42 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the State, to watch our Legislature work. We have to go to 

 them sometimes when we do not Hke to. If we as horticultural 

 societies all over the land could join together and decide upon 

 one box, and decide upon the way of packing and things like 

 that, why we should not have to go to the Legislatures of the 

 different States or to our National Congress. But that is not 

 the case now. The farmers do not care to join together that 

 ^^ay. In Canada — Bro. Craig has just spoken for them — they 

 have the Fruit Marks Act. Now I do not believe he thinks 

 that the Canadian fruit is better than the Maine fruit. But it 

 sells higher in the London markets. So I think it is a duty upon 

 every citizen to watch our Legislatures, watch and see what the 

 men are doing there, and in some way get in touch with them. 

 They are willing to hear from us and many times are willing 

 to grant our petitions. Now there is another way of doing this 

 thing — if the Pomological Society could in some way come in 

 contact wnth our Granges all over the State, and have them dis- 

 cuss the Pomological subjects, and have them join hands with 

 us in the legislative work, I think it would be of great benefit. 

 And let the Pomological Society have one point before all the 

 citizens. — that a farm with its dairy, and a farm with its poultry, 

 and a farm with its swine, is not complete unless we have a 

 well-trimmed and a well-cultivated orchard of well colored fruit 

 on it. 



John W. True, of New Gloucester: The officers have pre- 

 pared annually a premium list and a program, and they have 

 used all the intelligence they have, I know, to give us an edu- 

 cational exhibit and educational meetings, and for me to suggest 

 things for them to give us in addition, it seems to me is, well — 

 something that I cannot do ; because, as he has said, they had 

 wdien they commenced $500 from the State — the rest has come 

 from private individuals. That $500 was to be given in prem- 

 iums and all the expenses were to be footed by the individuals. 

 Then it was increased to $1000, and since that increase to 

 $1000 the fruit industry, I am quite sure, has more than doubled 

 in this State. Just think of the importance of this fruit industry 

 to this State today and compare it with what it was in 1873. 

 Why, you can hardly imagine the strides that it has made and 

 that it is making every year. Now one of the first things, it 

 seems to mc, that it is necessary for us to do is to ask for more 



