REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FRUITS. 35 



Michigan. Wiien the crop is abundant, the price is so low, that 

 the expenses of picking, assorting, and conveying to market, at the 

 ])resent higli price of labor, added to the cost of packages, and 

 the expense of cultivation, and protection from canker-worms and 

 other insects, leave little margin for profit ; and the facilities for 

 transpoi-ting the surplus of other places are now so great, that, when 

 the crop is scanty, the hopes of higher prices are often disappointed. 

 Consequently, not merely the old, decaying trees have been removed, 

 but orchards of fine, thrifty young trees have been uprooted to give 

 place to crops of grass or grain, as more profitable than the apples. 

 We would not, however, be understood that this course is being 

 generally i)ursucd by orchardists, — still less would we advise it. 



On the 12th of August, the two liighest prizes were awarded for 

 the Williams's Favorite, and the third for the Large Yellow Bougli. 

 The next week, prizes were awarded for the same kinds ; but no Red 

 Astrachans wortliy of premium were presented, — a most remarkable 

 circumstance; nor was there any competition for the prizes for col- 

 lections. Again : on the 9th of September, not one of the four px'izes 

 offered was awarded. At the Annual Exhibition, there was only 

 one competitor for the highest prize for ai)ples, — the Messrs. Clapp, 

 vi\\o exhibited a fine collection, well worthy of the first prize, which 

 it received, consisting of Gravenstein, Washington, King of Tomp- 

 kins County, Baldwin, Rhode-Island Greening, Tolman Sweet, 

 Pound, Princeton Sweet, Roxbury Russet, Mother, Garden Sweet, 

 Ilubbardston Nonesuch, Golden Russet, Dutch Codlin, Pennock's, 

 Gilpin, Yellow Bellflower, Auburn, Gloria Mundi, and Queen of the 

 Orchard. Not one of tlie three prizes for fifteen varieties was 

 awarded ; for the best ten, only the second and third prizes ; and for 

 the best five, only the second. These statements give an idea of 

 the difference between this year and the last, when, with one excep- 

 tion, every prize for apples at the Annual Exhibition found a claim- 

 ant. The prize for the best dish of " any other sort " was awarded 

 to Mr. John G. Barker for a very handsome dish of French Pippins, 

 ^yt the exhibition of autumn apples on the 12th of October, Messrs. 

 Clapp received the first prize for the best five varieties; the second 

 and third not being awarded. The prizes for the best single dish 

 were taken by Washington, Gravenstein, and French Pippin, in the 

 order named. At the exhibition of winter apples, Nov. 11, Messrs. 

 Clapp were again first with ten varieties; the secoiul not being 

 awarded. The same gentlemen also took the first prize for the best 

 single dish with Baldwin ; and the second and third were not 

 awai'ded. 



