STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 77 



aeen improvement in some directions. My nurser}- was by tlae 

 public road and advertised itself. The prospect for sales was 

 good. A hard winter set its mark on some varieties, and a nursery 

 will catch drifting snow. I began to move the trees to the brush 

 heap. A few years later saw tiie last of that nursery turned to 

 ashes. I never was pai I ten cents a day for the time I had given it. 



After my experience, nursery business tempted several others. 

 Captain Webber of Guilford, H. L. Leland of Saugerville, and 

 other good farmers raised trees to supply themselves and neighbors. 



I must leave tUe "Progress of Orcharding" in the ivay back, as I 

 have myself l^ecorae a "'back number." I stocked my small place 

 early and hurriedly for fruit and shade, and little room was left for 

 additions, and I have had little time for experiments — have not 

 taken many of the apples claiming attention. 



PEARS. 



Very few pear trees were in the county at the time I was grafting. 

 I had scions, but seldom a call to set them. 



On my new place I started but few varieties. Of these, the Flemish 

 Beauty gave best results. The trees made good growth and soon 

 gave large crops of fair fruit at a time when it was generally being 

 discarded by reason of its cracking. The tree was weak and sub- 

 ject to early decay at the branching point ; and in subsequent years 

 several trees went down with an overload of fruit. I set several 

 dwarf trees, and deep snows soon destroyed them. There is no 

 apparent reason why pears may not be grown here to a home supply. 

 Pears brought to this village are mostly from the near towns in 

 Penobscot count}^ My experience with pear trees handled by the 

 trade is, they prove false to the attached label in most cases. 



PLUMS. 



This fruit received early attention. The native ''Canada Red" 

 and other better ones of various colors were quite common when the 

 first apples appeared. The ease of obtaining the trees by their habit 

 of suckering, and from their early production when grown from 

 seed, favored their early appearance at most homes — they circulated 

 without price. One of the best was white and very late in season, 

 answering well to "White Damson" of Downing. One of dark 

 color, (the "Wheat Plum" — called by some who liked to have 

 things named) was very good and productive. 



