Il6 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



tree than with the high one. And even in cultivation, I beheve 

 that the difficulty of working about a low headed tree has been 

 exaggerated and the need of getting out every weed about a 

 tree has been over-estimated. Our plan has been to set one- 

 year trees, getting strong, well grown stock, which means that 

 the stock comes to us as straight whips 5 to 6 feet high. These 

 we cut back the first year to i8 inches, and form the head at 

 that point. 



I shall say but a word on varieties, because I realize that 

 this is a good deal of a personal matter, and because my views 

 on the subject may be of little value to you here in Maine. But 

 two points I do believe we ought to insist on everywhere here in 

 New England. First, we ought to realize that as a rule we 

 cannot grow the varieties grown on the Pacific coast. That is 

 one of the most common mistakes of the novice in apple or- 

 charding (and of many who would object to being classed as 

 novices). A man sees their beautiful Jonathans, Newtowns, 

 Arkansas Blacks, and \\'inesaps. and he says to himself, "That 

 is the kind of fruit I should like to grow. Where can I get 

 trees of those varieties?'' And if he can get the trees and if 

 he does not run across some one to dissuade him, he sets a 

 whole orchard of this stufif when he ought to set Spies and 

 Baldwins, Mcintosh and Rhode Island Greening. 



The second point I think we can safely insist on is qualify 

 in the varieties that we do set. I know I am on dangerous 

 ground now. I know that your good President is all ready to 

 cite me to dozens of men here in Maine who have a perfect 

 gold mine in their Ben Davis orchards. And I have not a 

 doubt there are plenty of men in this very audience who, if 

 asked what variety to plant, what variety is giving them the 

 most money, would say most emphatically "Ben Davis." But 

 admitting, as we must, that it has been and is profitable, I be- 

 lieve that it is short-sighted policy to plant it. We are making 

 a campaign for New England as the "Land of the Good Red 

 Apple." And we are winning out on that basis. But do you 

 suppose that a country which grew Ben Davis wholly or even 

 largely could ever become known by any such name? 



During the recent New England Fruit Show in Boston, I 

 was asked to go out to lunch with a broker who (like so many 

 others) thought he would like to grow apples. He took me to 



