STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
OF WISCONSIN. 
HLSTORIC ACCOUNT. 
The Legislature having provided for the publication of the 
Beport of the State Horticultural Society, in connection with 
the Transactions of the State Agricultural Society, since the 
date of the last publication, it seems a fitting time to give a 
brief historic account of this Society since its origin. The 
materials for this work are already fast disappearing. Even 
now a small pamphlet of Transactions published in 1855, by 
the “ Wisconsin Fruit Growers’ Association,” cannot be found, . 
and the written records may be considered as lost 
The Wisconsin Fruit Growers’ Association was or¬ 
ganized in November 1853, at YVhitewater, and Hans Crocker, 
Esq., of Milwaukee, seems to have been elected President, 
Mark Miller, of Janesville, Becording Secretary, D. J. Powers, 
Corresponding Secretary, B. M. Parker, Treasurer, and Chas. 
Gifford Chairman of the Executive Committea 
The first Fair of the Association was held in the city of 
Milwaukee on the 5th and 6th of October, 1854, in Young’s 
. Hall, during the time of the Fair of the State Agricultural 
Society in the same city. In the November number of the 
Wisconsin Farmer it is stated : 
This exhibition of the fruits of Wisconsin exceeded the expectations of 
every one who looked in to see it. It is no exageration to say that the show 
of apples, as a whole, taking into account the number of varieties, size, fair¬ 
ness and perfectness of maturity, could not be beaten, by any other State. 
A visitor remarked that he had attended like exhibitions in New York, but 
that this show of apples far surpassed any he had ever seen before. Over 100 
varieties were on the tables. The show of pears and grapes was excellent, 
and could nOt be beaten in quality. There were also some good specimens 
of peaches and quinces.” 
There were thirty-three entries by different persons of ap¬ 
ples, varying from one to fifty-four. Sixteen entries of pears, 
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