CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION, 1876. 425 



more strictly scientific than any that had previously 

 been given. 



This year occurred the centennial of American In- 

 dependence, which was celebrated by the great Inter- 

 natoinal Exposition at Philadelphia. A part of this 

 exposition consisted in a display of Northern pomologi- 

 cal products, from the llth to the 16th of September. 

 The Society voted on the 6th of November, 1875, to 

 co-operate in the pomological department of the expo- 

 sition, and appointed a special committee to take charge 

 of the matter, with a liberal appropriation to defray 

 expenses. The committee, early in the season, prepared 

 a circular setting forth the object of their appointment, 

 and soliciting contributions of fruit to be sent to the 

 Society's hall, and thence forwarded to the Centennial 

 Exposition, and displayed at the expense of the Society. 

 Copies of this circular were sent freely to every agricul- 

 tural and horticultural society and farmer's club in the 

 State, and also to agricultural and horticultural journals 

 and to individuals interested in fruit growing. The 

 response was not equal to the hopes of the committee ; 

 but a single society, the active and influential Worces- 

 ter County Horticultural Society, and a few individ- 

 uals outside of the regular contributors to the exhibitions 

 of our own Society, taking part in the exposition. As 

 soon as the possibility of this result was foreseen, in- 

 creased exertions were made to secure contributions 

 from those who could be reached by personal appli- 

 cation; and the display finally made was agreed by 

 all, especially when the predominance of the manu- 

 facturing and commercial interests are taken into con- 

 sideration, to be highly creditable to the State. The 

 number of dishes of pears exhibited was eight hundred 



