RESPONSE, 



By H. L. Keyser of Greene, First Vice President of the 

 Pomological Society. 



If any doubt existed as to whether our executive committee 

 had made a wise selection for our annual meeting place of this 

 year, when they accepted the invitation of the City of Auburn, 

 that doubt must have been at once dispelled after listening to 

 the cordial words of welcome from your Mayor, and on behalf 

 of the Maine State Pomological Society, I thank you, Mr. 

 Mayor, and thank the citizens of Auburn. 



To make a success of the meetings of any society, requires 

 much detail and hard work, of which the members who do not 

 take an active part, have very little conception. The "hundred 

 and one" little things, take time and patience. In all of the 

 work, we have been so ably assisted by your Board of Trade, 

 that for whatever good fruit these meetings bring forth, a large 

 portion of the credit they can take unto themselves with the sin- 

 cere thanks of this society. 



One of the speakers at our last meeting remarked : "We are 

 entering upon a new age." We are not entering it, it is upon 

 us and this society has a great work to perform. We want the 

 large and small orchardists of this State to join our ranks. We 

 want their help and experience, and want them to profit by the 

 knowledge they gain from our meetings. 



We have passed the "go-as-you-please" period of growing 

 fruit ; the procession is moving on and to merit and meet success 

 we must keep to the front where we can hear the music. 



This society has been a great education to the growers and 

 its reward can be seen today in the gradually improving condi- 

 tions of many orchards, the interest displayed and the questions 

 asked regarding culture and spraying ; but to my mind the great- 

 est incentive to improve all of these conditions, and put the 

 apple of the State of Maine where it belongs, second to none 

 and the peer of many, is co-operation. 



