OGT. 4B 
best in Rhode Island, Ohio and Western New 
York. 
Martha was condemned in Rhode Island 
and Ontario, but was said to be more profita¬ 
ble than ttfo Concord in the Hudson River re¬ 
gion, and successful in Connecticut. [Where 
are the olfactories of the purchasers .'] 
Mermmac was said to be superior to Wilder 
in Western New York. 
Moore’s Early is claimed to bo two or 
three weeks ear lier than Concord, with larger 
berry, but of less vigorous growth. 
Perkins was commended from Georgia, but 
was thought too poor to he retained on the list. 
It was evidently more popular at the extreme 
South. 
Salem was said to be very fine in Michigan, 
New Jersey, Virginia and Pennsylvania, but 
was condemned in Rhode Island and Connect¬ 
icut. 
Telegraph, Union Village and Walter 
received little or no commendation. 
Wilder was commended as the best of the 
Rogers’s hybrids. 
Worden was held to be best of all the black 
grapes in Georgia; earlier and better than 
Concord. Also esteemed in Connecticut, New 
Jersey, Ontario and parts of Massachusetts. 
After going through with the list, opportu¬ 
nity was afforded for the consideration of new 
varieties,whereupon the following were named 
and discussed:— 
Early Dawn, one of the best in quality, but 
doubtful as to foliage. 
Monroe, a cross between Delaware and 
Concord; early, vigorous, delicious. 
Norwood, said to be larger and better than 
the Concord; “very good” to “best;” vigor¬ 
ous, a long keeper. 
McDonald’s Ann Arbor: very large, black; 
quality like that of Concord. 
White Ann Arbor (Woodruff’s) on exhi¬ 
bition, with berries dropping badly from the 
stem. • 
Red Seedling (Woodruff’s): bunches very 
large; a week or ten days earlier than Con¬ 
cord. 
The last three are exhibited in the Michigan 
collection. 
Jefferson looks like Lindley; not foxy; al¬ 
most as good as Iona, and better adapted to 
the climate of Massachusetts. 
Naomi: large clusters, but not large ber¬ 
ries. 
Poughkeepsie Red, although called “new,” 
was on the Society’s tables *31 years ago. 
Pookltngton, Niagara, Duchess, Prentiss 
and Lady Washington, allot which had been 
examined by the Fruit Committee two years 
since, were again imderconsideration; but the 
discussion elicited no new or important facts 
respecting them. 
On the conclusion of the discussion the Soci¬ 
ety adjourned to three o’clock P. M. 
The afternoon session was opened by P. T. 
Quinn, of Newark, N. J., with an address on 
STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 
He had, within the last dozen years, changed 
his views as to the proper methods of growing 
strawberries. He was now assured that the 
best of soil, with thorough culture, is required 
for the production of fine berries and profita¬ 
ble crops. Until recently he had planted in 
Summer, but be had found Spring planting 
more profitable. He gives clean culture till 
the middle of September and then mulches 
for the Winter, raking off the covering in 
Spring. He does not use horse power in culti¬ 
vation during the bearing year, because the 
feeding roots come too near the surface. Af¬ 
ter describing his method of dealing with 
pickers, he stated that he had produced over 
171 bushels from a single acre. He expected 
next year to produce from 125 to 160 bushels 
to the acre. He thought almost any good soil 
could be made to produce 100 bushels to the 
acre. He makes it a rule to test the prom¬ 
ising new varieties. He considered the 
Charles Downing the best, all things consid¬ 
ered. Boyden’s 30 was popular with dealers. 
His last crop netted him 14 cents per quart. 
Dr. Hexamer followed, dwelling largely on 
the importance of irrigation. He agreed with 
the previous speaker in his preference for 
Spring planting, and thought the Wilson one 
of the best shipping berries. 
The meeting then proceeded to the consider¬ 
ation of the varieties named in the catalogue. 
