STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 33 



haven't got enough now in the State to contain the apples. So 

 we were embarrassed along the line of making up this program, 

 and we decided that we should very largely give prominence to 

 the marketing of the fruit, and to the various manipulations of 

 the fruit that lead up to the marketing. So as one of the chief 

 considerations we have put storage first, and we have called 

 from the Agricultural Department a man thoroughly conversant 

 with the commercial interests of storage, and a practical man 

 from Massachusetts who has a large storehouse of his own and 

 is operating it very successfully, and I am sure you will be satis- 

 fied when you come to hear him that his plan is a practical one 

 and one of the best plans for storage in [Maine which can be 

 adopted. Last evening in the very pleasant entertainment which 

 was given in honor of our presence here, one of the speakers 

 made the statement that here in Auburn, concentrated in your 

 various moneyed institutions there was more than ten million 

 dollars. Now it has occurred to me that if some of that ten mil- 

 lion dollars could be utilized in a system of storage of fruit along 

 the lines of our various railroads here, that Lewiston and 

 Auburn might be .made the center of an immense fruit business . 

 that would represent a large part of the State. 



Then going a little further than that. We were told last night 

 of the new power which is beingdeveloped. so that some 10,000 

 horse power that in years past has been running wild down the 

 Androscoggin river will be soon available for manufacturing 

 purposes. Well, now, why cannot some portion of that be put 

 into the manufacture of barrels and boxes and things of that 

 kind, that will not only help the people who put in the capital but 

 also help the county and the State at large ? I sincerely hope that 

 out of this meeting and out of this discussion something of that 

 kind may be developed, and for one I should be glad to see its 

 home in this beautiful city of Auburn. 



The export of apples made for the year 1902 from the State of 

 Maine, and by export I mean apples that are sent across the 

 Atlantic, was over 500,000 barrels. So that the measure of the 

 crop last year must have exceeded quite a good deal 500,000 bar- 

 rels. From these figures I conclude that we are entirely safe in 

 placing the crop this year at a million barrels. 



Now I wish, sir, again to express our full appreciation of your 

 numerous courtesies, and I also wish to thank the representa- 



