I20 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



visions of shipwrecks and deserted farmers on a wind swept 

 coast, a la Robinson Crusoe. Wait until all agree on the course 

 that your co-operative bark will sail and you will wait 20 years 

 more, yea, 20 times 20, unless the farmer loses some of his 

 independence and the very nature of things changes. 



I cannot resist adding that like your president, I love the 

 country and the beautiful. Like him I own a farm and live on 

 it, and by way of explanation may say that the bills are not paid 

 from the editorial envelope. The farm is self-supporting. 

 Still again, like your president I believe in fruit. I set out an 

 orchard of apples last year, making standard Baldwin trees 

 stand 36 feet apart and in the center of squares I planted 

 Mcintosh, Gravenstein and Wealthy apples on dwarf Doucin 

 stock. Here, however, the comparison ceases, for as much as 

 I love to emulate the example of your genial president I cannot 

 agree with his living example of single blessedness. You would 

 expect a man of so well tempered judgment and love of the 

 beautiful and all that is aesthetic, to co-operate with some good 

 woman and honor her with his name. This is again a matter 

 of action for some one. I am constrained to say that like some 

 of us who are considering this subject of co-operation, he is 

 presumably thinking hard but cannot bring himself to the point 

 of making the plunge. He lacks the necessary courage to result 

 in action. 



Seriously, and in conclusion, I trust something will be done 

 in the matter of associated effort among Maine fruit growers, 

 not five, ten or 20 years hence, but right now at this annual 

 session of the society. Once you are started, you will blame 

 yourselves for not starting before, and wonder why growers 

 were so long contented with minimum profits. I believe you 

 will find the agricultural press of the State back of you in your 

 efforts, ready to support you in the way of publicity, and this is 

 surely worth while. So far as the Xew England Homestead is 

 concerned, I can pledge you our every assistance in this connec- 

 tion. The editors will gladly contribute their time, observation 

 and experience to the cause in which you labor. Your interests 

 are our interests and in a degree vice versa. The broader con- 

 ception of life as we are understanding it nowadays is useful- 

 ness, and not mere selfishness. In helping others we are helping 

 ourselves and that is the spirit we need more of in our co-oper- 



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