26 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



ticable or politic to announce any kind of an exhibition what- 

 ever. 



The action of the Institute at its monthly meeting in June, re- 

 lieved the managers from any further discussion of the subject. 

 At that meeting the Institute declared it to be inexpedient to 

 hold a general mechanical fair, and ordered " that an Agricultu- 

 ral and Horticultural Fair be held under the direction of the 

 Board of Managers." 



The managers lost no time in complying with the instructions 

 of the Institute. Palace Garden was at once secured, a fair was 

 announced for the 25th of September, and a circular promptly 

 issued inviting the attention of farmers, gardeners and horticul- 

 turists of the country to the plan of the intended exhibition, 

 and earnestly asking the co-operation of the public. The re- 

 sponses to the circular were prompt and encouraging, and gave 

 flattering assurances that the plan of the fair was favorably 

 entertained. 



The fair was formally opened to the public on the evening of 

 the 25th of September, by an address from the Hon. Henry 

 Meigs, the Recording Secretary of the Institute. 



The display of flowers and rare plants was brilliant and beau- 

 tiful, the specimens of fruits were varied, extensive and attrac- 

 tive beyond anything the managers had contemplated. No such 

 extensive collection of the various kinds of fruits and the differ- 

 ent varieties of the same species were ever before brought 

 together on this Continent. There were upwards of three thou- 

 sand plates of specimens, embracing most of the kinds and 

 varieties cultivated or raised in the northern and middle states. 



In the department of flowers, the great feature of the exhibi- 

 tion were the Begonias, the Caladiums, the Orchids or air plants, 

 the Ericas or ferns, the Coniferai, and the specimens of the flowers 

 and leaves of the Victoria Regia. 



The managers were fortunate in having members of their own 

 board capable of arranging and superintending the two depart- 

 ments of the exhibition with superior skill and judgment. Mr. 

 Wm. S. Carpenter, an eminent fruit culturist, assuming the more 

 immediate direction of that branch of the exhibition; while Mr. 

 James Knight, an amateur, and Mr. Andrew Bridgeman, a pro- 

 fessional florist gave direction to the floral department. 



The exhibition of live fish was a novel feature in the fair, and 

 to our co-laborer Mr. Thos. F. De Voe, whose unwearied daily 



