30 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



This most cordial welcome given to us by your worthy 

 master is reflected from each and every face, the hearty shake 

 of the hand, the personal welcome, causes us to feel honored as 

 your guests. The renewal of friendships and the formation 

 of new ones will, we all know mark this "mile stone" of our 

 society as one long to be remembered. 



ANNUAL ADDRESS. 



By Hon. Z. A. Gilbert, North Greene, President of Maine State 



Pomological Society. 



The Maine State Pomological Society was formally and 

 legally organized the 27th day of March, 1873, under an Act 

 of Incorporation passed by the Legislature then just adjourned. 

 Influential members of the State Board of Agriculture, prior to 

 this, had discussed the propriety of organizing such a society. 

 At a meeting of the Board, held at Skowhegan in October, 1872, 

 previous notice having been given, the subject was taken up for 

 consideration, but the records of that meeting show that, "owing 

 to a small attendance, it was thought best, after discussion, to 

 leave the subject in the hands of a committee," and Messrs. Z. 

 A. Gilbert of Greene, J. A. Varney of Vassalboro and A. L. 

 Simpson of Bangor were made that committee. 



Prior to the next meeting of the Board of Agriculture, that 

 committee issued an address to the fruit growers of Maine, invit- 

 ing them to meet in convention with the Board at a session to 

 be held at Winthrop, January 14-17, 1873. In accordance with 

 the call there were a large number of fruit growers present, 

 representing all parts of the State. After due consideration it 

 was unanimously voted : "That it is expedient to establish such 

 a Society." A committee was therefore appointed to report a 

 plan of organization and nominate a list of temporary officers. 



Another committee was appointed to procure an Act of Incor- 

 poration from the Legislature then in session. 



In accordance with these preliminaries, the corporators of 

 the Society met at Augusta on the date before named and 

 launched this Society into its field of usefulness. 



The first officers of the Society were : President, Z. A. Gilbert, 

 Greene; Vice-Presidents, Geo. W. Woodman, Portland, and 



