STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 9 



To His Excellency, the Govenwr of the State of Maine, and the 

 World's Fair Commission for the State of Maine: 



A vote was passed by the members of the State Pomological 

 Society at the annual meeting held at Farmington in November 

 last, referring the matter of making an exhibition of Maine 

 fruit at the World's Fair in 1904 to the executive committee of 

 the society. Since then a magnificent crop of fruit has devel- 

 oped, and at a late meeting of the committee held in Boston it 

 was agreed that the fruit conditions were never more favorable 

 for showing to the world the finest apples ever grown. In 

 behalf of the Pomological Society and the fruit growers of the 

 State, we, as authorized by vote of the executive committee of 

 the society, hereby respectfully request that the sum of $5,000 

 of the appropriation made by the last legislature for the purpose 

 of a representation of the State at the exposition to be held in 

 St. Louis in 1904, be set apart for the making of an exhibition 

 of ]Maine fruit during the aforesaid exposition and that the 

 expenditure of the same be made by the society under such rules 

 as you may determine. 



Recent investigations have assured our officers that the quality 

 of the fruit this year and the importance of the fruit industry 

 warrant us in making this request. Growers are already har- 

 vesting their fruit, and we most respectfully urge that this matter 

 may receive early attention. The collection of fruit for exhibi- 

 tion purposes should begin before the crop of fruit is marketed 

 or stored, and it should be handled by those familiar with select- 

 ing and packing exhibition fruit. Heretofore the fruit growers 

 of the State have very largely contributed the fruit shown at the 

 several expositions where any exhibition has been made, and we 

 believe the time has now come when such work should be done 

 by the State. 



Should you deem it desirable to have this matter more fully 

 discussed before taking final action upon the same we shall be 

 very glad to arrange for some one familiar with fruit conditions 

 to meet with you and discuss the situation. We trust you will 

 give the matter early consideration, as the time for making the 

 best collection of fruit is when the fruit is being gathered. 



All of which we most respectfully submit to your consider- 

 ation. 



