124 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



to-night will know just how to go to work to make a small fruit 

 garden. 



And now bo^^s and girls, when 3'ou go home to-night just you tell 

 your parents you want some strawberries, raspberries and black- 

 berries to set next spring, and a good chance to set them and plentj^ 

 of time to tend and care for them, and don't you give them any peace 

 till you get just what you want. Hoping and trusting that some 

 where in these few hastily written words, I have said something that 

 has been of interest to you, I will close. 



DISCUSSION. 



Sec. Gilbert. We still have with us our friend from Connecti- 

 cut, who has not 3^et exhausted his store of information on the sub- 

 ject. And while, up to this time, we have been dictating to him 

 something of what to say, we shall now be pleased to have him 

 come forward and say some things that he thinks he ought to say 

 to us and give us some information on those points on which he 

 thinks we need it. 



Mr. Augur. Mr. President, and Ladies and Gentlemen. I can 

 not help thinking that the people of Maine ought to have this even- 

 ing to themselves rather than to listen to me. However, as I am 

 not very often here and I have been invited to occupy a few minutes, 

 1 will do so. With your permission I think I will say a few words 

 00 a matter that was alluded to and which I iu part omitted this 

 afternoon, namely, the matter of cross fertilization and hybridization. 



The urgent need of new varieties of fruit combining the best quali- 

 ities of our present successful varieties, and adding thereto some very 

 desirable new points, is m}^ excuse for offering a few thoughts thereon. 

 For illustration, the Baldwin apple is one of the best shippers we 

 have. It is also a very good apple for general use. Now what 

 would we like to add to it to make it more valuable? First, a 

 stronger constitution as a tree. Second, a disposition to bear 

 annually and more evenly, instead of giving breaking crops one year, 

 with barrenness the next. Third, an added richness in quality 

 with a little more brilliancy of color. This is simpl}^ an illustration 

 to show what is needed in all species of fruits. We have not 3'et 

 attained to perfection in any. Now we readily understand that in 

 order to gain a desired point in any direction we must make a direct 

 move in that direction. If we could appl}^ the subtle forces of nature 

 as accuratel}' as the expert billiard plaj^er does to his balls, the de- 

 sired result would be easy to gain. 



