114 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



exhibiting fruit you must know not only the nature of each 

 fruit, but how each particular fruit should be placed on the tables. 



At the exhibit of the Massachusetts Pomological Society I 

 heard one man say to another, ''It is the aim of my life to beat 

 you in growing such and such a fruit, and if I live I will do it." 

 He was working his very best to take the blue ribbon from his 

 neighbor. So the fair induces friendly rivalry between those 

 who want to produce the best, and in this way they learn a great 

 deal. 



I want to say one thing in regard to arranging your premium 

 list. The time has gone by when premiums should be oflFered 

 for a collection of the greatest number of varieties of apples. 

 People used to think that in setting out a dozen trees they must 

 have about a dozen varieties, but that day has gone. When you 

 ofter premiums for the greatest number of varieties you are 

 doing an injury to the apple industry. Each section of your 

 State has certain varieties that will do well there and are profit- 

 able. The market calls for certain varieties and not for others. 

 Those standard varieties which will do well in that section which 

 the fair covers, and which the market calls for, should be put 

 into your premium list, and you should not offer premiums for 

 the greatest number of varieties that can be grown in that sec- 

 tion. 



Agam, I think there is a mistake in simply offering premiums 

 for the best plate, or two or three plates, of the varieties that 

 are most profitable in the market. A man may have one single 

 tree, planted in just the right place and given careful attention, 

 that may not have more than a dozen apples on it but every one 

 of those apples will be nearly perfect. He takes these to the fair 

 and carries off the blue ribbon, while the man who has a large 

 orchard and grows a great deal of fruit is cut out. Offer a pre- 

 mium for the best plate of these varieties to give the man who 

 has but the one tree a chance, but in addition offer a premium 

 for the best collection of one or two prominent varieties, such 

 as the Baldwin and Northern Spy. This will give the man who 

 makes fruit growing a business a chance to show what he can 

 do, by bringing a large amount of fine fruit. 



