94 AGRICULTURE O^ MAINE. 



of money should not be placed upon the Baldwin apple to bring 

 out an exhibit that will show to the people of our cities and vil- 

 lages, as well as the people outside of the borders of the State, 

 many of whom will come here, what we are doing, and what we 

 have to sell. When I speak of the Baldwn apple I do not mean 

 that we should confine our efforts to that one variety, but there- 

 is one thing I do wish to say : I do not believe it is right, or busi- 

 ness, to pay out just as much money in premiums for an apple 

 that is comparatively worthless as for an apple like the Baldwin, 

 that has stood the test for years. 



Now, what has the Grange to do with all this? The Grange,, 

 my friends, is an educational institution, the same as the fair. 

 The Grange stands for the advancement of education, of every 

 educational agency in the State, I do not care what it is. The 

 Grange is interested in a better press, in better common schools, 

 in better high schools and academies, in better colleges; it is 

 interested in a broad and progressive educational system; it is 

 interested in having better farmers' institutes ; it is interested in 

 everything that is liberal and just and wise, in everything that 

 tends towards the advancement of our people and towards the 

 development of our industries. The Grange today, in the State, 

 has become a powerful organization. Its numbers do not con- 

 stitute its greatest strength. Its greatest strength comes from 

 the fact that it has educated its members up to a higher standing, 

 to a greater appreciation of the opportunities that lie before us. 

 Our old geographies used to say that the soil of Maine was 

 sterile and the soil of the West was fertile. I read an article a 

 few days ago from my friend who is to speak to you this after- 

 noon, in wdiich he took the ground that the soil of Maine has as 

 great capacity for production as the soil of any state in our 

 country, and I believe it. I believe that right here in the State 

 of Maine we can produce products superior in quality and equal 

 in quantity to those of any state in this Union. I believe that 

 these fields of ours, imder intelligent and skillful management, 

 will produce the best products in the world ; products that will 

 equal in quantity those of any state or country. Bring out these 

 products to the fairs ! Let the fair managers offer premiums 

 sufficient to bring them out ! Let the people of the cities and 

 villages see what we on the farm are doing and what we can do, 

 and then we will tell them that we can do better and are going 



