2(32 MAINE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



collected a greater number of varieties than was ever before 

 exhibited on this continent, or in the world. 



We may be safe in assuming that the eye of man never be- 

 fore took in at one view, so rich a display of fruits. Xearly 

 every State of the Union, not forgetting the State and Terri- 

 tories washed by the Pacific, was there represented. Very un- 

 assumingly, in that monster assemblage, were laid some fifteen 

 varieties of apples from the highlands of northern Maine — 

 hardly noticeable there, but from the circumstance that none 

 others could claim origin or growth from so high a latitude. 

 Curiosity at once prompted us to seek out and institute a com- 

 parison between our humble contribution, and something from 

 the South. We found for our purpose, a collection of about 

 thirty varieties from North Carolina. In justice to that collec- 

 tion, produced and presented by one gentleman, we must say 

 that, for size, beaut}^, flavor, and exquisite aroma, it surpassed 

 everything we had ever seen. 



After indulging in entire freedom, in the only real pleasura- 

 ble test of goodness in fruit, we were ready to yield the palm 

 to the highly finis J led southern apples. But, for the reputation 

 of Maine — a spot of earth laid out in the cold — a good place 

 to emigrate /ro7?i — the veteran pomologists of our country, and 

 of the age, came to the rescue, and pronounced our northern 

 apples finer in grain, firmer in texture, richer in substance, the 

 elements of goodness more concentrated, a fruit equally mature, 

 and more desirable than that grown at the South. 



Our Wilders, Iloveys, Barry s, Berckmans', Brinckles, Thomas' 

 and Downings, place on her brow a crown that no earthly power 

 can wrest from her. 



The character of our apples for their fine keeping qualities 

 having been established — the surety of production when our 

 trees are once set and grown — an ever ready market through 

 all future time so certainly opened, that all the hill-sides in 

 Maine in one consolidated orchard, producing to its maximum^ 

 might in vain strive to glut, and what remains to be said, in the 

 direction of accelerated, continuous, energetic eff'ort to increased 

 production ? 



The character of our apples is established generally on ex- 

 amination of specimens grown on trees that have been stuck 



