REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON VEGETABLES. 195 



We are indebted to 1. P. Dickinson, of Springfield, Mass., 

 for the best collection of Watermelons ever seen in our hall. 

 The}' were noble specimens, weighing upwards of fifty pounds each, 

 and were much admired. Mr. Dickinson swept the board, taking 

 all the prizes, first, second, and third, and would have taken a 

 fourth, had one been offered. Greenflesh melons, owing to the 

 lateness of the season, were not up to the average ; most of the 

 specimens were small, somewhat spotted, and not equal to those 

 seen at the weekly- exhibitions during the month of August. 



Before concluding our report we would call the attention of 

 contributors to important changes in the Schedule of Prizes 

 for 1879. It will be noticed, on referring to the Schedule, 

 that it has been found necessar}' to make a still further reduction 

 in the amount appropriated for prizes and gratuities, in this depart- 

 ment, for the coming jear. Also, that the number of prize ex- 

 hibitions has been reduced to five ; the first in March, the second 

 and third in June, the fourth — the Annual Exhibition — in 

 September, and the fifth in November. The amount placed at 

 the disposal of this Committee is $500, which sum has been 

 divided in such manner as to make each of these exhibitions as 

 full and interesting as possible. The prize list for the Annual 

 Exhibition in September remains much the same as this year. 

 One hundred dollars of the appropriation is reserved, to be awarded 

 in gratuities for such worth}^ objects as may be exhibited during 

 the interval from June to September, when no prizes are offered. 



There has been a considerable falling oflf in the number of con- 

 tributors during the past year, as compared with the two previous 

 years. In 1876 premiums and gratuities were awarded to sixty- 

 seven different persons ; in 1877 to sixty- two, and in 1878 to fifty- 

 four. 



The amount appropriated for Prizes and Gratuities the 



past year, was $750 00 



Awarded in Prizes, $503 00 



Awarded in Gratuities, 167 00 



Total amount of awards, 670 00 



Balance unexpended, $80 00 



