STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. II3 



GROWING AND MARKETING FRUIT. 

 By R. L. CuMMiNGs, West Paris, Me. 

 Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 



The subject I was asked to speak upon a few minutes tonight 

 is the growing and marketing of fruit. By that we mean 

 apples, of course, and I look at it from a commercial point of 

 view, that is, as an investment for profit. And if we are going 

 into any business for that purpose, we ought first to compare 

 our qualifications with those of other people in the same busi- 

 ness. Now if I said the apple is the leading fruit of the civ- 

 ilized world, I don't think anyone would dispute it. And if we 

 were to compare the American apple with any other apple grown 

 in the world, we should find it as the Englrshman did when he 

 was inquiring about the position of the yachts in the race for 

 the cup. He asked who was first, and the observer said lacon- 

 ically that the American was first. "Well, who is second?" 

 "Nobody." It is the same with the American apple. It is first, 

 and there is practically no second. 



Well then, let us see how we compare in our position with 

 other sections of this country. I think that there is no section 

 of the country that can lead us. There may be others perhaps 

 as good, but I think there are none better. I do not believe 

 we would find a Wolf River apple in the State of Washington 

 any better than we have it here. It may be better in some 

 respects, but I am very sure that we have the advantage in many 

 others. That is practically the only large fruit growing section 

 that I haven't visited personally, not as a mere pleasure trip, but 

 to handle the apples myself, for a profit if I could get it, and to 

 see the conditions under which they were grown and packed 

 by the people. And I know from personal observation that no 

 section of the country that I have been in can go ahead of us in 

 natural advantages. 



I was very much interested in Mr. Knowlton's remarks. They 

 were very much to the point, but still there is a point that was 

 not touched. We have all of us heard it said, time and time 

 again, that all the people lack is to see the opportunity and have 

 the energy to go forward and develop this industry. But I 

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