STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 109 



OECHAKDS AND ORCHARDISTS IX MAINE. 



Compiled from the Secretary's Correspondence. 



Mr, Geo. A. Longfellow of Winthrop now has about 1200 trees, 

 mostly Roxbury Russets. About two-thirds of the trees are in 

 bearing. In 1891 he sold 318 barrels of apples for $600. In 1892 

 he raised about 600 barrels of apples. Mr. Longfellow reports 

 that good orchard land in his town can be bought for SlO to 815 

 per acre. 



There are several large orchards in Turner, the Rickers of that 

 town having one of the largest in the State. The past year (L'<92) 

 they had a large crop, and it was reported that the fruit was sold 

 in the fall for S3, 000. There are several other orchards of large 

 extent in Turner — one of these being that own?d by ihe late Hon. 

 Rufus Prince. Mr D. J. Briggs has an orchard containing 800 

 trees, of which some 300 are in bearing. In 1891 be reports that 

 he marketed fruit to the value of $4:15 and the following year $375. 

 Mr. Briggs writes that it would be a positive gain to fruit growers 

 in Maine -'not to sell any but No. 1 apples." 



Mr. S. R. Sweetser of Cumberland Centre has 300 trees rin his 

 farm and about one-half of them are in bearing condition. He 

 writes that his orchard is worth double the price per acre of his 

 farm. He also states that his orchard pays him forty per cent on 

 the investment above actual cost of cultivation, etc. 



A short distance from the Kennebec and near the Bodwell gran- 

 ite quarries in Hallowell is one of the best orchards in the State. 

 It is owned by W. P. Atherton and contains 1200 trees with about 

 800 in bearing. The orchard is very largely Baldwins. The 1891 

 crop was 600 barrels and sold for nearly $850. The last crop was 

 525 barrels. Mr. Atherton in the winter of 1892 sent some of his 

 apples direct to Liverpool. He has generally soil in Boston, but 

 does not feel fully satisfied with the manner in which our Maine 

 fruit is generally sold. He believes that the publication and distri- 

 bution of practical experience in orcharding would be of great 

 value to fruit growers. 



In recent years T. M. Merrill of New Gloucester has handled 

 large quantities of Maine fruit. He also is an extensive orchardist, 

 having nearly a thousand apple trees on his own farm. About one- 



