148 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



As one of the founders of the Maine State Pomological Soci- 

 ety, as its president at different times for a long period, he 

 aided in laying the foundation deep and strong for what today is 

 an organization of power and influence. We who labor under 

 more favorable conditions must not lose sight of the long years 

 of tliought and effort necessary to give this society a secure 

 position with the State and insure that aid without which it 

 could not exist. Carrying into his study of pomology the same 

 spirit of investigation manifest elsewhere, backed as it was 

 with a high conception of the possible value of the fruit indus- 

 try, he labored incessantly for a wise discrimination in selec- 

 tion of location and varieties, and for that care necessary to 

 insure fruit of highest quahty. Perhaps his most enduring 

 work on fruit problems has been to strengthen desire for the 

 few varieties best suited to the State of Maine. In knowledge 

 of these he was an authority recognized throughout New Eng- 

 land. How much of the later growth and prosperity of this 

 society, and the industry, is due to his wise counsels, earnest 

 words and faithful work cannot be estimated, but those whose 

 good fortune it has been to labor with him in his field willingly 

 bear testimony to his leadership. His wa;s the type of sturdy 

 American manhood which saves, equalizes and promotes the 

 better conception of rural life. He was a loyal son of Maine. 

 He believed in the agricultural possibilities of the State. He 

 loved rural life. He delighted in good crops, well bred and 

 selected stock, and an abundant harvest of fruit. He had little 

 use for the light and trivial but every movement looking to the 

 betterment of the town, the school, the church, the home, 

 found in him a warm advocate, a loyal defender, a persistent 

 worker. His wise counsels in our grange gatherings, institutes 

 and frulit sessions have been treasured by thousands who have 

 caught from him a new vision of life, and been lifted to a higher 

 level of attainments. His devotion was manifest in attendance 

 upon the Field Day at Highmoor only a few days before his 

 death. On that occasion he said to the writer, "I am not good 

 for anything but I could not stay away. I wanted to see what 

 is being done for better fruit and shake hands with old friends." 

 Maine waits the coming of the man to take up the work witK 

 his spirit, carry it forward with his determination, and protect 



