MAINE STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



Transactions for the Year 1890-91. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



Gradually as people realize that fruit growing is becoming a 

 source of profit to those who are engaged in it, there are many 

 evidences of renewed interest in all that pertains to the industry. 

 In recent years there have been unusual attractions offered to men 

 and capital to remove to distant states, and for the time being the 

 grand opportunities for profitable fruit culture in Maine were over- 

 looked. The past few years the liberal returns from fruit enterprises 

 in the State ought to satisfy the most incredulous of certain returns 

 for well directed labor and the investment of capital in fruit grow- 

 ing. It is certain that no other agricultural industry can point to 

 such profit as our leading fruit growers are receiving. It is gratify- 

 ing to note that our farmers are realizing more and more that fruit 

 growing does pay. While some are groping in the darkness, as it 

 were, and suffering from a lack of practical knowledge in growing 

 and handling fruits successfully, many are seeing the light ahead 

 and are making great progress. It has been the special effort of 

 the officers of this Society to extend, so far as possible, a knowledge 

 of the best methods of fruit culture, and further to point out the 

 possibilities Maine offers to all who may choose to avail themselves 

 of them. The present volume, in some measure, will illustrate the 

 general work of the Society. Special attention, however, is invited 

 to so much of the contents as set forth the practices of some of our 

 most successful fruit growers, and also to the profitable results 

 already reached in fruit culture. 



The year 1890 was not a fruit season. The trees blossomed 

 generally quite full but over a large part of the State little fruit was 



