72 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



to secure more life members and in that way to obtain better 

 results, as every new member means another thoroughly inter- 

 ested person added to our number. 



Our last winter ineeting was held at Presque Isle, Aroostook 

 county. The question w^as raised as to the advisability of going 

 so far north to hold a fruit meeting, but the farmers of that sec- 

 tion are realizing that they should give more attention to other 

 crops besides the potato, and as our State stipend comes from 

 every portion of the State it would seem to be our duty to try to 

 assist, as far as possible, all sections, and it will probably be 

 shown during this meeting, as it w'as a year ago, that apples can 

 be raised in nearly all parts of our State. 



Last spring the officers of our society received an invitation 

 from the president of the Eastern Maine State Fair, to take 

 charge of the fruit and flower department of their exhibition, 

 and the terms of the invitation were such that it was thought 

 advisable to do so. Their premium list had already been made 

 up, and a portion of them distributed, therefore it was not 

 deemed best to make changes in it. Your officers went into a 

 strange building, with new surroundings, and many of the 

 exhibitors were strangers; as it was so early in the season the 

 fruit was very immature, but with that exception the exhibition 

 passed off very smoothly, and if dates can be satisfactorily 

 adjusted, we think the arrangement had better be continued. 



It has been suggested that perhaps it would be well, consider- 

 ing the fact that the State Agricultural societies hold their annual 

 exhibitions at so early a date that our fruit is not up to its best 

 estate, for our society to hold the autumn exhibition by itself, 

 at a time when the fruit has fully matured. The present would 

 be a good time to talk the matter over and arrive at some con- 

 clusion upon the subject. 



There is one matter to which I would like to call attention; 

 I may have done so before, but if I have, it will bear repeating. 

 While the subject of "good roads" is being so extensively dis- 

 cussed and plans made for improving our highways, let us see 

 how little additional expense it would be to have our roads lined 

 with shade trees. Let all road commissioners, or those having 

 charge of roads, save a line of trees on either side at suitable 

 distances from each other, and by talking the subject up, farm- 



