62 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Again, at St. Louis you can see the complete failure of the horti- 

 cultural department, because there has been no organized effort in that 

 direction. Our State society made a start in that direction last summer, 

 and next year will, we hope, see a completion of our design of having 

 a grand fruit show there. We must take hold of it, and work it up. 



I have thus far taken a one-sided view of my subject, " Best meth- 

 ods of exhibiting fruits at our fairs," because I have seen the necessity 

 all through our land of just such kind of work ; and wherever we have 

 a horticultural society, there they ought to take hold of it and build it 

 up, and this will give one answer to my subject of "Best methods," etc. 



Now then a few rules concerning our shows and the building: 



1st. There should be no windows at the sides, but all light should 

 come from the top. If possible the doorways should be screened so 

 that very little comes through them. The reflection of the light from 

 the top at the correct angle will make the fruit appear brighter and 

 larger than anything else. If the benches have a slight slope, the 

 fruit appears better also. 



2d. Have the building so that you can drive through from one end 

 to the other, so as to conveniently unload. 



3d. The plates should all be of uniform size, and also the labels. 



4th. A good label holder, one made and shown by one of our 

 members, J. A. Durkes, is a good thing. 



5th. The plates made of japanned tin would be economical and 

 durable. 



6th. Five specimens should make a plate, except where they are 

 too large to go on the plate, and then there should be four. 



7th. Specimens should be as near perfect as can be — the stem 

 always on the fruit, no specks or worm-holes or knots on them. 



8th. Each variety should run as evenly as possible : i. e., no extra 

 large specimens should be on the same plate with small ones. 



9th. All varieties should be named correctly, or labeled "name 

 wanted." 



10th. A list of the varieties in every entry should be given. 



11th. No plate can be us r d in more than one entry. If the same 

 variety is wanted, it must be duplicated in every entry. 



In display, all the ornamentation possible can be done, but in a 

 " collection of fruits " I protest against such display. If display is 

 wanted, then, let it be done in its legitimate way. We need much more 

 of it because it attracts the multitude, and they go away thinking much 

 better of our collection or exhibition. A much finer display can be 

 made with ten fine large varieties than can be done with an hundred. 



