62 ANNUAL REPORT. ^ 



tural Building, and a Horticultural Building, and other structures 

 for special purposes, will all give most liberal accommodations to 

 these several interests. 



There are many favorable conditions M^hich lead to the belief that 

 this World's Fair will be more extensively visited, especially by 

 agricultural people, than any fair heretofore held. The season is 

 the one of greatest leisure for the rural classes, instead of one of 

 greatest activity. It is the season when everybody at the North 

 wishes to go South to escape from some portion of the trying 

 northern winters. The city of New Orleans — the great commer- 

 cial metropolis of the South — is full of novel attractions for the 

 stranger, and has the mild winter climate of the Gulf of Mexico. 

 And arrangements are already effected with all the great railroad 

 lines leading to the city for passenger rates without parallel for 

 cheapness. 



Under all these favoring circumstances it seemed desirable that 

 something more should be done for the great interests of horticul- 

 ture, especially for those of pomology, than has hitherto been 

 attempted. So it has been decided by the board of managers to 

 give these interests a larger place than they have held in any other 

 fair in the world. In addition to the corapletest possible display 

 of trees, plants, and flowers, there will be held an international 

 show of fruits. This has never before been done, or even attempt- 

 ed. This department will be organized and managed by the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



The exposition managers will erect a building especially adapted 

 to a display of plants and fruits. This Horticultural Building will 

 be about six hundred feet long by one hundred feet wide, and will 

 be a handsome and convenient structure, which, with the land- 

 scape embellishments adjacent, will cost $100,000. They will, at 

 an early day, issue a list of premiums for fruits, in medals and 

 money, which will aggregate from $12,000 to $15,000. We expect 

 to secure an exhibit ot all such fruits as will be in season at any 

 part of the period of six months during which the exposition will 

 continue, or as can be held over by the most efficient system of cold 

 storage. We expect these exhibits from every state and territory 

 of the United States; from the provinces of British North America; 

 from Mexico and the Central American States ; and from all the 

 important nations of the world. The same classes of fruits from all 

 the temperate climates of the globe will be placed side by side for 

 comparison. The citrus fruits, and others of great commercial 

 value, will be gathered from the Gulf States, from California, from 

 the Mediterranean countries, from South America, from India, 

 China, and the islands of the sea. 



This exhibition will be continuous for the whole term of the ex- 

 position, showing every fruit in its season, and continuing many 

 kinds beyond their season by the help of cold storage. The most 

 ample and complete cold storage facilities to be found on the con- 

 tinent have been placed in control of the management by the New 

 Orleans Refrigeration Company. 



