ANNUAL ADDRESS. 

 By President G. M. Twitchell. 



Members of the Maine State Pomological Society, Ladies and 

 Gentlemen: 



Another year in the history of our organization has passed 

 and we meet to bring together the choice products of the or- 

 chards and homes and discuss the complex problems facing the 

 grower and producer. The year has brought varied experiences 

 to us as individuals and forced back the conviction that in seek- 

 ing to push forward this industry we are constantly meeting 

 problems we cannot yet solve, every one of which bears an im- 

 portant relation to our prosperity. 



I wish here and now to express in behalf of this society our 

 appreciation of the untiring efforts of Maine's Commissioner 

 of Agriculture and his co-laborers in promoting interest in 

 pomology in every way possible, the citizens of Auburn and Lew- 

 iston who made certain this increased exhibit of fruit through 

 special prizes and the Maine Central Railroad who so promptly 

 set before the apple growers of Maine a prize, the winning of 

 which will insure life-long satisfaction to any orchardist. As 

 officers and members we must be profoundly grateful for what- 

 ever adds to the volume of influence, looking to the increase of 

 fruit products. Today no orchard can successfully be de- 

 veloped unless the grower is a student of great subjects and in 

 fellowship with his trees. 



In discussing briefly the situation, I desire to present some 

 specific questions calling for careful consideration, that, in their 

 solution by you, the whole fruit industry may be benefited. 



Maine is a natural apple growing State and trees spring wild 

 in every locality. This being so, the first thought with the fu- 

 ture orchardist will be to avail himself of the strength, vitality, 

 and enduring power of selected native stock. If this leads to 

 the establishment of nurseries in Maine, a long step will be 

 taken towards results now impossible. Supplied as the farms 

 through the fruit section are so generally with bearing trees, I 



