JHE OMAHA EXHIBITION. 



picture, for after all a weed is only " a 

 plant out of place." 



HORTICULTURE AT THE EXPOSITION. 



It must be confessed that the finest 

 thing about this department at this time 

 of writing is the building in which the 

 exhibits are housed. This is decidedly 

 an " off" fruit year, and the word " off" 

 is written everywhere. However, the 

 majority of the Mississippi valley and 

 the Pacific coast States are represented. 

 As usual California is strongly in evi- 

 dence, with her grape juices — also the 

 fermented article — her dried fruits, and 

 her citrus fruits. Oregon is becoming 

 famed for the quantity and excellence of 

 her prunes, and they are shown green 

 and dried in abundance. Washington 

 and Idaho are vieing with each other in 

 the exhibition of big apples, plums and 

 pears, like California the products of 

 irrigated lands. Missouri shows some 

 of her famous Ozark apples and peaches, 

 while Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and 

 Illinois have varied collections from 

 pecans through apples and peaches and 

 pears. The fruit exhibit lacks in some 

 of its essential educational features. 

 Unfortunately, a few of the superin- 

 tendents are appointed for other reasons 

 than those of personal qualifications. 

 The results are soon noted in faulty 

 arrangement and the mis-naming of 

 varieties. Such work does not reflect 

 credit upon the State or the individual. 

 In general the fruit is displayed, rather 

 than exhibited in collection or variety. 

 The display catches the eye of the un- 

 initiated, but fails to attract the student 

 of horticulture. I would not criticize 

 this with undue severity, nor as being 

 distmctively characteristic of this ex- 

 hibition, but as being too much in 

 evidence at exhibitions generally. 



FOREIGN EXHIBITS. 



It was pleasing to find Canada oc- 



cupying a prominent place among the 

 foreign exhibits. Her exhibit is at once 

 the most attractive and varied in the 

 foreign exhibit building. It was gratify- 

 ing to find a Quebec friend in charge 

 and actively engaged in laying out an 

 attractive collective of Ontario and 

 British Columbian fruits. The oppor- 

 tunity of making a good exhibit of 

 fruits should not be allowed to lapse 

 this year of scarcity. It seems a pity 

 that Canada did not secure space for 

 her fruit exhibit in the horticultural 

 building. The opportunity for making 

 a good impression is offered, and should 

 not be lost. In passing, it may be 

 noted that space can still be secured in 

 the horticultural building, where if 

 shown they will attract immensely more 

 attention if shown in the more or less 

 out of the way corners accorded to the 

 foreign exhibitprs. The Superintendent 

 of Horticulture is Prof. F. W. Taylor, 

 late of the University of Nebraska, and 

 now Director of the Nebraska Farmers' 

 Institutes. Mr. Taylor's energy and 

 ability have largely contributed to the 

 success of the Horticultural features of 

 the Exposition. A few of the States have 

 emphasized a particular fruit by making 

 a striking display on one day. For 

 instance, Missouri had her peach day 

 when some carloads of peaches were 

 exhibited and distributed gratis. On 

 the 9th, Colorado made an exhibit of 

 melons, water and cantaloupes, when 

 fifteen carloads were given away. These 

 were all grown in the famous Rocky 

 Ford melon district of Colorado. In 

 concluding a rambling letter I have no 

 hesitation in saying that no one who 

 can afford the money outlay should fail 

 to visit this exhibition. It is beautiful, 

 has many educational features, and is 

 on a suflSciently large scale to be de- 

 cidedly impressive. 



393 



