54 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Wednesday Forenoon. 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 

 Mr. Howard L. Keyser, Greene, Maine. 



On behalf of the officers and members of this society I wish 

 to express our thanks to the citizens of Portland, who, by their 

 efforts and generositv^ have made this meeting of the ^Nlaine State 

 Pomological Society the largest in its history and thereby stimu- 

 lated increased interest in the pomological work in the State. 



We are pleased and proud to have with us as our guests at 

 this meeting, the officers of the New England Fruit Show as 

 well as many leading orchardists of New England and glad they 

 are exhibiting fruit in competition with our own — made possi- 

 ble by the hearty cooperation of the Portland Board of Trade. 



On every hand is the evidence of the awakening of hundreds 

 of fruit growers to the questions of the hour, — the best and 

 most practical methods for the improvement of general condi- 

 tions. 



Where a few years ago the orchardist who sprayed was not 

 considered quite sane, he is now sought by his neighbors for 

 information, and the small amount of knowlerlge possessed by 

 many growers notwithstanding all the publications, bulletins 

 and various educational meetings, illustrates the fact that a very 

 large per cent remain in the primary class and a great work 

 still remains for such societies as ours. 



Since our last meeting the season of 1911 has passed into 

 history and we have again harvested a bountiful crop of fruit, 

 the culture of which I am going to leave for discussion to the 

 many able authorities we have with us, and, in a brief way, 

 speak of some of the ills we have with us on the business side. 



The fruit crop of the state of Oregon was placed at 1,100,000 

 boxes for 191 1 for which was received $1,094,000, not quite one 

 dollar net per box. I am not quite visionary enough to grasp 



