ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 29 



Some Lessons from the Pan-American Fruit Exhibit. 



By Prof. A. G. GtiUcy of St oris. 



It has been my privilege to have been connected with fruit 

 shows, both large and small, on many occasions, but not before 

 in running one for six months, and at such long range. To suc- 

 cessfully carry on the work required more labor than I, at first, 

 fully realized. Nearly one thousand miles of travel was made 

 within the State and over two hundred letters written during the 

 past season, wholly in connection with the matter and exclusive 

 of all work done the year before in general preparation and 

 putting fruit into storage. This last part, however, was very 

 important. The action taken by the Board of Agriculture in 

 1900 was valuable in two ways. First, in making previous 

 preparation, and getting material ready in advance, for the 

 opening of the Exposition. In this we had the advantage of 

 several other states that made exhibits. Second, in the method 

 in which the State exhibits were made and for which I several 

 times heard words of praise. That is, the agricultural and hor- 

 ticultural displays were made by and in charge of those particu- 

 larly interested, and with no commission appointed by the State 

 to have general charge, and perhaps with but little idea of the 

 work in hand. Connecticut was alone in taking this plan. On 

 the other hand, several states were there with top heavy expen- 

 sive commissions, and in two cases, at least, that is all that was 

 there. Another state had to adopt about the same plan before 

 it was able to fill the space assigned to it in the Horticulture 

 Building. 



The idea of being prepared is well worth keeping in mind. 

 Such expositions will be held in the future and it will be advis- 

 able for this Society to take initial steps very early in the matter. 

 If this is done before the State takes action, there is more 

 probability that the work would be left more fully in its hands. 



To go back. I admit I was not fully aware of the results 

 that had been attained in cold storage. It was with some 

 anxiety that I awaited the opening of our stock before shipping, 

 and was much relieved when our Secretary, who handled it at 

 that time, reported that it had kept with but very little loss. 

 But his opinion of its future success was expressed when he 



