STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 35 



named variety which, with the Weahhy, has proved to be one 

 of the very best for this northern region, was raised from seed 

 of the Duchess in 1880 by Mr. J. W. Dudley of Castle Hill 

 plantation, and in 1889 was sold to Chase Brothers of Rochester, 

 N. Y., who introduced it under the name of "North Star." The 

 use of this name is unfortunate, since it already belong-ed to one 

 of the "iron-clad" varieties of the northwest. 



The pioneer m commercial orcharding in the Aroostook region 

 was the late Hon. James Nutting of Perham. In 1887 Mr. 

 Nutting planted an orchard of 100 trees three-fourths of which 

 were Duchess, the remainder Alexander, Fameuse and a miscel- 

 laneous collection, most of which have since died. In 1885, 100 

 Wealthy trees were set, and later 500 more of the same variety, 

 with several hundred Dudley's Winter. Among the varieties 

 tried and discarded by Mr. Nutting were Peabody Greening, 

 Red Astrachan, Pewaukee, Mcintosh, Haas, Mann. Early Rus- 

 sian, Talman Sweet, Northern Spy, Tompkins King, Ben Davis 

 and several others that are recommended as hardy. 



In 1892 the Experiment Station undertook the introduction 

 of hardy varieties into this region and several of the most prom- 

 ising sorts from the Northwest — Wisconsin, Minnesota and 

 Iowa — were placed in Air. Nutting's hands. Of these, some of 

 the scions were set in bearing trees and others in the nursery. 

 Most of these varieties have now borne, and some of them will 

 prove decided acquisitions to the list of hardy fruits. Among 

 the most promising varieties now on trial in this orchard are 

 Arthur, Okobena, Patten Greening, McMahon, Longfield, Pro- 

 lific Sweet, C^strakoff. 



About the time that Mr. Nutting commenced orchard culture 

 on a commercial scale, Mr. J. W. Dudley of Mapleton, C. Hay- 

 ford of Maysville, Benj. Tilley of Castle Hill, and several others 

 awoke to the possibilities in this direction, and the prediction 

 made at the meeting of this society in Bangor in 1891, that 

 "within ten years Aroostook county will not only raise its own 

 apples but have a surplus for export," has been fulfilled. Eor 

 several years a few apples have been shipped from Caribou and 

 Presque Isle, and during the present year 1,500 barrels were 

 shipped by one firm, Robinson Bros., of Presque Isle. 



The present status of fruit growing in Aroostook county is 

 this: Under ordinarv conditions everv farmer who will, mav 



