82 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



varieties mentioned were several of the stern iron-clads of the 

 rigid North somewhere, — I do not know where they are good, — but 

 not one of the standard varieties. The fruit exhibited on the third 

 table was all raised in Piscataquis county, and we are showing it 

 under the most disadvantageous circumstances that we have ever 

 showed fruit. We have sold our finest fruit, without thinking of 

 saving it for this meeting. But if you examine our fruit you will 

 find all the standard varieties that you find in any part of the State ; 

 though I will admit that several of those varieties are not a first-class 

 apple in Piscataquis county, among them the Baldwin. I am not 

 going to say we do not raise Baldwins, but I will admit that we do 

 not raise such Baldwins as I see in Kennebec and Franklin counties, 

 and farther south. I have never had a tree of any kind winter kill 

 and I bave had all varieties. In our climate we can grow all the 

 varieties, but the Baldwin is not what we suppose it to be in the 

 southern part of the State. It may be ihat we have not given it 

 the care that we ought. We have been very remiss in not giving 

 our trees proper care. We put them out anywhere and expect 

 them to take care of themselves. We have been more negligent in 

 that respect than you who are farther south of us, but we are doing 

 better work than ever before. If a cow is tied to a stake she will 

 starve in a short time ; a tree is tied and has got to be fed or it will 

 starve to death. 



It is sometimes supposed that we are away up in the frigid zone. 

 I remember that Brother Knowlton and myself some years ago 

 were being driven from Presque Isle toward the Northwest, and it 

 was an exceedingly cold day. I said to the driver "this is fear- 

 ful." He said, "the North Pole is just up here " And I thought 

 we had got pretty well up toward the North Pole ; but we in 

 Piscataquis county are not there. To illustrate our climatic condi- 

 tion, as compared with that farther south by what is planted here ; 

 twenty-five years ago next August the Board of Agriculture held 

 its first meeting in Piscataquis county. It was then a condition 

 imposed on the Board that an annual meeting should be held in 

 close proximity to the State College, and that the faculty and stu- 

 dents of the college should be in attendance. We considered this 

 close proximity, and the meeting was held here, the faculty' and 

 students being present. 



Brother Chamberlain invited the Board, and especially the stu- 

 dents, to visit his place up here on Main street. It was then in its 

 prime ; his gardens, fruit orchards and grapes were then in a con- 



