206 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



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The judge made a formal examination of the exhibit on the 

 forenoon of the day that I came away, Thursday, May fifth. He 

 informed me that Minnesota had the best exhibit of canned fruits 

 in the hall, having- the largest assortment and of fruit retaining its 

 natural color. This we consider a high honor, as there are some very 

 fine exhibits of fruit inj glass jars by some of those states that are 

 specially interested in fruit growing, some of them having great 

 numbers of jars of large size and containing beautiful fruit. 

 The judge also said that the apples in our exhibit for size and color 

 and freedom from blemish received markings higher than the aver- 

 age, and this of course was also gratifying to us and hardly ex- 

 pected, as the most of the fruit displayed by us was gathered after 

 the severe storms of last September that knocked oflf the best speci- 

 mens. In other respects the exhibit also was highly commended, 

 especially the feature of cold storage and exhibition of fruits under 

 glass in a cold teinperature. There are a number of very showy and 

 some very expensive installations in Horticultural Hall that are 

 fine specimens of that class of work, but in most cases they are not 

 specially adapted to the exhibition of fruits, and the effect is to at- 

 tract attention to the structure instead of to the fruit that is displayed 

 in connection with it. The Minnesota exhibit is certainly free from 

 this charge. Every feature of it is adapted to the purpose of making 

 more complete and convenient the utilization of the space alloted for 

 the fullest display of the fruit shown upon it. 



In only two respects was the Minnesota exhibit found inferior 

 to others, and these are in the number of varieties and in the number 

 of plates of fruit. Of course it is not practicable for Minnesota to 

 display such a large list of cultivated varieties and thousands of 

 plates. 



We were unfortunate in not being able to revolve the turntables 

 on opening day, but even if the motor had been in place it could 

 not have done, as the connection to furnish the electrical power had 

 not been made with the hall even when I left St. Louis. We had the 

 misfortune to have our motor delivered at some unknown place in- 

 stead of to us, as it should have been the middle of the last week in 

 April, and it was not until May second that it reached us. Before 

 I left St. Louis it had been put in place and everything all ready to 

 start the machinery to revolve the tables when the power is turned on. 



I have tried to write quite frankly in regard to the installation of 

 this exhibit and as to its appearance. The reader must judge for 

 himself also from the pictures shown. From personal observation, 



