INTRODUCTORY. 



During the past year illness and death have made sad inroads 

 in the ranks of our officers, and materially lessened the work 

 which we had hoped to accomplish. Several meetings were 

 planned in different sections of the State, some of which we were 

 tmable to hold as we expected. In answer to calls from several 

 places, speakers were sent out by the society to give instruction 

 in spraying in accordance with the vote of the executive com- 

 mittee. 



The president, with the assistance of Prof. Gowell, held a 

 horticultural school at Northport, May 4. Lessons in spraying 

 were given by Prof. Munson, and a paper on drainage and til- 

 lage by Prof. Gowell. The annual meeting and exhibition of 

 the society was held at Norway, November 13 and 14. The col- 

 lection of winter apples was the finest we have ever shown, the 

 conditions of the past season having been especially favorable 

 to the production of superior fruit. On one long table were 

 exhibited one hundred and twenty plates of twelve specimens 

 each, representing seven of our leading varieties of winter 

 apples; large, uniform in size, highly colored and entirely free 

 from any blemish, they made up an exhibit not soon to be for- 

 gotten by those who saw it, and one which, we believe, has never 

 before been equalled in New England. A fine display of canned 

 fruits and jellies, also of chrysanthemums and other cut flowers 

 and ornamental plants added variety and attractiveness to the 

 exhibition. 



At their autumn meeting in Cleveland, O., the apple shipoers 

 of the country announced that there was a prospect of a crop not 

 less than that of 1896. This statement was reported and 

 enlarged upon by the newspapers until the orchardists were con- 

 vinced that the country was overstocked with apples, and many 

 sold at prices that barely paid the cost of picking and barreling. 



