58 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The Secretary read a letter from Mr. Daniel Haines of Parkman 

 (Somerset Co.), in which he says : 



" Having had some experience in the raising of apple trees, I 

 Bend you a brief account of the same. In the fall of 1867, 1 sowed 

 about one-eighth of an acre. Grafted them in the spring of 1869, 

 "when they wore about one-third of an inch in diameter, cutting the 

 stocks close to the ground. I let them stand in nursery rows two 

 years, before transplanting, at which time they had attained an 

 average growth of six feet. Of these trees I set two hundred and 

 fifty for my own use, all of which are alive and several of them 

 blossomed the last season ; also sold to other parties a consider- 

 able number, which also flourished finely. 



"In the fall of 1870, I sowed one acre more, and in 1871, three 

 acres. Last spring I grafted nine thousand of those sown in 1870 ; 

 and these made an average growth of three and a half feet the last 

 season. The remainder, about seventy thousand, will be grafted 

 the coming spring. 



" The ground on which these trees were grown had been in grass 

 several years ; was plowed, and manured at the rate of ten cords 

 new manure to the acre, and planted to potatoes. After the pota- 

 toes were harvested, it was plowed and harrowed and sown with 

 apple pomace, in rows three and a half feet apart, — the trees 

 standing about six inches apart in the rows. Great care has been 

 used in obtaining the best scions." 



[The writer proceeds to speak of the failure of trees from abroad, 

 citing examples, and urging substantially the same objections as 

 those given in the preceding paper, and concludes as follows :] 

 " I would say that it is not necessary to buy my trees to be suc- 

 cessful in raising an orchard ; but my experience and observation 

 teach me that Maine trees are best adapted to Maine soil and cli- 

 mate." 



Discussion of the Subject. 



The President. — Gentlemen will bear in mind that it is not the 

 purpose of this Society to make war upon " New York trees," by 

 any means ; neither do we propose to be an advertising medium 

 for nurserymen. The subject under consideration is " Shall the 

 State of Maine grow her own fruit trees, instead of purchasing 

 them from abroad ? " — and it is still open for discussion. 



