12 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



although this crowded the visitors into a narrower space than was 

 agreeable, it was found necessary in order to make accommodations 

 for the unexpectedly large display. 



The excellent system of classification and arrangement of fruit 

 adopted by the Society years ago was carried out in this late fair, 

 BO far as was possible with the limited space at command — county 

 exhibits, single varieties, and other collective exhibits by themselves. 

 First in the list of collections was that showing the best general State 

 collection grown by the exhibitor. For this display the Society has 

 been wisely reducing the number of varieties to be embraced in the 

 collection, and this year adopted twenty as the standard of admission, 

 hoping by this means to discourage the multiplication of varieties, 

 and prevent the exhibition of collections runuing up to one hundred 

 varieties, and above, such as have frequently been noticed at previous 

 exhibitions, in which would be likely to be found scores of varieties 

 of little value. In this class were fourteen entries. 



In the class for county collections thei'e was a magnificent display, 

 eleven counties being represented, the competitors numbering thirty- 

 seven. Most of thesjB exhibits were exceptionally fine in quality 

 and character. An interesting competitive exhibit was that for the 

 Society's prizes for the best five varieties of autumn apples, and the 

 best five varieties winter apples. In the former list were twenty- 

 one and in the latter list twenty-two exhibitors. In the class for 

 the prize offered for the "best collection of apples for home use for 

 the entire year, in the smallest number of varieties," were twelve 

 competitors ; and in the collection of crab apples, nine competitors. 



In the Society's list were premiums for the "best plate of from 

 five to ten specimens each, according to their size," for fifty-four 

 different varieties of our most celebrated fall and winter apples. In 

 this class were eighty-eight different exhibitors, showing from one 

 to thirty varieties each, and a most gorgeous sight it was when these 

 plates had been arranged on tables by themselves for examination 

 b3' the committee. More than a day was given to the work of 

 examination, and so far as could be learned their judgment was 

 unquestioned and met the approval of the different competitors. 

 In a matter involving so much labor and so nice a degree of judg- 

 ment, this is certainly a high compliment to the ability of the judges. 



In the division embracing pears there was a truly magnificent 

 display, and the value of the several collections was increased by 

 the fact that the larger exhibits were correctly named — a matter of 



