state; pomological society. 27 



be anything nailed down. Our hearts, our hands, our houses, 

 are ahvays open, to welcome you. 



Mr. President, in the name of the citizens of Skowhegan, I 

 gladly welcome you within our bounds. 



RESPONSE. 

 By Dr. Twitchell. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I like to be called 

 upon in this way to make a response. The gentleman to my 

 right asks me why I didn't tell him I was to make the response. 

 I didn't know it myself. A man can't tell wdiat he doesn't 

 know. But I think perhaps just a word in recognition of the 

 fitting welcome which has been so cordially extended to this 

 society by Mr. Marston may not be out of place. 



I remember years ago a meeting we held in the other hall in 

 this town, and I wish that we might have before us the photo- 

 graphs of the exhibits then to compare with the photogrophs of 

 the exhibits here today, — or rather to compare with the fruit 

 which we have in the lower hall, so that we might make some 

 intelligent comparison between the work of that period and the 

 work of the present, because during these years there has been 

 a most rapid and steady advance of our fruit interests through 

 this fruit belt of the State of Maine, and we are producing not 

 only far greater quantity of fruit, but a much better variety of 

 fruit — quality of fruit — than we were producing ten or fifteen 

 or twenty years ago ; I think it must be nearly twenty years ago 

 since that meeting was held. 



But, ladies and gentlemen of Skowhegan, we accept your cor- 

 dial words of welcome as further evidence that you will lend 

 your words and counsels, as you go out among your own citi- 

 zens, asking them to come in and enjoy these sessions with us, 

 and see the fruits of the harvests which have been gathered in 

 this hall — the flowers and the fruits as well — which are for their 

 pleasure and satisfaction as well as for our study and investiga- 

 tion. These meetings are called for a special purpose, — not 

 alone that we may see what has been accomplished, what has 



