110 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



but for some reason the first pa^'ment was not available till Feb- 

 ruar}', 1888. The law establishing the station makes it a depart- 

 ment of the State College, the general oversight being vested in 

 the trustees of that institution. The college, in order to receive 

 the appropriation from the government, must show that the funds 

 are wholly applied to agricultural research and experiment, and 

 not to the general use of the college. In other words, the trustees 

 of the college have charge of the funds, but expend them in car- 

 rying on the work of the station. 



Under the conditions of this law, the first work was to provide 

 suitable buildings, and furnish them for the purpose intended. 

 This used all the funds permissible under the law for the first year, 

 and drew somewhat on the funds for the second. As a result, 

 however, the station is now provided with good quarters, and is 

 well equipped for experimental work. As already stated, the gen- 

 eral oversight of the work is placed in the hands of the trustees of 

 the college, who, at a recent meeting, voted to create a "council" 

 for the purpose of laying out the work of the station from time to 

 time, subject to the approval of the trustees. The work of the 

 council, as will be seen, is advisory, but as it is composed in part 

 of the trustees, the recommendations are likely to be conclusive. 

 Desiring to have the various agricultural industries of the State 

 represented in this council, the trustees proposed that it consist of 

 the President of the college, the farm committee of three from the 

 trustees, the Director of the station, and his associates. The State 

 Grange, the State Board of Agriculture, and the Maine Poraological 

 Society were each invited to send a member of the station council. 

 The council thus far has held two sessions, and we believe it is the 

 intention to hold two sessions annually'. By courtesy of President 

 Pope, and the approval of the executive committee, your speaker 

 was elected to represent the interests of the Pomological Society. 



THE GENERAL "WORK OK THE STATION. 



It is not the purpose of this paper to pass in review the work of 

 the Station, for the opportunities for studying it have been too mea- 

 gre, even had I the desire to do it. It is a satisfaction, however, 

 to note that while the work thus far has been preliminary, it now 

 appears to be well organized. The various fertilizers sold in Maine 

 have been analyzed, the results have been published for the benefit 

 of the farmers, numerous farm experiments in growing crops by the 



