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Mr. Dempsey.—I think the best and only way to meet that difficulty, which is a 
very serious one, is for all honest exhibitors to keep their fruit at home. I gave notice 
to a couple of our Associations this year that, though I won prizes liberally, I would not 
take the trouble to pick my fruit and place it on exhibition against persons whom I | 
know did not grow the fruit shown by them. 
Mr. Morton (Wingham).—Our rule is that fruit shall be the property of the 
exhibitor, grown upon his farm or holding; and I think we have a rule that any 
exhibitor may be required to make a statutory declaration to that effect. Of course if a 
man comes along and makes a false declaration we cannot stop him, though he would, of 
course, make himself liable to the penalty for perjury. I think we have only had 
occasion to demand that declaration two or three times. Twice we stopped the man, and 
in the third case the declaration was taken, and I do not doubt the man’s claim was 
bona fide, and that our suspicions were unfounded. 
Mr. WiLxkinson.—I quite agree with that ; our rules are somewhat similar. 
The Secretary.—Mr. President, I have a motion to make with reference to this 
matter. It appears to me that it would be better that all exhibitors should sign a 
declaration or certificate, because if you only ask one whom you suspect, you feel rather 
delicate about it, it being as much as to say that you suspect him of being dishonest. 
But if you require all to sign such a declaration it becomes a matter of course, and I 
think if the rule were generally known that very few exhibitors would seek to evade it. 
I, therefore, move this resolution, which is seconded by Professor Saunders : 
That in the opinion of this Association exhibitors of fruit at fairs should be required to sign a certifi- 
cate that the fruit shown is of their own growth, and that in case of any trickery being proved, forfeiture of 
prizes is to follow. 
Mr. Morron.—The difficulty is that you cannot make a certificate of that kind that 
will hold water, because, if he makes a false declaration, it is only punishable if false 
with regard to the facts, and the declaration must be made after the exhibit is made. 
Professor SAuNDERS.—| think in the usual form of certificate the exhibitor declares 
that the article shown is of his own production, growth or manufacture, and it seems to 
me that it is not sufficiently definite for fruit exhibitors. I think the certificate for fruit 
exhibitors should be so worded that there would be no evading it. Let the forfeiture be — 
clearly shown that would follow any infraction of the rule, and I think it would have 
some effect. People get behind that general certificate and say they did not understand 
it. It should be made so clear that there can be no misunderstanding it, and if the 
directors then do their duty and withhold the prizes in any case where complaint is made 
or suspicion exists, until full inquiry is made and sufficient evidence brought forward, I 
think it would help very much in regulating the matter. 
Mr. A. McD. Autan.—I have often judged fruit at fairs when I knew that the 
fruit of certain exhibitors was not of their own growth, but then I had nothing to do 
with that. As has been said here, one thing that is to a great extent responsible for _ 
this trouble is the practice of offering prizes for large collections. It does not pay any 
one grower to grow thirty or forty varieties, and I think ten or a dozen would be quite 
sufficient for almost any section where apples are grown. Where it is desired to have 
large collections shown at fairs, I think they should be collected by the Society, but I 
would not allow any individual to exhibit them or receive a prize for such a collection. 
The fact of the matter is that the offer of such a prize is a strong inducement for some 
man to go and steal the fruit. 
Mr. Bucxe.—This may be all very well at local fairs, but how can you find out who 
grew the fruit at Toronto Exhibition, or some of the other larger exhibitions? You can- 
not follow it up—it is impossible. 
Mr. Caston.—I think any man who is perfectly honest in‘making his exhibit need 
not be backward in making the required aflidavit, and will not object to it at all. There 
is one difficulty in regard to fairs at which it is a rule, if you suspect a man of not being 
honest in his exhibit that you must protest, depositing a dollar at the time of making 
the protest. Then, if you fail to prove the allegation you forfeit the dollar. It is not 
exactly the loss of the dollar, but you get into bad odor if you make a complaint which 
