Number of trees Product-bushels
New York 15,054,832 24,111,257
Missouri 20,040,399 6,496,436
The average number of apple trees per farm in the United States was 74.5; the same for New York was 86.2. The average production in bushels per farm in the United States was 64.8; the same for New York was 138.1.
A considerable proportion of the trees in Missouri, quoted above, are young trees, and the relative products will soon show far different results unless New York fruit growers awake to the situation. In all of the western fruit growing states the annual planting of young trees is rapidly increasing, a precaution which our fruit growers are not taking to any great extent. Moreover, the lack of interest on the part of New York growers in expositions and the opportunity there afforded for advertising the superiority of New York products is a subject for comment. It is in marked contrast to the interest and progressive spirit of the growers in the western states who never lose such an opportunity, and are gradually working into the front ranks of fruit production. In many of the western states no public funds nor machinery were provided for a horticultural exhibit at St. Louis, but very creditable exhibits were prepared, the entire expense of the same being borne by fruit growers' associations. In marked contrast is a rather unfortunate precedent heretofore adopted in the State of New York, and of necessity followed at St. Louis, viz.: That the State, in order to obtain a creditable exhibit, must pay a fancy price for fruit for exhibition purposes and allow the seller to receive the award upon fruit which is no longer his own property.
THE STAFF
In addition to the superintendent the staff connected with the department consisted of James G. Patterson, of Sheridan, assistant superintendent; John W. Coughtry, of New Scotland, and Sherman T. Lewis, of Johnsonburg, assistants in charge of fruit exhibit; A. M. Loomis, of Fredonia, assistant in charge of viticulture, and Miss Bessie J. Hutchinson, of Rochester, stenographer. One and all they served the Commission and the State faithfully and efficiently.
AWARDS
The State received a total of 295 awards, divided as follows: A grand prize for installation, a grand prize for the collective State exhibit of fruit, 19 gold medals, 142 silver medals and 132 bronze medals. Owing to the rules and regulations governing the system of awards, however, prizes were not so freely distributed as at the World's Fair at Chicago, or the Pan American Exposition at Buffalo. Heretofore it has always been the custom to allow the exhibitor a medal for a collection of apples, another for a collection of pears, another for plums, etc., while at St. Louis only one award was allowed an exhibitor for his entire collective exhibit. The jury in the Department of Horticulture was on duty throughout the Exposition period, and as soon as an exhibit was placed upon the tables it was promptly passed upon by the jury, due application having been made.
Catalogue of Exhibitors in the Department of Horticulture, with the Award, if Any, Received by Each