Owing to unavoidable duties at tbe exhibition 
hall I was not present ut this discussion. I 
learn, however, that, as might have been an¬ 
ticipated, the broad extent of territory repre¬ 
sented developed great contrariety of experi¬ 
ence with tbe varieties considered. I learn 
also that when the second fruit on the list— 
the Bidwell—came under consideration its 
originator, B. Hathaway, of Michigan, was 
found to be present, and, when called out, 
he gave a history of its origin and parentage, 
thus dissipating the uncertainties tnat have 
heretofore prevailed respecting it. **** 
MONTREAL HORTICULTURAL SO¬ 
CIETY SHOW. 
[Special report to the Rural New-Yorker.] 
The constant and increasing success of this 
active society ought to be an encouragement 
to those interested in horticultural pursuits in 
and around eveiy city or large village in the 
country. It seems evident that when the 
right methods are used, such societies are 
maintained, I cannot say without difficulty, 
but with no more difficulty than attends all 
useful enterprises. “No good thing without 
labor,” is a universal rule. The work of a 
horticultural soeiet\ is eminently useful, yet 
there seems a lack of disposition almost unac¬ 
countable, to put the needful labor into the 
work among horticulturists eveiy where. The 
city of Springfield, Mass., is filial and sur¬ 
rounded with gardens and cultured people, 
yet the Springfield Republican, recently al¬ 
luding to their horticultural society, said that 
last Winter, when for a joke there was a ru¬ 
mor spread that a considerable balance in the 
society’s treasury was to be divided among 
the membership, there was a full attendance, 
but that since then hardly half a dozen could 
be got to the meetings, and the society was 
evidently dead. Are the lovers of fruits and 
flowers throughout the country so sordid as 
this, and are such the reasons why the contin¬ 
uous success of our societies is so difficult? T 
cannot think so, and yet it is evident that the 
steady progress of any such organization is 
almost always based on the unremunerated 
and self-sacrificing labors of a very few. A 
lady once said to me that it seemed to her that 
gardeners were generally a churlish sort of 
persons; and I was moved to say in reply that 
there was, indeed, much in the conduct of 
those who visited their grounds to make them 
so. Even among themselves, however, there 
frequently appears a lack of fraternity', such 
as the editor of the Rural sometimes com¬ 
plains of as existing among the members of 
the agricultural and horticultural press. Sel¬ 
fishness is, indeed, too common amongst nten 
and women in all grades and occupations. 
Tlio recent exhibition of our Montreal 
brethren was a real triumph and a marked 
step in advance even of their previous very 
excellent shows. The display of large and 
well grown tropical plants was truly most ex¬ 
tensive and magnificent, testifying not only 
to the skill of the gardeners of the city, but to 
the taste and liberality of their employers. 
The same can be said also of the show of 
greenhouse plants of every class, of ferns and 
cut flowers of every description, and of fruits 
grown under glass, especially grapes and 
peaches. The display of the products of the 
vegetable garden was most creditable, and in 
this poor year for melous it was remarkable 
to see the magnificent specimens displayed 
not only here, but in the markets and upon 
the hotel tables. I was told that considerable 
shipments of Montreal-grown melons had been 
made to Boston and New York this season, 
and that they brought the highest prices in 
those markets. 
The show of out-door grapes was also surpris¬ 
ingly fine, embracing several hundred plates 
and nearly '.)<) varieties, including all of the 
newer sorts, and some nearly entire suites of 
the Rogers’s, Arnold's and Ricketts’s seedlings, 
with others less known to fame. These grapes 
were, most of them, very well matured, and 
the Brighton, Niagara, Prentiss, Pocklington, 
and Wellington were shown in a condition to 
to give a very favorable opinion of their mer¬ 
its. 
