62 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



attention to the work of shipping. The fruit was sent forward 

 about November 20. Finding it was necessary to have some one to 

 attend to the placing of the fruit on exhibition, and not having the 

 means to pay a person for their service, Mr. Pope, who had decided 

 to visit the Exposition, volunteered to take charge of the fruit at 

 New Orleans, and place the same on exhibition. He left Maine 

 December 2, and arrived at New Orleans December 28. The his- 

 tory of the P^xposition is too well known to be repeated here. There 

 was delay in all the arrangements — delay in opening the buildings 

 to the pul)lic, and when opened nothing was in readiness. It is but 

 just to state, however, that our Commissioner, Hon. J. B. Ham, 

 proved one of the most efficient ollicers at the Exposition, and did 

 all in his power — which was a great deal — to aid the work of tlie 

 Maine exhibitoi's. When Mr. Pope reached New Orleans he found 

 the refrigerator room incomplete, and our Maine fruit yet unloaded 

 from tlie car, out of doors, in the warm January temperature of the 

 Crescent City. Concerning the fruit, Mr. Pope says: "The a|)ples 

 arrived in good condition, but after staying three weeks in the lieat, 

 they had begun to decay some when tliey were ready to be placed 

 on the tables." It was found that the examining committee would 

 not see them as soon as they were placed upon the tables, as pi-oin- 

 ised, but, like everything else there, they were two weeks behind 

 with their work. Consequently, arrangements were made to have 

 more taken from the reserve in the refrigerator at the time, and 

 replace those that were decayed. Tiie refrigerator was onh- such in 

 name, as the cold air had not then been introduced ; and when 

 opened the apples were about half rotten. A peck or a half bushel 

 of each variety of our leading winter sorts, which were in good con- 

 dition, were then placed on the tables in Horticultural Hall; and a 

 display in quantity was also made in the Maine State Exhibit in the 

 Government Building, the last named being of the leading winter 

 varieties, for shipping. Our fruit compared well with that from 

 California, Michigan, Wisconsin and some other States; and upon 

 the whole, although much disapt)ointment was the result of the 

 exhibit, it was no greater than came to other exhibitors from other 

 States and in other departments, and from this fact we gather a 

 little consolation. We also feel sure that a point has been gained 

 by the Pomological Society in making known the superior shipping 

 qualities of Maine late-keeping apples, by this exhibit; and while 

 it may not have yet commenced to show results, we feel that it will 



