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APPENDIX.

TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

Ohio State Horticultural Society,

FOR THE YEAR 1878-9.

| ORGANIZED IN 1847, AS OHIO POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.}}

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This report is published as an Appendix to the report of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture (18,000 copies), and a seperate edition for the members of the Society. To secure the benefits of this wide distribution of the report, and save expense to the Society, the printing has to be delayed to a later date than would otherwise be donethe time of the Agricultural Report.-[Secretary.]

(For list of members, see last two pages.)

OHIO HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

REPORT FOR 1878-79.

For reasons stated on the opposite page, this report is printed in July, instead of December, and hence the record of transactions is from July, '78, to July, '79-the same as several preceding reports.

The year 1878 was a good one for fruit crops generally in Ohio. The apple crop was especially large-like that of the preceding even year, 1876, when the aggregate crop was nearly thirty million bushels. Peaches were a fair crop in the northern and eastern parts of the State, and a few sections elsewhere, but many places a failure, as usual. Pears were a moderate crop-not plenty anywhere, and many places none; the same is true of plums and cherries. Berries were quite plentiful, and more were sold and consumed in all our cities than ever before. Prices were low, but with cheap methods of culture the growers realized fair profits, and again planted largely. The grape crop suffered from rot and mildew in many parts of the interior of the State, but a fair crop was realized on most parts of the lake shore and on the islands, from whence the city markets were chiefly supplied with the fruit until late in the season, of very good quality, especially Catan bas. See reports at annual meeting, etc., a few pages onward.

This year (1879) is again an "off year," especially for orchard crops. Apples will be quite scarce, as in '75 and '77; and owing to the unusual severity of the past winter there will be no peaches in the southern half of the State-many of the trees also being killed. Plum trees of the finer kinds, in many localities, were a good deal injured, besides losing their fruit buds-the same is true of cherries. Pear trees are not generally injured, but the fruit was killed in many places by frosts in May and June. In the northern parts of the State there is a fair crop of peaches, pears, and cherries, with some plums and apples. The crop of berries is a full one, but cut short in some places by drought. Grapes are set for a fair crop, but may fail from disease after this time.

HORTICULTURE AT THE STATE FAIR.

The State Fair, at Columbus, the first week in September, 1878, but for the unfortunately rainy weather, would have been counted one of the

finest ever held in the State. Almost every department of the exhibition was better filled than usual. This was especially true of the fruit and floral halls. Of the fruits there were more presented than room could be found for; hence some lots were not opened. And for quality and appearance, as a whole, the display was never excelled in the State. There were five county collections, of 120 to 150 varieties each, embracing all the kinds of fruit in season. That from Ross county was the largest and best, but failed of the premium owing to many of the varieties not being named and labeled as required by the rules. The first premium was taken by Clermont county-A. M. Gatch & Sons; the second by Pickaway county-S. D. Reagle. These parties also gained quite a number of the other premiums on apples, along with a dozen or more other members of this Society, prominent am ng whom were G. F. Newton, of Millersburg; Hurst & Hurst, Chillicothe; Creighton & Elsea, Lithopolis; J. L. Teal, Perrin's Mills; H. Kellogg & Son, Toledo, and Saml. Barr, Amanda.

Of peaches, plums, and quinces the finest samples were by Hurst & Hurst, of Chillicothe; though several peach premiums went to Paines. ville and other places, and A. M. Gatch & Sons, of Milford, gained two premiums on plums, and one for second best assortment of peaches. Of pears there were not less than 140 entries. The display was said to be the largest ever witnessed in Ohio, and most of the samples were of fine appearance-especially those of Mr. Ohmer, who naturally carried off a majority of the premiums; though Mr. Weltz gained that for largest collection, and ten other persons won smaller honors.

The time of the fair was a little too early for the northern grapes to be ripe, hence several good growers from the lake region did not exhibit. G. M. High, of Middle Bass Island, had the largest and best collection, and gained thirteen premiums out of twenty-five; the rest going to Delaware, Dayton, Lancaster, and Perrin's Mills. The display was a very fine one, though not so large as at some former fairs.

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Floral Hall was well filled and tastefully arranged, for which much credit was awarded to Mr. Weltz, the superintendent, and to Mr. Underwood, both of whom devoted much time and labor to the arrangement. Mr. Weltz also exhibited a collection of evergreens and palms; and Mr. Underwood made the finest display of plants and flowers. R. G. Hanford & Son, of Columbus, made fine displays of roses, rare plants, and cut flowers, and Bachelder & Thorp, of Cleveland, gained large honors for choice roses, green-house and other plants, including a number of new seedling geraniums of much beauty. For assortments of cut flowers and roses, premiums were awarded to Leeds & Co., of Richmond, In

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