THE ANNUAL MEETING. 185 



say for cheapness in the form of a V, so that every article could be approached by 

 the viewer? Have the shelving open so as to admit light, and slightly (not 

 rapidly), inclined backward ; have a small opening at the lower end of each 

 stand for the convenience of those in charge. And for the canned fruits, 

 pickles, jellies, etc., we would suggest a form after the plan of the revolving 

 book-case, with adjustable shelves. I can but think that something of this 

 sort would give far greater satisfaction to the viewer. As usually arranged, 

 very many articles are so remote as to be nearly lost sight of. 



MRS. 0. C, ABEL, Chairman Committee. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FRUITS. 



Mr. President and Mcmhers of the Michigan State Pomological Society : 



In conformity with the by-laws of the society, I herewith transmit my annual 

 report as superintendent of fruits for the year 1879; and may I say that the 

 unanimous expression of the Executive Committee in appointing me a second 

 time to the position, made the work more pleasant and agreeable than it might 

 otherwise have been ; yet many times did I keenly feel my incompetency to per- 

 form the duties devolving upon one having charge of an enterprise in which 

 the fruit-growers of Michigan feel and manifest such deep interest. But 

 with the assistance of many kind friends, and the long enduring patience of 

 exhibitors, we were enabled to partially fulfill the responsible duties assigned 

 us, and most sincerely hope that our efforts have not been in vain. 



This, like all other work, calls for preliminary arrangements, and accord- 

 ingly in August, I sent letters of inquiry to all parts of the State with the view 

 of ascertaining the' condition of the fruit crop, and to whom, if possible, we 

 could look for assistance in making the annual show at Detroit. The few 

 replies received invariably gave discouraging prospects which led me to the 

 conclusion that the exhibit would be light, particularly in the apple depart- 

 ment, and not until the week before the fair did any thing occur to change 

 my mind ; when numerous applications for space served in part to remove this 

 impression and before the close of the second day of the fair our hopes of a 

 large exhibit were fully realized. If we were to base our opinion of the crop in 

 Michigan by the amount of fruit in the hall we should say it was unusually 

 large and of superior quality. What has been said of the apple can also be 

 said of other fruits, all being unexpectedly well represented both in the green 

 and preserved state. It is not my intention to make special mention of indi- 

 vidual collections as the viewing committees, before commencing their labors, 

 promised to make a full and accurate report of every thing exhibited in their 

 departments. Sufhce it to say, that the general display, taken as a whole, 

 was much too large to be fairly shown in the space allotted to our use, and not- 

 withstanding the manifest anxiety of the agricultural society to give ample 

 space for every thing put on exhibition, the capacity of the old hall in connec- 

 tion with the laro-e addition was found to be much too small to accommodate 

 exhibitors whose contributions aggregated more than four thousand plates of 

 very fine fruit. Of this number about two thousand plates set in a con- 

 spicuous place on the lower shelves; five or six hundred occupied the upper 

 shelves and were nearly all hidden from visitors on account of their extreme 

 height, causing the committee a vast amount of trouble to get the varieties 

 together for inspection; about 500 plates were heaped upon the floor or plat- 

 form entirely monopolizing all the space designed for exhibitors and com- 



