114 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The field in which we labor is a vast one, and we need never think 

 to say " the work is done." But others will begin where we leave 

 off, and our failures may aid them to success. Some one of them 

 that loves to originate new varieties through hybridization may even 

 produce " a successor to the Baldwin" and our best pear and grape. 



I regret that I cannot be present, %nd await j'our report with 

 much interest. 



[From J. W. Lang, Brooks.] 



Rejyort from Waldo County. 



In this vicinity the past year it has been a fairl}- prosperous 

 season. The first of the season was wet and cool up to Jul}' 10th 

 or thereabouts. After that drj- with but little rain-fall. Apple 

 trees blossomed with great fullness and a large crop set. On the 

 approach of drouth, many fell off, and of the matured crop nearly 

 all were undersized. The crop, as a whole, was an average one. 

 Better varieties are more and more set, and grafted into older 

 orchards 3'ear after 3'ear, and we can see a steadj', though perhaps 

 slow growth in orcharding and fruit culture in Waldo couut3\ The 

 first requisite in stimulation of any branch of business is faith in 

 that business. We are getting a better faith in fruit growing, in 

 our soils, in our location, and better knowledge and better appre- 

 ciation is taking root in a healthy form. No variety of apple has 

 stronger hold or is growing in popularity more with us than that old 

 standard, the Baldwin. Home raised trees are set in larger propor- 

 tion than formerh-. Sales of trees from abroad are growing beauti- 

 fully less. No more crabs, please ! 



One evaporator, consuming thousands of bushels of best natural 

 and second quality grafted apples, has been established, and has 

 operated two seasons, in Montville, turning out a superior product 

 and doing a paying business. There are many good locations for 

 other evaporators and creameries in our county, and we hope this 

 pioneer establishment ma\' verj' soon be many times duplicated. 

 Cider apples, of which large quantities are suffered to grow, do not 

 pay for picking and manufacture. Slowly these old cider orchards 

 are dying out, or are being regrafted where practicable, and all the 

 younger trees are being pressed into bearing. 



Waldo county has man}' good orchardists scattered over its 

 extent, notable among whom are F. W. Ritchie of Winterport, A. 



