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sent Thurston's Red, Winnall's Longland, Sack, and many others ; and the Wor- 

 cestershire orchards of Berrow, Castlemorton, Newbridge, Yoking House, and 

 Pendock, were ransacked for Rock pear, before it was known Mr. Best possessed 

 it. But for the marked excellence of the perry pears, Herefordshire would not 

 have scored in the vintage competition ; as it was, a handsome bronze medal was 

 awarded. Second and third prizes were given for bottled cider, but the French 

 standard of excellence evidently differs from our own. The English cider was not 

 light and bright enough to suit French palates. The cider of France has a thin 

 watery flavour, and carries with it the suspicion of dilution. It is beyond doubt 

 that watered cider can be fined more readily than pure apple juice, and it is be- 

 lieved that therein lies the secret of the clear bright cider of Normandy. If this 

 be not so, means must be taken to learn the French method. The DiplOme d' 

 Honncur awarded to Dr. Bull for his admirable Pomona was well deserved, and 

 the journey will probably be the means of adding another plate to that valuable 

 authority, for the purpose of bringing into notice some of the best cider apples of 

 France. A gold medal was awarded to Dr. Hogg for his life-long services in 

 furtherance of Pomolog^cal Science. It is generally interesting to know what 

 others say about us, and in a long article in the Journal de Rouen, of the 4th 

 October, the Editor writes : — "See this appetising fruit sent from England, is it 

 not splendid ? Ripened under fog, this beautiful fruit ! Does it taste as well as 

 ours ? We do not know. But for size, freshness, and colour, these English apples 

 can take a place in the first class. The Normandy apple is not more rosy or finer." 

 The ceremony of presenting the prizes at the Hotel de Ville was very imposing, 

 and the assistance of an admirable brass band was freely used. 



The distinction paid to the representatives of the Woolhope Club at Rouen 

 was partly due, no doubt, to the influence exerted by friends to make their recep- 

 tion as pleasant to them as possible. The magnificent work of the Club, The 

 Herefordshire Pomona, which was very greatly admired, and the fine collection 

 of fruit strongly supported their favourable reception, but there was yet another 

 cause which was soon made known. At the close of the banquet the President, 

 M. H^ron, made rather a mysterious announcement. He said that the Council 

 had decided in the morning to take an exceptional course at this Congress, and 

 give a gold medal to a gentleman who had done more than any one else to promote 

 the cultivation of fniit trees in general, and pomology in particular. He did not 

 mention any name, but in the evening he called at the H6tel du Nord, with three 

 of his colleagues high in office, to present the gold medal to Dr. Hogg. This 

 compliment is the very highest that could be paid to any one. It was well 

 deserved, and gave great satisfaction to all the representatives of the Woolhope 

 Club, and fully explained the high respect and attention paid to them. Indeed, 

 it may fairly be said that the great extent of the exhibitions of the Club, and the 

 well-known name of Dr. Hogg as one of the deputation, gave an international 

 character to the Congress, which was alluded to on several occasions. 