Since at the American Pomological Show at 
Boston one of the members of the Montreal 
Society won a medal for his beautiful exhibit 
of apples, it need not surprise any one that in 
a combined effort the tables devoted to this 
fruit glowed with the beauties of form and 
color. It seems unquestionable that the long 
days of high latitudes tend to tbe development 
of bright colors in fruit, and it is certainly a 
distinguishing characteristic of Canadian 
apples. Along with these high colors go also 
high and spicy flavors and aromas, as is amply 
attested by many favorite varieties which, 
aside from the Fameuse, are little known out¬ 
side of the province of Quebec. The Rural 
has presented cuts and descriptions of some of 
these to its readers, the chief of which for ex¬ 
cellence, the Fameuse Sucree, the Decarie and 
the Bourassa, ought to be more widely 
known. 
The electric light was brought into requisi¬ 
tion at the Montreal show during the even¬ 
ings, and its effect in bringing out the colors 
not only of the fruit—and the flowers, but also 
of the gay and tasteful apparel of Lhe thou¬ 
sands of ladies who thronged the immense 
hall of the Victoria Skating Rink in which 
this exhibition was held, demonstrated that 
tin's method of illumination had here found a 
most fitting opportunity. t. h. h. 
ILLINOIS STATE FAIR. 
[Rural Special Report.) 
The 29th annual fair of the Illinois State 
Agricultural Association opened at Peoria, 
Ill., September 26th and lasted until October 
1st. The grounds are pleasantly situated about 
a mile from the center of the city, and are 
probably the handsomest grounds used by this 
Association, which holds its fairs generally in 
different places each year. They have plenty 
of shade, and the people of Peoria have shown 
great enterprise in fixing them up so that, with 
the buildings put up by exhibitors, there is 
every convenience for making a fine exhibit. 
The hotel accommodations at this place are 
miserable, and if it had not been for the Com¬ 
mittee of Public Comfort, who made arrange¬ 
ments for rooms and board outside, and the 
great number of people who threw their 
houses open to visitors, I do nob know what 
the great crowd of Thursday would have done. 
Wednesday and Thursday were the two fine 
days of the fair, and the attendance was very 
large, amounting to over 30,000 people on 
Thursday, running the gate receipts up to 
nearly $14,000. This is the largest day’s re¬ 
ceipts ever taken in by this Society. About 4,000 
visited the fair on Friday in a drenching rain 
that drove exhibitors and all to shelter; but 
they were there to see the fair and no rain 
could keep 1 hem buck. The show in all de¬ 
partments was very large anil fine, and as the 
Society, even with the rainy weather, find a 
handsome surplus in its coffers, and ex¬ 
hibitors, as a rule, are well satisfied, there 
is a good prospect that a still larger fair will 
be held at this same point next year. 
I heard a great, many complaints about the 
judging of cattle, and I think this Society, as 
well as some others I could mention, should 
pay more attention to the selection of com¬ 
petent and expert judges to decide ou the 
merits of pure-bred stock. They should pay 
them well and compel their attendance. This 
picking up of judges at the last moment on a 
fair ground to fill vacancies often results in get¬ 
ting men who, while they may be perfectly 
honest in their convictions, are not sufficiently 
acquainted with the breeds which they are 
called upon to judge. I heard one member of a 
committee ask one of the breeders of Polled 
Angus cattle, “ A re those cattle imported 
from Poland ?” and I saw one or two cases 
where a great deal of dissatisfaction was given 
through similar ignorance. 
There were 543 horses on exhibition, about 
equally divided between draft and roadsters. 
The exhibits of imported and grade Normans 
and Clydesdales were especially fine, and the 
show they made in the ring attracted, for a 
wonder, nearly as much attention as the agri¬ 
cultural horse-trot, which, I am sorry to say, 
is again encouraged by this Society. Mr. E. 
Dillon, of Bloomington, HL, made a very 
handsome exhibit of Normans, and carried off 
15 first and second prizes. E. Hodgson and 
E. D. Fuller also made large exhibits iu this 
class. In Clydesdales Robert Halloway, of 
Alexis, Ill., made the largest exhibit, and car¬ 
ried off five first and three second prizes. The 
sweepstakes agricultturnl stallion prize in this 
class went to one of Powell Brothers’ horses, 
exhibited by E. Hodgson. The number of ex¬ 
hibitors in this class was very large, and the 
show in the ring for sweepstakes numbered 24 
stallions and 18 mares. 
