i2o Wisconsin state agricultural society . 
There were 15 entries for 10 varieties, and 16 exhibitors of 5 
varieties of apples. E. B. Thomas had 25 varieties of well grown 
pears, and J. W. Park, 24 varieties, scarcely less attractive; J. 
Ozanne, 17 varieties very fine, and J. L. Pierce, iO. 
The pears attracted much attention, and many an anxious heart 
wondered if they cost all they are worth. Is it cheaper to buy or 
grow, or go without? 
The amateurs were not behind in their show of grapes. Mr. 
Lawrence’s 22 varieties, and Mr. Reed’s 15, showed plainly there 
is a taste and an ambition that is guiding the ship of fruit to a 
harbor of satisfactory results. The Delaware took the lead as a 
single variety, and the Concord for best three bunches. The com¬ 
mittee had a laborious task in making their awards, and “respect¬ 
fully request the superintendent of the hall to so arrange the 
classes that one side might be assigned to professionals and the 
other to non-professionals, and that the single specimen plates be 
all arranged on one table.” 
Nursery trees were shown in goodly number, and proved an in¬ 
teresting feature of the Fair. 
Summer fruits attracted but little attention, and I think will 
not meet the expectations of the designers until the time comes 
when the society can hold annual summer exhibitions. 
Seedling fruits were shown in goodly numbers, and I think will 
result in much good. The encouragement for new varieties should 
be continued. 
Fruit is not all that is attractive at a fair, hardly all that is neces¬ 
sary to make it a success. Indeed, we would be almost lost, were 
the florists to be taken from us. We cannot spare Mr. Pollard, 
the enthusiastic representative of Mrs. Mitchell’s gardens. His 
vast collections of rare plants were admired more than ever, and I 
have no doubt, were the means of encouraging others to do like¬ 
wise. The non-professional florists were not so numerous as I 
desired, but those who made an effort did well, filling a large 
share of the hall with a choice lot of cut and pot flowers and plants* 
The same remark will apply to the professional class, for where 
all do so well it is difficult to specify the special merit of any. 
The great difficulty was to find room for so large a display. I 
will, I trust, be excused by the others, if I express my and the 
