30 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



I wish at this time to express in behalf of this Society our 

 appreciation of the untiring efforts of Maine's Commissioner 

 of Agriculture and of the hearty cooperation and valuable ser- 

 vice rendered by that department in promoting the interest of 

 pomolog}' throughout the state; also our appreciation of the 

 assistance rendered by the extension department of the College 

 of Agriculture, University of Maine, through their county dem- 

 onstrators. 



The severe cold weather of the past winter brought relief 

 to our fruit growers so far as the brown-tail moth is concerned 

 and relieved a strained situation relative to picking the winter 

 nests. However, with this tremendous setback, they will soon 

 be with us again^ and the laws regarding their control should 

 be strictly enforced. 



The tent and forest caterpillar have dor^e an alarming amount 

 of damage the past season in many sections of the state, com- 

 pletely defoliating thousands of fruit trees as w'ell as a great 

 many shade and ornamental trees. It seems unfortunate that a 

 pest so easy to control should be allowed to continue its depre- 

 dations. There is still need of a vigorous campaign of educa- 

 tion regarding the control of these orchard pests. 



\\'hile we have produced a good crop of practically clean 

 fruit the past season, yet the fungus troubles are much in evi- 

 dence and it is necessary that our growers keep up the fight 

 against these diseases if they hope to produce fruit of the finest 

 quality and place Maine at the head of the list as an apple pro- 

 ducing state. 



I am glad to report that many of our growers who were not 

 at first in sympathy with the Elaine law relative to the grading 

 and branding of apples realize today that it is the only means 

 by which we can hope to raise the standard of Maine fruit in 

 the markets of the world. As a direct result of this law, buy- 

 ers of fancy fruit have come to Maine this season for the first 

 time and have been strongly impressed with the quality of fruit 

 and the way it was being graded. 



I believe there are few wilful violations of this law, but 

 through a lack of proper knowledge as to what constitutes a 

 proper branding, too many barrels are shipped out of the state 

 poorly marked, and it is my judgment that a larger appropriation 

 should be made, providing for the enforcement of this law to 



