42 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1889. 



The Fig, Olive, Date, Almond and many other tropical fruits 

 are grown here. 



The Grape culture here is but in its first beginning. They 

 have a native called " Scuppernong," which reaches its southern 

 line only in tropical portions of the State, and its value as a wine 

 producing grape is fully recognized. This industry has already 

 passed out of the domestic stage and attained a commercial im- 

 portance which seems assured. From what I saw and heard I 

 have no doubt but foreign grapes can be grown successfully, and 

 such greenhouse grapes as " Black Hamburg " and the " Front- 

 ignan." As we have now discussed the more important fruits 

 that grow on the peninsula we will now relate as well as we can 

 how they appeared to us in orchard and grove. 



As tropical fruits were to be considered more fully as shown 

 Tiere^ very little has been said concerning fruits grown in the 

 Middle and Northern States, and that will account for the dearth 

 of matter concerning them in this report. The delegates were 

 given free passes on the railroads all over the State, for ten days 

 to be made up in parties of fifteen or twenty members, with 

 some railroad oflicials accompanying them. 



The society held eight sessions : three on Wednesday, three on 

 Thursday and two on Friday. The time was largely taken up 

 by the consideration of the papers announced in the pro- 

 gramme. 



The societ}'^ suggested, in the form of a resolution, that the 

 agricultural experimental stations throughout the Union, should 

 give special attention to the raising of seedling fruits, upon the 

 most approved and scientific principles, for dissemination in their 

 respective localities ; and that originators of new varieties of 

 fruits, be requested to send specimens of their plants to the 

 agricultural experimental stations, to be tested for their adapta- 

 tion to the localities wherein the stations are located, and that 

 the results of such tests be published in the station reports. 



The interest in the exhibit centered in the award of the 

 "Wilder" medals, which are only given where exceptional merit 

 is shown. Silver "Wilder" medals were awarded to Lake 

 county, Shipper's Union, Marion county, Sumter county, Lee 



