STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. II 



of the country, but so far as my observation goes, for color 

 and flavor and genuine worth, Maine apples are the real thing, 

 and those grown in other states are not in it with ours. We 

 should appreciate our Maine fruit more than we do. 



We wish the Maine Pomological Society every success in its 

 work, in raising standards of fruit growing all along the line; 

 we are not only glad to have you with us this year, but hope 

 you will be with us next year, and in years to come. We assure 

 you that the people of Portland will be more than glad to do 

 everything in our power to welcome you in holding your annual 

 meeting and exhibition here in our beautiful city. 



RESPONSE. 



H. L. Keyser, Greene. 



This is a very pleasant task that has been assigned to me this 

 evening, to thank the Mayor and President of the Chamber 

 of Commerce for their kind words of welcome. 



This society is forty-three years old. It was born in the town 

 of Winthrop, January 14, 1876, and was incorporated by the 

 legislature of that year, with a state stipend of $500, which was 

 later increased to $1000, and a few years ago, to $2000 per 

 annum ; and it speaks well for its of^cers, past and present, that 

 no question has ever been raised as to the judicious expenditure 

 of its income. 



We might term ourselves the Progressives of the orchardists, 

 as we believe in modern methods and the application of scien- 

 tific principles to fruit growing. We work in harmony with 

 the Agricultural Experiment Station and College of Agricul- 

 ture, and the larger portion of our income is spent along educa- 

 tional lines. We believe in cooperative fruit growers' asso- 

 ciations and have always stood for an honest pack. Only 

 yesterday, while passing through a town, I was called in to 

 look at a carload of fruit that was being loaded for shipment. 

 The fruit was marked No. i and No. 2 and it really was so 

 unfit that it ought to have been in the unclassified grade, for 

 it was good for nothing but cooking. Two inspectors from the 