The show of cattle was very fine and extra- 
large, no less than eight herds competing for 
the beef sweepstakes, and 13 for the dairy 
sweepstakes. New York and Ohio were well 
represented. The Short-horns numbered 71. 
Messrs. J. H. Potts & Son, Sandowski and 
Rayburn were the largest exhibitors. The 
herds shown by Potts and Sandowski were the 
same exhibited at the Chicago fair, where 
Messrs. Potts & Son carried off the sweep- 
stakes premium for beef. This herd is headed 
by the bull “Master of Richmond,” which won 
six first and five second premiums here. H. 
Sandowski’s fine herd bore away the sweep- 
stakes beef premium here after a very sharp 
competition, eight herds competing, compris¬ 
ing Short-horns, Herefords and Polled Angus. 
Of Herefords there were 75 on exhibition. 
C. M. Culbertson’s fine herd, headed by the 
bull “Sir Garnet,” attracted a great deal of 
attention, as did also the herds of Thomas 
Clark and William Constable. It seems curi¬ 
ous that these purely beef cattle should bo 
beaten by -w hat you Eastern men call a milk- 
and-dairy breed, but out here Short-horns are 
bred mostly for beef. 
As a beef breed, the Polled Angus promise 
in a short time to compete closely here for 
preeminence with both the Short-homs and 
Herefords, as they are already doing in Great 
Britain. Of the 28 on exhibition Frank Red- 
field, of Batavia, N. Y., exhibited a tine young 
herd, headed by the young bull “ Manrico,” 
and including Princess Eighth, whose picture 
appeared in the Cattle Number of the Rural. 
He carried off first premium in each class 
where he could enter, having done the same at 
the Chicago fair. Messrs. Anderson & Find¬ 
lay also showed a herd of this breed, but they 
were not in as good condition as they might 
have been. 
In Holsteins there were 42 competitors for 
honors, but New York bore them all away 
with the fine herd of tbo Unudill i Valley Asso¬ 
ciation, of West Eduiiston, N. Y., known as the 
Dutch Friesland herd. This is the same herd 
that carried off the $500 sweepstake dairy prize 
at Minneapolis, and it won the same prize 
here after a very sharp competition, over 13 
herds contesting for it, including Jerseys, 
Ayrshires and Devons. The Holsteins are 
making a good impression wherever they are 
exhibited. W. A. Pratt also exhibited a fine 
herd of Holsteins and was awarded a sweep¬ 
stakes premium for his cow “ A stria.” 
There were 60 Ayrshires and 1 ho competi¬ 
tion between them was very strong. Fine 
herds were shown by J. F, Converse, Wood- 
ville, N. Y.; John Stewart, Illinois; A. J. 
Wilson, Ohio; W. F. May, Illinois, and oth¬ 
ers. Mr. Converse carried off the herd pre¬ 
mium with the same herd that won tbe young 
herd premiums at. Chicago and Minneapolis. 
He also got six first, and two second prizes. 
In numbers the exhibit of Jerseys surpassed 
any other breed, amounting to 112 head. 
As might he expected, the competition here 
was keener than in any other class, no less 
than 13 cows competing for the four-year-old- 
and-over prize. It was us fine a show of cattle 
as 1 ever saw in any ring. The la rgest exhib¬ 
itors in this class were Messrs. Hoover & Co., 
Columbus, Ohio; E. H. & S. S. Tripp, Illinois-, 
W. L. Gardner, Ohio; George Merna, Illinois, 
and others. Messrs. Hoover & Co. showed 
their fine “ Eastwood herd,” including the fine 
cow, “ Pride of Eastwood,” that took the 
sweepstakes premium at Chicago for the best 
dairy cow of any breed and any age. Ho was 
also awarded the sweepstakes dairy herd prize 
at Chicago. Muc-h dissatisfaction was ex¬ 
pressed in this class, as well as in t he Ayrshire, 
at the awards made by the judges, not only in 
some of the classes, but alio in regard to herd 
premiums. 
