STATE POMOLOGICAl. SOCIEXr. 37 



revclatious than have yet beeu made. We are not content to plant 

 and grow crops as our fathers did for, we believe in utilizing all that 

 has been learned, and at the same time we believe it to be our duty 

 to search for more knowledge. 



For years past horticultural societies have devoted their efforts 

 mainly to the introduction of the best fruits and their cultivation. 

 This was the work most needed in the past, and its importance is as 

 imperative as ever, but it occurs to me the time has now come when 

 more attention should be given to the dissemination of a knowledge 

 of the invaluable qualities of fruit. This is of special importance to 

 our own society, for here in Maine the apple crop is becoming one 

 of our most valuable agricultural products. As the orchards have 

 increased in size and number more apples have be^n used in the 

 State, but we are confident that with a more complete kn wledge of 

 the various ways in which fruit ma}' be economically used in our 

 domestic life, a much larger quantity would be used by the growers, 

 while thousands of others would be leady to avail themselves of the 

 information our combined wisdom may be able to offer. 



Our country is large and embraces all the variations of climate 

 between the Arctic and Torrid Zones. Almost every variety of 

 fruit known is produced in some part of the country. The succulent 

 fruits of the citrus family are successfully grown in the Southern 

 States and California, Grapes and other fruits are also grown in 

 their greatest perfection. The rapid transportation of these fruits 

 to all parts of ^the country brings them into direct competition with 

 Maine apples. I have frequently noticed our fruit stores and 

 stands ; where there is one basket of choice apples there are numer- 

 ous baskets and crates of oranges, lemons and other fruits. 

 Bananas, grapes, peaches, pineapples, in fact not only the fruits 

 grown in the United States are in open competition with our apples, 

 but those also grown in other parts of the world. Let us teach the 

 world that in economic value the apple leads them all. 



As a rule people know when they obtain a superior article of fruit. 

 There is an autumn apple grown in my own county, called the Rus- 

 sell. I know of no apple of equal quality in its season, either for 

 dessert or cooking. At the same time last fall there was an abun- 

 dance of autumn apples in our markets, but they were sold from forty 

 to sixty cents per bushel, while the Russell sold readily for $1.00. 

 The quality made the difference. 



Our President told me that he sent his Gravensteins to Boston 

 with a few King Tompkins early in the winter. The former sold 



