66 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



EXHIBITS AT FAIRS. 



This year the state exhibit of insects was displayed at the 

 state fairs, — Eastern Maine State Fair at Bangor, Central 

 Maine Fair at Waterville and Maine State Fair at Lewiston ; at 

 the FrankHn County Fair at Farmington and at the North 

 Ellsworth Fair. 



In addition to the usual exhibit of insects, various diseases of 

 the fruit tree, including canker in different forms, crown gall, 

 woolly aphis, black and brown knot and various scale infesta- 

 tions; and the spray materials, Bordeaux mixture, commercial 

 and home-made lime-sulphur, tobacco infusion and kerosene 

 emulsion were added. 



These additions proved as interesting and valuable as the rest 

 of the exhibit and questions were continually asked concerning 

 them. 



More profit can be received from these exhibits than from 

 any other source of information and it would seem that a 

 greater number of exhibitions at fairs and elsewhere would go 

 far in teaching the dangers of, and remedies for, the pests that 

 are so destructive at present. 



In connection with the fairs, I believe we would profit better 

 by devoting the time spent at many of the small local fairs, in 

 giving demonstration in box packing of fruit, particularly 

 apples. Many requests were sent in by growers for demon- 

 strations on their orchards, and we were obliged to refuse, 

 owing to the fair inspection. Little real profit resulted from 

 these inspections as far as the work of the Department is con- 

 cerned ; inasmuch as it was hard to locate the growers and 

 create any enthusiasm in the fruit work. 



Box packing is becoming more and more popular and the 

 number of men available to the growers, as demonstrators, are 

 limited ; so it would seem that more time should be devoted to 

 this line of work. Demonstrations of this kind could be given 

 at the large fairs at stated hours without any inconvenience and 

 doubtless would arouse much interest. 



During the year we have spoken before fourteen granges, 

 forty institutes, two fruit growers' associations and forty-nine 

 demonstration meetings. 



