8o 



AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



modity, we get but little of it; the better we like it, the more 

 of it we buy, as a general proposition. We care but little for 

 apples of poor dessert quality; fruit of high quality appeals 

 strongly to everyone. From the argumentative standpoint, at 

 least, the conclusion is inevitable. I preach the growing of 

 high quality varieties. 



There is yet another phase of the variety problem that I 

 wish to touch upon very briefly. Reference is made to the 

 matter of breeding, or if you please to the making of varieties 

 for particular purposes and for growing in definite regions. 

 Comparatively little has yet been done in the breeding of our 

 tree fruits. Almost every other field of crop production has 

 been benefited materially by the result of breeding new varieties 

 or new strains with definite ends in view. A very little has 

 been accomplished in the breeding of fruits ; but relatively 

 speaking, the results thus far accomplished are so small as to be 

 almost negligible, yet enough to give some indication of what 

 the potential possibilities are. There are perhaps a half-dozen 

 varieties of apples grown in this State at present which include 

 the bulk of the fruit that is produced here. A large proportion 

 of this bulk is doubtless made up of the Baldwin. We may as- 

 sume that, so far as experience goes, these varieties are the best 

 there are in existence for general commercial purposes here in 

 Maine. It does not follow by any means that these leading 

 varieties represent the limit of perfection attainable. On the 

 other hand it is entirely possible, even probable, that varieties 

 could be developed which on every count would excel those 

 now in existence. It would require a long time to develop a 

 new set of varieties but the field is a most promising, and to 

 me, a most alluring one. 



W'ith such improved varieties an accomplished fact, they 

 would of course take the place of old established varieties only 

 very gradually, but the change would surely come, once the 

 value of new sorts was recognized. An illustration of this 

 fact is now in progress. During the past ten or twelve years, 

 the Stayman Winesap apple has come into much prominence. 

 It is a variety of great value and it is gradually superceding the' 

 Ben Davis in real Ben Davis districts. Stayman Winesap would 

 not be likely to be of any value' in Maine. This variety is, I 

 think, doing more to check the plantir'P' of Ben Davis in many 



