STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. IO9 



natural conditions so that we can, and so that we do, actually 

 produce better fruit and more fruit than is grown in some of 

 the other sections of the country. It is to our shame, further, 

 that our Canadian friends are going ahead of us in the packing 

 and shipping of their fruit. As you know, the Maine State 

 Pomological Society, in some of its past meetings, has taken 

 steps looking toward the better grading and the better packing 

 of fruit. In this effort the Experiment Station will heartily 

 co-operate. 



Another problem which confronts the fruit growers of the 

 State is that of taking care of the fruit after it is packed, that is, 

 the storage problem in connection with marketing. There are 

 many problems connected with the keeping of fruit that the 

 Experiment Station can and will assist in solving. The Experi- 

 micnt Station of Illinois at the present time is conducting some 

 extensive experiments in the cold storage of fruit, and in the 

 co-operative marketing of fruit, this is a very important problem. 



As I have taken occasion in many previous meetings to say, 

 the one thing that stands in the way of development of Maine, 

 not onlv in her fruit interests but in many others, is that eternal 

 Yankee principle of "trying to get ahead of the other fellow." 

 Now our friends in California, our friends in Oregon and 

 Washington, are going ahead of us, are driving us out of our 

 own market, because they have learned the secret of co-operation. 

 Thev have learned that they must stand together and send only 

 the best, and if some of their fellows are not willing to do their 

 best in putting up that fruit, they must be driven out of the asso- 

 ciation. Every man must do his best and then work together. 

 That is what we must learn, and that is what we will learn. Mr. 

 President, right here in this State of Maine before we take our 

 place as the best orchard section of the United States, a place 

 which I believe we will take in the not very far distant future. 



There is another point in which the Experiment Station may 

 assist very much. I have spoken of the importance of growing 

 good apples. The time has come now, gentlemen, when if we 

 are going to grow good apples, we must spray. We cannot rely 

 wholly upon Providence. Providence is sometimes too kind, 

 but Providence will not destroy all of the injurious insect pests 

 and the injurious fungi. We must spray our fruit trees, just 

 as we do our potatoes, in order to be sure of the best result. 



