CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



41 



such would be absolutely unfair and misleading at the present time, 

 because they were all green, or the majority of them were, so that it 

 was impossible for us to compare the quality and unfortunately also 

 these fruits are so expensive that we did not desire to cut many of 

 them for testing. Possibly I should explain that it was the owners of 

 the fruit rather than the judges that did not desire to have many cut. 



The judges came to the conclusion that the only safe and proper 

 way to make the award was to base it on the exhibit itself, considering 

 the number of varieties shown and the class of the exhibit as a whole. 

 I think we are very fortunate in being able to announce that the 

 committee were unanimous in every award made. 



It gives me the greatest pleasure now, on behalf of the Association 

 and your Board of Directors, to make the announcements regarding 

 the award of the medals. We have three prizes given for the best 

 fruit exhibits, — a gold medal as first prize, a silver medal as second 

 prize, and a bronze medal as third prize. The committee unanimously 

 voted to award the gold medal to Mr. C. P. Taft, of Orange, Cali- 

 fornia, the silver medal to Mr. W. S. Spinks, of Duarte, California, and 

 the bronze medal to Mr. J. H. Walker, of Hollywood, California. I would 

 ask that these gentlemen kindly come forward and receive the rewards 

 of merit. 



(Presentation of medals). 



We have still two other medals to award, — a gold and a silver 

 medal, — for best exhibits of nursery stock. The committee desires to 

 say in making these awards that they hope in any future exhibits of 

 nursery stock, that a larger number of exhibits will be made, so that 

 there will be more competition. There are only three exhibits entered 

 of nursery stock, so that there is little competition. It is proper to 

 state, however, that the two exhibits of nursery stock awarded medals 

 are high class exhibits and well worthy of the recognition given them. 

 The first prize, — or gold medal, is awarded to Messrs. E. G. Hart and 

 T. U. Barber of the Hart & Barber Avocado Company, Los Angeles, 

 California, and the second prize, or silver medal, is awarded to Mr. 

 F. O. Popenoe, president and manager of the West India Gardens, Alta- 

 dena, California. 



(Presentation of medals). 



Your committee were instructed by the Board of Directors merely 

 to award these prizes. On the other hand, there are three fruits, rep- 

 resented by single specimens in the exhibit, that our committee were 

 unanimous in thinking should be especially mentioned, because we 

 desire to call attention to them. 



We desire to make special mention of one fruit of the Challenge 

 variety exhibited by Mr. J. H. Walker. This single fruit appeared to 

 the committee to be the best appearing and the best shaped fruit in 

 the hall. It should be remembered, however, that shape and appearance 

 are not the primary or most fundamental characteristics of a satisfactory 

 variety. We merely call your attention to it as one of the striking fruits 

 on exhibition and worthy of special mention. 



Two other varieties that are new, we think deserve special mention. 



