COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. 303 



{The Northwest Magazine, October, 1893.) 



" MINNESOTA'S HOKTICULTURAL DISPLAY. 



" Under the galleries of the great Hall of Horticulture, Minnesota makes a cred- 

 itable appearance in comparison with her sister states. On one side her neighbor 

 is Iowa and on the other Wisconsin, while in the near distance looms up the huge 

 orange column of California. The Minnnesota exhibit is arranged on shelves 

 rising one above another against a wall. At each end is a revolving pyramidal 

 displaj' of grapes, surrounded with plants and worked by electric power. Here 

 are shown about thirty varieties of table grapes, many of fine quality. Unfortu- 

 nately they are not produced in sufficient quantities to come into our markets in 

 competition with the grapes of New York and Ohio. That they should be raised 

 at all in a region so far north is a circtimstance that attracts a good deal of atten- 

 tion atid inquiry. Of apples about fifty varieties have been shown since the early 

 apples ripened. The specimens are not surpassed for size, perfection of form anci 

 beauty of color by anything shown by such great apple states as Michigan and 

 Missouri. The .Siberian crab grows to perfection in most parts of Minnesota, and 

 many varieties are exhibited. 



" Another fruit which gives the best results in our climate is the %vild plum, that 

 has been domesticated in certain localities as an orchard tree, but has not been 

 much improved upon. In its wild state, growing along the margin of streams in 

 the strips of natural woodland, it yields a fruit that is all the more appetizing be- 

 cause of its underlying savage flavor. Great quantities of these wild plums are 

 everj'year sent to the markets of the Twin Cities. They make, with their different 

 shades of peculiar red and reddish-yellow, a very handsome appearance. 



(ThJB notice was accompanied by the engraving- which appears as 



a frontispiece to this number.) 



(Minneapolis Journal, Oct. 11, 1S93.) 



"A PO?IO LOGICAL TRIUMPH— MINNESOTA SURPRISES THE WORLD 

 BY HER FKUIT SHOW. 



" World's Fair Grounds, Oct. 11.— Competent judges have exhausted their pomo- 

 logical vocabularies in praise of Minnesota's fruit exhibit at the fair. For a state 

 that has the reputation of being so cold, the showing of fine fruits made by Min- 

 nesota is indeed wonderful. The artistic eye, experience and good judgment of 

 A.W.Latham, of Excelsior, Minn., the ^'ell-known Minnesota horticulturalist, 

 who was put in charge of the exhibit earlj', have combined to make it one of the 

 most attractive displays of fruit at thefair. With him the State Horticultural 

 Society has generouslj' co-operated. 



"At the outset Mr. Latham designed a novel booth, which did much to enhance 

 the showing of fruits. This was in the form of a little house with large glass 

 cases in front, topped by shelves within the cases, the fruit being placed on the 

 shelves. Back of the shelves were mirrors, tilted at such an angle as to reflect the 

 fruit to the passers-by and thus magnify the display. At either corner were 

 erected two revolving pyramidal stands laden with canned fruit and neatly dec- 

 orated with vines. The stands are made to revolve by tiny motors inside the ex- 

 hibit. The spacious interior of the booth Mr. Lathani turned into an office and 

 storehouse. Here also are his refrigerator chests, by means of which the glass 

 cases of the exhibits are kept at such a temperature that the fruit is theljetter 

 preserved. 



" So simple and yet so sensible is the arrangement of the Minnesota booth that 

 its design was almost exactly copied by Illinois, just across the isle. 



" The first fruits displayed by Minnesota were apples of the 1892 crop. These 

 gave way in their turn to the small fruits of the season, such as strawberries, 

 raspberries, huckleberries, blackberries, etc. Some very tempting plates of these 

 berries were placed on exhibition. These were in turn succeded by plums, grapes 

 and the apples of 1893. The last displays were, of course, the best, and the Minne- 

 sota grapes in particular made a very beautifujL showing. A few peaches were 

 also on exhibition. 



" One hundred varieties of apples, seedlings and Siberian crabs were exhibited 

 by Minnesota. Of these the Wealthy variety made the most striking showing. 



"Of grapes, Minnesota's Concords and Delawares were admittedly the best of 

 those varieties of any shown in the Horticultural building. Other verj' showy 

 and attractive varieties contributed by Minnesota were the Worden, M.iore's 

 Early, Lady, Duchess, Lindley and Agawam. It has been no unusual thing tor 

 Minnesota to have 200 baskets of grapes in cold storage here waiting their turn to 

 be placed on plates and shown to visitors. The plum familj^ was also well repre- 

 sented, among the varieties shown being the Weaver, Cheney, Miner, Rolling- 

 stone, etc. These came from all over the state. The grapes were raised in the 

 Minnetonka region, but the apples vied with the plums in being cosmopolitan 

 contributions. The contributors, mostly members of the Minnesota Horticultural 

 Society, may feel prou* of their aid in making Minnesota's fruit displav such a 

 fine success." 



{St. Paul Globe, October 13, 1S93.) 

 " St. Paul Globe Bureau, World's Columbian Exposition, Minnesota Building, 

 Jackson Park, Chicago, Oct., 12.— In horticulture Minnesota has one of the most 

 interesting and beautiful exhibits on the grounds. In no other is the arrange- 

 ment of the fruit and the general effect of the display as good. The exhibit is in 

 charge of A. W. Latham. Every foot of space is utilized, and the fact that the 

 booth is a complete refrigerator is not suspected by one out of a half hundred 

 who stop to question and admire the fruit. As qiiick as the first sign of decay 

 appears the specimen is removed and another takes its place. A nurror borrows 



