STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 3 1 



Of these five thousand orchards, how many have modern or 

 up-to-date methods of care bestowed upon them? Not one- 

 tenth of one per cent. Do you dare contradict that statement? 

 I cannot verify it but I beheve it. 



Now it is up to you, members of this Society, to bring about 

 a radical change in the orchard conditions in the state. 



There are grave problems to be faced. There are questions 

 to be discussed at our firesides during the coming winter 

 months, in your grange meetings, and wherever you may meet 

 a brother farmer. 



xA.nd right here I want to emphasize a statement made at the 

 meeting last evening. Those of you who were present know 

 that a chairman was appointed for a special work. That person 

 was no other than Dr. Turner, one of our enthusiastic orchard- 

 ists, and the sentiment expressed last evening was that each 

 member of this Society must work with a certain end in view, 

 and commence right away, not leave off with last evening's 

 .arguments but start right in this morning and keep it up. The 

 idea was that we must have an experiment orchard in the state 

 of Maine that can be handled, and in which experiments can be 

 carried on, by the Experiment Station staff at Orono. Now 

 the sooner this comes, the better it will be for the interests of 

 Maine orcharding, and we must have it right away. I wish to 

 emphasize the fact, and I would hold up both hands in favor 

 of legislation this winter to that effect. Now let each member 

 of this Society put his right foot forward, make an effort; use 

 your own personal enthusiasm, whatever you may have, — get 

 some more if you haven't got enough, and push the thing 

 through with the aid of this gentleman who will see to it that 

 everything will be done to further the cause. 



I would recommend the appointment of an orchard commit- 

 tee in each subordinate grange whose duty it should be to 

 arrange for an all day or evening meeting, to be held for the 

 purpose of advancing the orchard interests of the state; fruit 

 to be exhibited and papers read. A speaker might be secured 

 where deemed expedient, or a general discussion could be 

 arranged. 



The fruit might be donated, sold at auction, and the proceeds 

 go to pay the premium. 



