STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. I37 



wholesome competition. This is indicative of what can be 

 accomphshed when men set about it to overcome obstacles. I 

 attended a local fair at Bethlehem in the midst of the White 

 Mountains a few years ago and to my utter surprise found that 

 the horticultural displays of not only flowers and vegetables 

 were fine, but their fruit represented as many varieties and 

 exceeded in display, anything that I saw that season. I was 

 informed that the Baldwins were grown in a protected place, 

 but the other fruits simply received the ordinary care customary 

 in that climate. When such a display can be grown in the heart 

 of the White Mountains we need not complain of our conditions 

 elsewhere. One man is reported as growing a few acres of 

 strawberries that year, and selling the product at an average 

 price of I2j^ cents a cup, which is equivalent to a pint. Surely 

 strawberries are hardy everywhere and it only demonstrates 

 what the possibilities are in cold climates with this crop. Mr. 

 Howe of Lancaster, New Hampshire, is a large apple grower 

 in that region, and says the Bethel apple is to that section what 

 the Baldwin is to southern New England. When I was on a 

 lecture trip with the Maine State Board of Agriculture, one 

 year ago last summer, I found that the Arctic variety of apples 

 is being very largely planted in the northeastern part of the 

 State. I was surprised also to find when on this trip a gardener 

 at some distance north of Bangor growing and shipping aU 

 kinds of small fruits for the Boston market. I might go on 

 further to demonstrate that even in our colder sections of New 

 England the possibilities for successful horticulture are even 

 greater than is generally supposed. Here as elsewhere the man 

 at the helm is the larger half of success. 



For central and southern New England little need be said 

 upon what we can grow here. This society has listened to such 

 men as Hale of Connecticut, on the peach, and others equally 

 experienced and successful with other horticultural crops. The 

 results of such men assures us of the success of the specialist; 

 now with definiteness of purpose and an understanding of their 

 culture these products can be raised equally successfully in a 

 limited way on the average New England farm. 



Can we estimate with any degree of accuracy what can be 

 expected in the various pursuits on the New England farm? 

 This is a question well worthy of our consideration. I thor- 



