30 



most favorably to your Committee, but they could give it no 

 premium, and could only give it a gratuity. 



The Committee believe the rule excellent, and, that it may 

 be strictly adhered to, I would recommend that the Superin- 

 tendent of A'^egetables be instructed to see that only as many 

 vegetables are placed on exhibition as will conform to the 

 rule of the Society above quoted. 



Some exhibitors did not follow the rules of the Society as 

 to size and weight of vegetables, but premiums were in no 

 case awarded contrary to your rules in this respect. It was 

 our endeavor to award premiums to vegetables that were best 

 suited to the purposes for which they are used, due regard 

 being paid to the cost of cultivation. 



The present manner of arranging the vegetables entered 

 for premiums, can l^e greatly improved upon by adopting the 

 plan which the Massachusetts Horticultural Society followed 

 this year for the first time, and which has been generally pro- 

 nounced most desirable by connoisseurs. That Society no 

 longer exhibits by collections, but by specimens, so as to 

 have all Mangolds together, all Flat Turnips together, etc., 

 etc. Thus the Committees can do their work most justly 

 and much more quickly. All specimens should be distinctly 

 numbered with the exhibitor's number as contained in the 

 list of entries ; and no vegetable should have the owner's 

 name attached until after all awards have been made. 



The Committees, having the list of premiums, as contained 

 in the printed "Order of Arrangements," and a sufficient 

 number of premium and gratuity cards, then begin their 

 work. They see before them, in examining for example, the 

 Mangolds, all that have been entered, without having to wan- 

 der all about the tent to find them ; and they can at once ex- 

 amine and place the premium card where it belongs, at the 

 same time making a note of the number attached to the spec- 

 imen for future guidance. So on till all the awards have been 

 made. 



