many people just glance into the hall and get a general view 

 of its interior and pass on. We want to make the first impression as effective 

 .as possible. I know of no more effective way than to give the decoration of 

 the sides of the hall into the hands of the florists. I can conceive tliat this 

 arrangement would result in a charmmg effect and not in the least clash Avith 

 effective committee work. With the plants all at one end we do not get at 

 one sweeping glance a full conception of the horticultural exhibit. 



Prof. Beal. — I fully appreciate the force of this statement of the secretary, 

 .and still think by some arrangement the plants could occupy a section through 

 the middle of the hall — decorating the walls with evergreen — and yet have the 

 T)lants so placed as to be convenient for committees. 



Mr. Chilson. — My thought was that by giving the walls to the florists ^ve 

 should get them better decorated than by any other method. 



S. M. Pearsall, Grand Rapids.— Have you had experience in making an ex- 

 hibit without the bar to keep people from the fruit. 



Mr. Chilson. — Yes, at the centennial; and I am satisfied that if we once try 

 it we shall always do without it thereafter. In explaining the chart I should 

 .have said that at one end of the hall I have planned to have two offices— one 



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