Io8 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



JOHN W. TRUE. 



Some years ago a man of New Gloucester birth said to the 

 writer, that "to be well born was more than half a man's success." 

 So have I often thought of this other New Gloucester man of 

 whom it is a pleasure to write at this time. Being born in New 

 Gloucester was a fortunate beginning, for I know of no rural 

 Maine home more pleasantly located than his. His parents were 

 both of strong character and sterling integrity. Such was the 

 inheritance of John W. True. 



He was born in New Gloucester, August 4, 1848, where he 

 spent his boyhood days. He was educated in the common school 

 and two years at a private school in his own town. At the age 

 of nineteen he went to Boston, where he was employed in the 

 express and grocery business for seven years. On the death of 

 his father in 1874, he returned home where he has lived ever 

 since. 



Air. True married Carrie Murdock of Springfield, Mass., in 

 1873. They have four children, two of whom are graduates of 

 Bates College. 



He is a successful farmer. When he began farming for him- 

 self, the farm carried ten head of cattle and one horse. Year by 

 year he has improved the farm to such an extent that he now has 

 thirty-five head of cattle and three horses to do the work and a 

 small flock of sheep. The old orchard has been added to until 

 he has one of the best cultivated orchards in the State. Many 

 of the trees are too young to be large producers, though he has 

 had good crops for several years, and I know of no orchard in 

 Maine more promising than this, in the development of which 

 he and his family have taken so much pleasure and satisfaction. 

 Nor is this all, for in recent years he has had an ideal farmer's 

 fruit garden stocked \vith all the fruits needed by the family with 

 a surplus for his neighbors. 



He has been exact in his farming operations, and they have 

 been conducted in a business-like manner. There are few 

 farmers who can tell from what particular line of work they have 

 made money ; but Mr. True has carefully systematized his farm- 

 ing so that he knows not only what pays but how much this or 

 that crop has cost and how much he received for it. Farming 

 would become more profitable if more of this work was done. 



