Q2, STATE POMOLOUtCAL SOCIETY. 



trees ? It has been confined to that one species of fruit. It seems 

 to me that, notwithstanding all the arguments used in favor of 

 going into other States, there are some reasons, which ought to be 

 fairly considered, why the State of Maine should grow its own ; 

 it is said that a nurseryman who undertakes to supply the demand 

 in this State, cannot find a market for them ; that is, that he has 

 not the same facilities for traveling over the State and canvassing 

 every part of it which a New York man has, and there is some 

 force in the argument. But it seems to me, so far as apple trees 

 are concerned, that this Society might encourage what would be 

 substantially a nursery in every town, not depending practically 

 on one nursery in Kennebec County, and one in Cumberland 

 County, to supply the whole State. I have seen something of 

 that, where I thought the operation has been profitable both to 

 the nurseryman and purchasers. There is this advantage about 

 it ; the farmer who wishes for fruit trees, will have an opportunity 

 to observe what kind of soil the trees which he buys are raised 

 upon. He will have an opportunity of examining them in the 

 nursery. By comparing one tree with another, he will be able to 

 see whether the tree which he thinks of buying is a thrifty tree, 

 and he can determine at once. I believe there will be so many 

 advantages, so obvious to all, that I need not dwell upon that par- 

 ticular point. Some years ago I set out an orchard. I went to a 

 neighboring nursery, saw the trees there, took out what I wanted, 

 and set them out. They were out of the ground a very few hours. 

 I believe every one of them has succeeded well. 



Mr. Crosby proceeded to urge the importance of the encourage- 

 ment, by this Society, of the formation of town and district 

 nurseries in our own State ; by this means farmers can see for 

 themselves the trees as they are growing, and can ascertain facts 

 in regard to their hardiness and productiveness ; and he thought 

 the plan a very good one, and one that should be adopted — first 

 as to apple trees and ultimately as to other kinds of trees. He 

 also urged the importance of planting seeds from the best varie- 

 ties, as influencing the character of the stocks, and thereby of the 

 fruit grafted upon them, illustrating his remarks by a statement of 

 his own experience. 



Hon. G. W. Woodman, of Portland. I do not understand that 

 the question under discussion refers to apple trees alone, but 

 rather that it embraces fruit trees of all kinds. It is the duty of 

 this society to create an opinion about it, and to give tone, vitality 



