48 STATE POMOLOQICAL SOCIETY. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION 



Held in connection with the Winter Meeting of the Society, 

 AT Augusta, January 28th and 29th, 1874. 



FIRST DAY. 



After a prelirainary meeting of the Society, held pursuant to the 

 vote of adjournment at Bangor, the Fruit Growers' Convention 

 assembled in the Hall of the House of Representatives, the use of 

 which had been kindly tendered by the House for that [)urpose, on 

 the 28th day of January, 18U, at 2 o'clock, P. M. 



The Convention was called to order by the President, Z. A. 

 Gilbert, Esq., who said : 



Gentlemen : — We have associated ourselves together for the 

 purpose of promoting an interest which we believe needs the fos- 

 tering care of those who are interested in it. Fruit-growing, we 

 believe, may be made a profitable branch of productive industry 

 in this State. We believe that it should be encouraged, and that 

 by the encouragement of the friends of the Pomological Society, 

 it may be vastly increased ; and that, too, to the great advantage 

 of all who are or may be engaged in it. 



We claim that our State has a soil and climate peculiarly adapted 

 to the production of certain kinds of fruit, which are in great 

 demand in the markets of the world ; and for this reason, if for no 

 other, should we engage largely in their production. 



In order to give the subject of fruit culture increased attention, 

 and bring it more prominently before the people, our organization 

 was instituted. It is believed that by organized effort, we can 

 hold the matter up and turn it over to the view of the people of 

 the State, and interest them in it more than has been done hereto- 

 fore. This we shall endeavor to do. That is the object of our 

 coming together on this occasion. 



And in the first place, we desire our number of menib(MB largely 

 increased. We need the assistance of all thfe leading fruit s^rowers 

 in the State. We want all of them to come forward and join our 

 Society, and lend us a helping hand in the work wliicli we have 

 before us. 



As an opening exercise of this meeting, let me say, we have 

 chosen a subject which lies at the foundation of fruit growing. 



