54 agriculture; of mainu. 



run by the Maine Central road, but were again resumed on the 

 20th of June and continued to July 2nd. 



Arrangements were made with granges in the different towns 

 to open their halls and have an all-day meeting on the dates 

 assigned. When convenient two demonstrations were given in 

 near-by orchards. Generally a lecture would precede or follow 

 these demonstrations, to best suit the audience. In all cases 

 these meetings were open to the general public and many inter- 

 ested parties, not members of the grange, availed themselves of 

 the opportunity to be present. In most cases the meetings were 

 well attended, and much interest was manifest. Often a prun- 

 ing demonstration preceded the spraying and in some cases 

 illustrations in treating diseased trees were given, especially 

 cankered trees. At most of the sessions the different methods 

 of grafting were demonstrated, the scions being cut and set in 

 the proper manner. Sometimes an evening lecture was given. 

 During the five weeks fully 70 lectures and short talks were 

 given, covering the whole ground of orchard management from 

 the preparation of the ground to the selling of the fruit, but 

 most of the work was on the care of old orchards, such as culti- 

 vation, fertilization, pruning, spraying, etc. At each meeting 

 insect pests and fungous diseases were discussed, with measures 

 for their control. 



Each pump company, in conjunction with a manufacturer of 

 spraying material, furnished its own supplies and paid the ex- 

 pense of its men for the entire trip. 



Although these meetings would have been much more profit- 

 able could they have been held earlier in the season, yet we feel 

 that much good was accomplished, and would strongly recom- 

 mend that a series of orchard schools be conducted during the 

 coming season, these schools to be held for at least a week at 

 each session and include one for each county in the State, and 

 be divided into two sessions, one of eight weeks in the spring 

 for one-half of the State, and the other to come in the fall. 



Instead of confining these schools to the one topic of orchard 

 work, they might include all lines of farm management, and be 

 conducted under the head of "Better Agriculture for Maine." 



