90 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



tion, and he will tell 3-ou just what the probable effect would be upon 

 fruit culture for every ten or fifteen degrees of 3'early average 

 difference. It is not the sudden and short-lived dropping of the 

 thermometer to thirt}' or fort}' degrees below zero that seriously 

 affects fruit culture — we frequenth' have that in Kennebec County — 

 bui it is the shorter average season and the stead}' average of cold 

 below zero. I am confident that, while I can make fruit culture 

 successful in my present location, I could not do as well a mile awaj' 

 in the valley, not so much because of a difference in soil as the 

 difference in temperature. And if such be the case here with me, 

 what must it not be in man}' parts of Oxford and in Franklin counties ? 

 Now, if I was on the top of Mt. Abram, it would not take me long 

 to decide whether a Baldwin or one of Dr. Hoskins' Iron-Clads would 

 grow there. I should know they would not ; neither would they grow 

 and be productive down in the village of Salem, in the valley ; but I 

 would clear a nice little spot one-third of the way up on the eastern 

 side, having the forest on the north and west as a protection, and 

 there plant a Baldwin and expect it to grow ; no, I will not joke, I 

 should plant a small orchard of such varieties as had been tested for 

 a like latitude. 



How is it in Aroostook County? I learn from Mr. E W. Merritt 

 of Houlton, who has canvassed the State pretty thoroughly, that, 

 while detached positions in some of the more northerly towns of the 

 county, such as Mars Hill, Mapleton, Castle Hill, Perham, and even 

 as far north as New Sweden, are favorable to fruit culture of certain 

 varieties for home use, it is impossible at present to make the busi- 

 ness profitable. Ho considers fourteen miles above Houlton as about 

 the northerly limit to fruit culture in Aroostook County. He says 

 there are places in Houlton where it would be impossible to make a 

 tree grow, and other places where all that you have to do is to set 

 out your tree and it will grow and thrive if protected from cattle and 

 mice. Furthermore, that the whole towns of Linneus and Hodgdon, 

 with parts of Littleton and Monticello, are of this character and also 

 large portions of the county west and south of Houlton. The lead- 

 ing varieties in Aroostook County are Tetofsky, Red Astrachan. New 

 Brunswick, Duchess, Alexander, Faraeuse, "Wealthy, and Blue Pear- 

 main, and these, after a thorough trial, are considered reliable and 

 profitable. Other varieties raised and which have proved good and 

 hardy, though not taking the lead yet, are Summer Harvey, Sops of 

 Wine, Williams' Favorite, Canada Baldwin, Haas, Mcintosh Red, 



