STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 9 



and the owner declined to sell at that price. He paid out then 

 for harvesting $83 and the same man paid him $500. He 

 thought he sold too soon, and so did I, for 75 barrels of the lot 

 were Kings. Some are still holding their fruit, and it remains 

 to be seen what the price will be. It was not the purpose of the 

 bulletin to tell people when to sell or what they should ask for 

 their fruit ; it was rather to advise the fruit growers of the quan- 

 tity and ctmdition of the crop, leaving them to draw their own 

 conclusions. 



Of the crop of 190 1 in Alaine the early estimates were nearly 

 all wrong. The early indications were unfavorable, as the blos- 

 som was irregTjlar and occurred during cold, damp weather — too 

 cold for the bees to work, and there were more or less showerSc 

 The season was favorable later on and as the fruit matured every 

 one was surprised at the size of the crop, which was much larger 

 than anticipated and of excellent quality. Apples were never 

 better in Maine than this year, and the buyers from out the State 

 are enthusiastic over the Maine apple, and one of these buyers 

 has purchased a Maine orchard. One farmer tried in vain last 

 year to sell his farm for $500, and this year he harvested 250 

 barrels of choice fruit. Another man a few years ago had the 

 courage to buy a farm for a thousand dollars. His friends 

 thought he could never pay for it, but this year he had 300 barrels 

 of fruit. Another young man owned half of the old farm on 

 which he was born and gave his brother $1500 for the other half. 

 He gathered 600 barrels of as fine apples as ever grew, most of 

 w^hich are in cold storage at this time. These instances teach 

 their own lessons, and there are many more that have come to 

 my knowledge. 



Our Buffalo exhibit called the attention of buyers to Maine 

 fruit, and they have come in from all quarters. So great has 

 been- the American demand that foreign buyers have not found 

 people so ready to send their fruit abroad. But the result of 

 this is that a large part of the fruit has already been sold at satis- 

 factory prices, while those who are holding their fruit are expect- 

 ing still better prices. Nor is this all, cider apples and apples 

 for canning have also found a good market. Estimates of the 

 crop place it from 250,000 to 300,000 barrels — probably about 

 300,000. 



