122 STATE POMOLOGICA.L SOCIETY^ 



OKCHAKDING IN SOMERSET COUNTT. 

 By Fkank E. Nowell. 



Has the Maine State Poraological Societ}' given an}- force to fruit- 

 raising in our county? I think it has, for in travelling over Somerset 

 County we see signs of marked improvement in fruit growing during 

 the last twelve years, not onl}' improving and caring for old orchards, 

 but also in the planting of young trees. You can see fine fruit in 

 the southern half of the county of both fall and winter varieties. 

 This is in part, I claim, due to the advanced markets, and in part tO' 

 influence of the Poraological Society, although there are not as many 

 members as there should be in the county, still I am glad to say itS' 

 reports are read by the firesides of manj- of our orchardists, and the 

 future will show that its recommendations are silently working an 

 influence for good. It is a fact there is a decided improvement in 

 growing apples for profit in this county. You will find orchards set 

 out of our native stock where the tops have been properly grafted, 

 are yielding good, paying crops. One great trouble is, we see too- 

 many varieties in small orchards, and generally too much fall fruit, 

 for profit. Another misfortune is in having two and three varieties- 

 on one tree. This should be avoided. A chief objection is, it makes- 

 a great trouble and extra work at gathering time. 



I believe in Maine-grown trees for Maine orchards. You can buy 

 trees to-day that are grown in native nurseries at less price than the 

 Western trees can be bought for, and it is my idea they are far 

 superior for the cold hillsides of central and northern Maine. 

 Another thing. In buying Western trees of agents one is apt to get 

 duped sometimes. To illustrate : Four years ago oue of my neighbors 

 bought seventy-five western trees from an agent. The varieties bought, 

 as he supposed, were Baldwin, Russet, Talman Sweet and Nod- 

 head. I helped him set them out in checks twenty-four feet apart. 

 The}' looked first-rate and grew well, as they all lived. Of course 

 he was much pleased with his trees. Well, the next year ten of them 

 bore apples of the crab variet}'. The second year more crabs ap- 

 peared and the third year they all bloomed with crabs. So much for 

 buying fruit trees of travelling men recommending stock from firms 

 we have never heard of. This, I grant, is an exceptional case, for 

 I have had some experience with western trees in the last twenty 



