STATE HORTICtTLTUEAL SOCIETY. 117 



and was very favorably commented upon by visitors from abroad; 

 especially the apple and grape stow. Friend Tuttle's Eussians 

 were a drawiDg card, if we were to judge from the packed crowd 

 of earnest questioners in front of his exhibit. The exhibit from 

 the State Fruit Farm of seedlings was very fine, consisting of 

 many varieties of worth to the fruit growers of the Northwest. 

 The exhibit of wild and native plums, although late in the season 

 for them, was very good and gives great hope of their future 

 •development; we need to encourage greater activity in their 

 ^selection and propagation. One variety of particular merit is 

 the Eollingstone which I consider one of our best for all purposes. 



Bread, pickles and preserves were received in large quantities, 

 showing what the ladies can do when they come to the front with 

 their handiwork in this department; and one wonderful feature 

 of this exhibit was so many kinds of superior quality, so 

 much so as to give the committees great diflficulty in judging 

 and placing the ribbons. Bread and cake shown by the young 

 lady exhibitors, was very fine, giving much cause for congra- 

 tulation, that whoever the lucky man is that wins, will not eat 

 heavy, sour bread — one of the abominations of the past! 



The report from the vegetable department will be attended 

 to by Brotlier Grimes, its superintendent. 



The greenhouse department was very well represented by 

 -three leading firms of our state, who exhibited many fine speci- 

 mens of the floral kingdom. In this department we find one of 

 the worst problems to solve satisfactorily, in the finding of proper 

 •committees to pass judgment and make awards that shall be just 

 right. Committee work at our state fairs and exhibitions is a 

 :good deal of a thankless job, they always getting more censure 

 than praise. 



I wish to call your attention to the propriety of procuring in 

 the future projjer appliances for making exhibitions in the 

 •central portion of Horticultural Hall and around the fountain. 

 These fixtures are very necessary to provide means of making 

 your displays instructive and attractive. 



Oar state, if not noted for its extensive orchards of beautiful, 

 long-lived trees, can boast of a few never failing natural produc- 

 tions that vie with the world. In its crops of pine trees, icy 

 crystals and howling "blizzards," we find those that thrive 

 and grow witfiout the fostering care of man; and we hope with 

 the aid and energetic persistency of our patient investigators, to 

 .accomplish in the future the development of a pomology pecu- 



