STATU POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 53 



extent : these trees were grown upon the farms where planted or in 

 the near vicinity, and in the virgin soil grew healthy and thrifty, 

 coming early into bearing and producing abundant crops. Later, a 

 portion of these trees were grafted, but the work not being well done, 

 the operator usually standing upon the ground and grafting such 

 limbs as were within his reach, leaving the most thrifty part of the 

 tree unchanged, together with the selection of varieties (largely 

 Baldwins) not adapted to the climate, the results were not satisfac- 

 tory nor profitable and did much to discourage future efforts in the 

 gi'owing of improved fruit. As I have said, the average farmer has 

 given but little thought or attention to orcharding and this neglect 

 and ignorance has given the irrepressible and irresponsible western 

 tree agent a fruitful field for operation. 



From experience and observation I feel safe in making the state- 

 ment that the trees that have been sent into this county through the 

 orders given to tree agents have been entirely unsuited to our con- 

 ditions and have pi-oven as a rule complete failures. Among those 

 earliest brought in I doubt if one out of fifty lived to produce fruit. 

 Later, orders given under the assurance of obtaining " iron clads," 

 producing fruit far superior to the old well known varieties, have 

 lived better, but what has the farmer got for the money paid out. 

 paying seventv-five cents and 81.00 for each tree? A lot of crab 

 trees worse than useless, "Ben Davis," " Hass," "Mann," and 

 "Chase's Golden"; the last extolled as one of the most valuable 

 varieties, it being nothing better however than a seedling originat- 

 ing in this count3- with no rnei-it whatever to recommend it. There 

 may be locations where these " iron clads" are needed because more 

 valuable varieties can not be grown ; but decidedly we have no use 

 for them in Piscataquis count}', and the sooner our farmers learn the 

 fact the better it will be for the fruit growing interests and the pock- 

 ets of our people. 



There have been among us frequent attempts at growing nursery 

 stock, and although these efforts have not generally been profitable 

 pecuniaril}-, yet out of these nurseries of well grown trees we have 

 obtained our best orchards. I think our farmers are learning this 

 truth. If the}' had learned it sooner it would have saved them a 

 good many hard earned dollars, beside all the disappointments and 

 delays that have come through the purchase of western trees. 



To sum up, as I propose to make this paper brief, m}' experience 

 and observation teaches me that our reliance for successful fruit grow- 



