88 



consciousness of their excellence, and of duty performed to 

 the society and the public in presenting them. 



" The best Collection " of Peaches, your anxious Committee 

 construed to mean in part the highest number ; and for this 

 they were curious to know the specie value of the premium 

 they were permitted to give ! They therefore feel that in award- 

 ing Mr. Chadwick only 143 cents cash for his large and good 

 assortment, the Society, on the mere doctrine of equivalents, are 

 under further pecuniary obligations to him. The transportation 

 from Boxford, time spent, injury to fruit and its presumptive 

 diminution through the indulgence of the Committee, are items 

 that must foot up a serious loss to the exhibitor, as the matter 

 now stands ! It may, however, be many years ere another 

 such peach season shall return to tax the patience of growers, 

 or afford similar gratification to a committee ! 



Assorted fruits as generally presented in baskets, are curios- 

 ities indescribable ! As ornaments they add much to an exhi- 

 bition, and deserve awards for the ingenuity displayed in ar- 

 ranging such a medley of fruits, independent of their quali- 

 ties. Of the latter we did not presume to know. Our motto 

 in this department was from Paul to the old Colossians, " touch 

 not, taste not, handle not !" The base of operations in these 

 pyramids, — which may have been aught else but fruits — and 

 the superstructure so tastefully arranged, doubtless, by fair 

 hands, were all equally sacred from investigation ! 



Without making a precedent for our successors, we are 

 bound to say that the points of merit on which we disposed 

 of another five dollars, legal tender, were beauty, size, design, 

 and variety of components ; making in the aggregate the best 

 ornamental display. Competitors will therefore perceive that 

 they might as well have constructed these artistic models en- 

 tirely of artificial fruits, which are now made to excel the nat- 

 ural in polish and splendor, and negatively in fragrance ! 



On the matter of out-door grapes, your Committee award- 

 ed premiums according to requirements, for the best of each 

 and all varieties ; but it was a singular anomaly that the best 



