STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 81 



one took trees ; and as they were told that they could plant them 

 on any rocky ground. — the more stones the better, — they would 

 select some old, rocky field, as "he cattle would destroy them in the 

 pastures, and make a hole and stick them in. I think the result 

 is very evident. In the fall of the year the cattle had the range of 

 the whole farm and if these trees started at all the stock would 

 of course destroy them ; or if any escaped, the winter snow and 

 ice would use them up The next year more trees would be 

 wanted, and the venders would come around with a hardier vari- 

 ety, and so it went on. The farmers were continually buying 

 trees, and the trees were continually going out ; money 

 going out and the trees going out with it, so that an orchard 

 of New York trees in Piscataquis county that is of any age is very 

 rare. It is an exception, although you will find a few of these 

 trees. In recent years better trees have come in from the West, 

 or if not better trees better care has been given them, and we are 

 getting now some young orchards that are well cared for and show 

 that they are going to be profitable. But our best orchards are 

 from home grown trees. Quite a number of men from different 

 parts of the county have been in this business somewhat. 



That is about the condition of our orcharding in Piscataquis 

 county to-day. We have still these old trees which ought to be 

 cut down and gotten out of the way. Why they are allowed to 

 encumber the ground I know not, unless it is on account of the 

 veneration we feel for them. I know that I felt badly when I saw 

 the trees being cut down in the orchard which my grandfather 

 planted, near the place where I lived. We did not as boys have 

 fruit on our farm, but I remember we always got some amongst 

 the other trees somehow. It was supposed that boys forty years 

 ago would get apples if they were very apple hungry ; but it is not 

 supposed so now, — there has been a great improvement in boys. 



Last summer Prof. Munson sent out from the college a bulletin 

 of varieties of fruit adapted to different sections of the State. I 

 had a bulletin at the time, but have mislaid it, and shall have to 

 quote from memory. I was reading that bulletin one day, 1 thiok 

 it was Sunday. I was alone in the kitchen, — my family were in 

 the sitting-room. In reading that I made some noise, I think I 

 smiled out loud, and my wife came out to find out what was amus- 

 ing me. I said "One of those college chaps has issued a 

 bulletin about fruits in Piscataquis county." I think among the 

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