SELECTING FRUIT FOR THE PARIS EXPOSITION. 



The following circular has been sent 

 out by the U. S. Department of Agri- 

 culture, and may give some useful hints 

 for us also : 



To call special attention to the great variety 

 of fruits now procurable in the United States 

 in quantities sufficient for the export trade, it 

 is proposed to install and to maintain during 

 the entire period of the Exposition, a repre- 

 sentative exhibit of American fresh fruits. To 

 accomplish this it will be necessary to provide 

 a supply of choice specimens of the more dur- 

 able fruits (such as winter apples, pears, citrus 

 fruits, cranberries, nuts, etc. ), of the crop of 

 the present season (1899) for display at the 

 opening of the Exposition and until specimens 

 of the crop of the year 1900 are available. It 

 is intended that all the more important fruit 

 growing districts of the United States shall 

 be represented in this exhibit and the active 

 co-operation of growers and other persons 

 interested is therefore solicited. 



You are cordially invited to participate in 

 this exhibit by contributing specimen fruits 

 of the crop of 1899, grown either by yourself 

 or others in your section, and to prepare to 

 send choice specimens of such varieties as you 

 may desire to exhibit of the crop of 1900 as 

 they mature. The exhibit will be collective, 

 but each contributor will receive the fullest 

 credit for what he shows and the same con- 

 sideration from the Jury of Awards that he 

 would have if individual space were allotted 

 him. Collections made by States, horticul- 

 tural societies, boards of trade, shipping asso- 

 ciations, railroad companies, etc., will have 

 the same consideration as those from indi- 

 viduals. 



KINDS OF FRUIT DESIRED. 



1. As the kinds of fruit grown in the dif- 

 ferent parts of the country differ widely in 

 number, season and character, it is suggested 

 that for the opening exhibit (of the crop of 

 1899) only such varieties be chosen as possess 

 special merit as market, dessert or culinary 

 fruits in your section. Special attention 

 should be given to standard varieties that are 

 likely to keep well and be adapted to the 

 requirements of the export trade. 



Small lots of choice specimens of promising 

 new or little known varieties are also desir- 

 able and may be included. 



SELECTION OF SPECIMENS. 



2. All specimens for exhibition should be 

 selected e^rly in the picking season, as it is 

 of great importance that the specimens be 

 not over-ripe when shipped. Symmetrical, 

 well-grown specimens that are characteristic 

 of the variety in the region, should be given 

 preference to such as are over-grown or ab- 

 normal in other respects. Apples and pears 

 should be picked as soon as the seeds turn 



brown, even if they have not attained full 

 color. All specimens must be hand-picked, 

 preferably into padded baskets and must be 

 free from bruises. They must have their 

 stems attached and be free from insect in- 

 jury or fungous disease, to be entitled to 

 shipment to Paris. In no case should speci- 

 mens be rubbed or polished. 



QUANTITY. 



3. To allow for loss in storage and in 

 transit, a quantity of specimens of each va- 

 riety should be provided of the crop of 1899. 

 In general not less than one peck of a stand- 

 ard variety of apples or one-half peck of a 

 standard variety of pear, should be sent by 

 an exhibitor. In case of a promising new 

 sort or a little known variety, as few as ten 

 specimens may be forwarded, if in perfect 

 condition. Where collections are made in 

 localities that grow but few varieties and 

 those on a large scale, at least one barrel of 

 each variety should be provided, though the 

 fruit may be in small lots furnished by dif- 

 ferent individual exhibitors. 



CARE AND PACKING OF SPECIMENS. 



4. After being picked the fruit should be 

 handled with the utmost care and shielded 

 from exposure to heat or frost. When the 

 collection of specimens is completed, they 

 should be double wrapped witti paper and 

 carefully packed in layers in clean, new ap- 

 ple barrels or boxes. The several lots in 

 each package should be separated from each 

 other by large sheets of paper and each 

 should be labeled with the name of the va- 

 riety, the locality, and the name and address 

 of both glower and collector. 



Labels and wiapping paper will be fur- 

 nished to intending exhibitors without charge, 

 upon application. 



5. Each package should be plainly marked 

 with name of shipper and nature of contents, 

 and forwarded by express or fast freight to 

 such storage point as shall be hereafter desig- 

 nated. It is probable that exhibits of this 

 character will be assembled at two or more 

 storage centres, to be held until date of final 

 shipment. In this case your exhibit will be 

 ordered shipped to the most accessible point. 

 Shipping labels, properly addressed, will be 

 furnished. 



In order to complete the necessary arrange- 

 ments for the forwarding and reception of 

 exhibits, it is important that you indicate at 

 an early date the probable number of varie- 

 ties and quantity of specimens that you will 

 desire to contribute and the approximate 

 date when they will be ready for shipment. 



Photographic exhibits that illustrate char- 

 acteristic features of the horticulture of your 

 region are also desired, and circulars of infor- 

 mation concerning such will be sent on appli- 

 cation. 



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