30 state: pomological society. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 

 By Hon. George C. Wing of Auburn. 



I must confess that my feelings have been moved and stirred 

 by the prayer that has been offered here. I was taken back a 

 great many years when I, a farmer's boy, was taught those hnes 

 of poetry which run something Hke this : 



''The Harvest Giver is their friend, 



The Maker of the soil, 

 And earth, the mother, gives them bread 

 And cheers their patient toil." 



A_uburn is distinctively a city of homes, and in her homes 

 hearty hospitality and welcome are ever present for the friend 

 and visitor. She feels an honest pride when permitted to draw 

 the latch and open wide her gates to receive those who are will- 

 ing to devote their time in showing their respect by paying her 

 a visit. She has been often honored by the presence of distin- 

 guished guests, yet she has never been flattered by a call from an 

 organization more respected and more welcome than the State 

 Pomological Society, and now, in her behalf, I bid you, who 

 represent that visiting organization, a welcome to Auburn most 

 cordial and sincere, and at the same time I want to assure you 

 that the interest of all our citizens in this event is something 

 more than usual, and is in no sense artificial or perfunctory. 



The benefits to the public and to the State that are directly 

 traceable to your organization are appreciated throughout our 

 entire domain. The rapid and pronounced improvement in the 

 character, quality, variety and amount of fruits grown in Maine, 

 are reasons to convince the most skeptical that a society made up 

 of influential, practical and enterprising fruit growers, is of great 

 and positive value. The assembling together of so large a 

 number of energetic, active members, the discussion of topics of 

 common interest, the comparison of varieties, of methods, of 

 experiments and results, together with that spirit of friendly 

 emulation which is engendered by an exhibition of the character 

 produced by your society, cannot fail to produce results that are 

 far reaching in character, and valuable in outcome. 