Messrs. D. J. Whittemoro, Ohio;0. B. King, 
Connecticut; William Younger, Illinois, and 
L. F. Ross, Illinois, were the largest exhibit¬ 
ors of Devons, which numbered 83. Some 
very flue cattle were shown, including Mr. 
King’s fine herd from Connecticut. Mr. 
Younger carried off the herd premium. 
Of sheep there were 248 long wools, 208 fine 
wools and 195 middle wools. Not only were 
most of the breeders in the State well repre¬ 
sented, but a large entry was also made in 
each class by Messrs. E. & O. Soriey, of Can¬ 
ada, who brought down some very fine ani¬ 
mals and carried off a number of premiums. 
The swine show, as is usual in this State, 
was truly excellent. There were 201 Berk- 
shires; 96 Essex; 200 Poland-Chinas; 51 Jer¬ 
sey Reds; 112 Chester Whites; 102 York¬ 
shires and 63 Suffolks. The black breeds, it 
will be seen, made the largest showing, al¬ 
though the white breeds are increasing fast iu 
this vicinity. 
Fruit, Flower and Domestic Hall was very 
attractive. The exhibit of cut flowers made 
by E. Wyman & Co., P.ockwood, III., was 
very fine; but the amateur show, on account 
of the drought, was not as good as usual. Mr. 
Bailer, of Bloomington, Ill., exhibited a good 
collection of plants. The fruit show was good 
and large, but I did not see anything novel. 
Apples and fruit generally—what there were 
of them—looked better than expected. Hiram 
Sibley made a very handsome exhibit of floral 
requisites and horticultural tools in this build¬ 
ing. 
In Manufacturers’, Vegetable and Dairy 
Hall the show was light. The Union Pacific 
Railroad Company’s exhibit of grasses, cereals 
and vegetables grown in the Mississippi Val¬ 
ley, and occupying a corner of one wing of 
the building, was the feature of the display in 
this hall In the dairy department two sam¬ 
ples each of butter and cheese constituted the 
show. Messrs. Cornish & Curtis made a 
handsome display of rectangular and box 
churns aud butter-workers, aud the Cooley 
Creamer was shown up in good shape by John 
Boyd, of Chicago, Ill. 
The agricultural implement and machinery 
exhibit was the largest ever seen on the State 
Fair Grounds. All of the principal plow 
sulky, cultivator and harvester manufacturers 
were on hand, and some of the machines were 
finished up in a style fine enough for parlor 
ornaments. Kingman & Co., of Peoria, had 
a flue building and represented 14 large firms. 
Many other dealers had also erected buildings 
and represented numerous parties. Large and 
prominent concerns, like John Deere & Co., 
had buildings of their own well filled with the 
products of their factories. P. P. Mast & Co. 
made a very handsome display of grain drills. 
Walter A. Wood showed automatic binders 
and full lines of reapers and mowers. Saw 
mills, tile mills, thrashers, traction engines, 
wiud mills, corn shellers, etc., were in profus¬ 
ion ; but, with the exception of a hay aud hog 
rack combined, there was nothing strictly new. 
Many improvements were shown, and, take it 
all in all, if we except the rainy Friday, the 
29th Illinois State Fair was a success, i must 
tender thanks to the officers of the Society for 
many courtesies. w. h. k. 
-» ♦ ♦- 
THE VERMONT STATE FAIR. 
[Special Report to the Rural New-Yorker.] 
As usual, the State Fair at Montpelier was 
favored with good weather, aud the pecuniary 
results were quite satisfactory. The exhibi- 
