26 state; pomological society. 



enrichment and the beautifying- of thy world. We invoke thy 

 blessing upon this society with its noble motives and important 

 object. We pray that while its members tarry with us they may 

 find it good to be here. We remember our country and all in 

 authority. May our country become increasingly one whose 

 people are mindful of God. Grant that we may not forget thee. 

 With all our gettings may we find understanding and the fear 

 which is the beginning of wisdom. May human societies and 

 associations of men become one in spirit with thee. May that 

 ancient vision of society be fulfilled, that vision of the New 

 Jerusalem wherein was the river of the water of life ; on either 

 side of which grew the tree of life, yielding its fruit every month 

 and having its leaves for the healing of the nations. 



Thus may thy kingdom come and thy will be done, for thy 

 Name's sake, Amen. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 

 By Major S. Clifford Belcher, Farmington. 



The pleasant service has been assigned to me by the Franklin 

 County Agricultural Society, whose guest you are, of welcoming 

 you to our county. 



Our agricultural society has recently held its sixty-third 

 annual exhibition and rejoices in continued prosperity. It is 

 believed that no similar society in the State excels us in our 

 annual displays of agricultural products, while our fine herds of 

 blooded cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and fleet and docile horses 

 are a source of pride to all our citizens. 



The county of Franklin, bounded on the north by the Dominion 

 of Canada, is practically bounded on the east by the Kennebec 

 river and on the south and west by the Androscoggin. Its north- 

 ern half is still a wilderness, — the forest primeval, — containing a 

 wealth of lumber that is constantly finding its way to the great 

 centers of population, while its solitudes, filled with numerous 

 lakes and streams, abounding in game and fish, are the paradise 

 of sportsmen, and may well be termed the Adirondacks of Maine. 



But it is the valley of our Sandy river, all of which is within 

 our county, which constitutes our agricultural wealth. The 

 broad intervales, extending its entire length, as level and as free 



