STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 119 



SOME ASPECTS OF FRUIT CULTURE IN SAGADAHOC COUNTY. 

 By J. W. Lang. 



Sagadahoc County lies in the southern and consequent!}- the best 

 fruit belt of the State. It has its territory pierced by the lower 

 Kennebec, with its branches of Sasanoa and Back rivers forming 

 the island towns of Arrowsic and Georgetown ; and its south is 

 bounded by the Androscoggin River near its confluence with the Ken- 

 nebec, through the medium of Merry-Meeting Bay. Its geography 

 is further diversified physically by the Abagadassett, the Cathance 

 and the Muddy rivers, all flowing into the great common water of 

 Merry-Meeting Ba}'. It will thus be seen that we have considerable 

 climatic modification and conditions dependent upon and caused by 

 influence of these waters. One of these conditions is a considerable 

 humidity. The county borders upon the ocean, and ocean waters, in 

 the towns of Woolwich, Arrowsic, Georgetown, Phipsburg, Bath 

 and West Bath. 



The apple is particularly at home on our rocky ridges and lighter 

 clay loams. There is considerable gravel loam and the heavier 

 sands, where orcharding thrives quite well. Being so easy of access 

 by water this count}' was earlv settled, and many of its towns have 

 now already celebrated their centennials. The early settlers planted 

 seeds of the apple about their dwellings, and there are many vestiges 

 of these first orchards. The generations succeeding also planted or- 

 chards, and these, before the art of engrafting became known and 

 practiced by the people, while they bore abundant crops from the 

 strong and unreduced soil, were in many instances fit for little else 

 than feed or cider, and were mostly used for the ' ; i The best 

 were used for food, but for time out of mind great quantities of cider 

 have been annually made, and this has had its influence on the temper- 

 ance question of the section. 



The younger or later orchards are of improved fruit ; but enough 

 of old natural trees are left to suppl}' several cider mills in nearly 

 every town with a good fall's work, and enough cider is made to 

 keep a great many of the boys and young men in the downward 

 road, that for too many of them can end but in a drunkard's grave. 

 The product of cider is far greater than any demand of market, or 

 promise of profit for working into vinegar. The writer conceives 



