112 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Professor Harvey's excellent work on the Trypeta pomonella, we 

 have another illustration of the manner in which our experiment 

 station may aid the farmer. Already the Professor has brought to 

 light the life history of this new pest, and before his labors are com- 

 pleted I anticipate he will prove the insect's worst enemy. 



As our Societ}^ is more especially interested in fruits, and as the 

 raising of fruits is one of our most important agricultural industries, 

 I will mention some of the work intended with reference to them. 

 Requests have been made for the establishment of branch stations, 

 but it seems unwise to do this at present. The first work of the 

 station is one of organization, and until the work there is well in 

 hand, it would be folly to attempt the running of branch stations. 

 This work of organization, by the way, is one of many intricacies, 

 whose difficulties can only be hinted at when we say that no chance 

 work can be permitted. First of all, before a successful experi- 

 ment can be undertaken, the one who has charge of it must have a 

 clear-cut idea of the results sought for, as well as the manipulations 

 by which they are to be reached. Conditions have to be considered 

 at the outset, and measured, so to speak ; then at every step there 

 must be the greatest accuracy, and records of the whole must be 

 plainlv kept. Then from the data recorded, conclusions may be 

 drawn, or perchance the experimenter finds he has failed to recog- 

 nize some of the conditions, and the ground has to be gone over 

 again. Nor is it safe to accept the results reached in a single sea- 

 son as conclusive. Not many years since, Dr. Sturtevant con- 

 ducted some interesting experiments in planting corn grown on 

 different parts of the cob The first year's results showed that the 

 tip kernels possessed the greatest germinating power, and gave the 

 largest yield. This was perfectly astounding, for our fathers taught 

 us years ago to give tip kernels to the pigs. The experiments 

 seem to have been well conducted, but the next year, alas, the 

 results reached the first year were all set at naught, and in suc- 

 ceedincy years, we believe, the experiments confirmed the practices 

 of our fathers. 



THE PROMOTION OF FRUIT CULTURE. 



Fruit culture, although one of our important industries, is rapidly 

 increasing in extent. In Aroostook and other parts it is in its 

 infancy. There never has been a time in the history of the Society 

 when there were more inquiries, searching after the best varieties 



