STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



holders that our farmers are striving for the attainment of the 

 utmost excellence in the productions of these standcird fruits. 

 The practiced eye could easil}^ detect the unfailing signs ot care- 

 less culture or lack of taste in selection of varieties on sonie of 

 the tables, though it is but just to say that very fev\^ such cases 

 were noticed. When we heard young enthusiastic men discus- 

 sing the proper conditions of successful fruit culture, and com- 

 paring various specimens, noting variations of form and color 

 developed in various localities, under difterent circuumstances, we 

 concluded that pomological science was penetrating the minds of 

 many who had formerly lived in listless inditference to the highest 

 demands of the age as it relates to true pomology. 



The list of premiums offered in the various classes and divis- 

 ions aggregated nearly $700, being much less than that of last 

 year, yet sufficient to induce a lively competition among exhibit- 

 ors, and although several counties were scarce!}^ represented in the 

 exhibition, there was but little available space left unfilled w^ith 

 plates of choice fruit or floral and vegetable contributions. The 

 sections of the State best represented were Androscoggin, Cum- 

 berland, Oxford and Kennebec counties. York, Somerset, Pe- 

 nobscot and Lincoln were represented by several displays of great 

 merit, and formed very distinguished features of the grand col- 

 lection." ****** 



From the Piscataqnis Observer. — \_By J. R. B.^ 



"The Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Maine State Pomologi- 

 cal Society, was held at City Hall, Lewiston, Sept. 24, 26. The 

 display of fruit and flowers was ihe largest ever made in this 

 State. 249 premiums were oflered amounting to $748.50 and 

 some 1200 entries were made by exhibitors. The weather was 

 favorable, but the attendance of visitors v/as much smaller than 

 was to be desired. I am afraid the name is choking the associa- 

 tion. When I asked people if they were going to the Pomologi- 

 cal exhibition, the ans.ver would be, "The tvhat?" Then they 

 would use me for a dictionary. But after a person has once 

 walked among tables spread as for a banquet of the gods, and 

 breatned the air perfumed by a thousand flowers, he loses his 

 dread for this hybrid of Latin and Greek, and would come again 

 next year it the name of the Society were twice as long. 



Tuesday was the liveliest day, although the public was not 

 admitted till evening. Like cob houses (and costlier ones, per- 

 haps) a great fair gives most pleasure, not in the completed state, 

 but in the preparation. The bustle of the morning, when bun- 

 dles, boxes, barrels, and crates of every description are brought 

 in and opened before your curious eyes, is not to be compared 

 with the mummified state of things that follows. Though every- 

 body is in a hurry, yet people are now, for the most part, pleas- 

 ant and communicative. Each man believes that in his barrel lies 



