REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Herewith the Secretary submits his anuual report. It is to a large 

 degree formal, l)ut during a year's work aud a study of conditious 

 and results there are matters that seem to commeud it to the careful 

 perusal of the fruit growers of Maine. 



THE FRUIT CROP. 



For the past ten or a dozen years there has been no general failui-e in 

 the apple crop in Maine. Localities, for reasons as yet unknown, have 

 had light crops, while others have had heavy crops. The 189.5 crop was 

 probably the smallest in all these years, and the failure was more gen- 

 eral than in any other year during the time. The crop was very light, 

 aud worse than all, the quality was inferioi-. The cause of the short crop 

 has been quite freely discussed, but no general conclusion seems to be 

 reached. Among the causes noticed by the Secretarj', a few may deserve 

 a place in this report. Our leading varieties have borne fruit for several 

 successive years, heavy crops in some cases. Except in rare instances 

 the orchards have received no special attention in the way of dressing or 

 care, and many of the trees suftei'iug from the effects of the scab 

 fungus in 1894 were unable to develop fruit buds for a crop in 1895. 

 The orchards that received the best treatment bore the most fruit, 

 but even this was inferior to the product of oi'dinary j-ears. Some 

 have claimed that it was the frost in the spring that caused the failure in 

 the crop. This could not be the case, for as alreadj- stated, few if 

 any fruit buds were developed the year before. This deserves special 

 notice as it brings into prominence the fact that a spring frost rarely, if 

 ever aft'ects the apple blossoms in Maine. In this respect we have the 

 most favorable climatic conditions for apple growing. The qualitj' of 

 the fruit was inferior in consequence of the scab, the codling worm and 

 the trypeta pomonella. The results reached in spraj-ing emphasize its 

 importance, and it is not far away when successful fruit growers in the 

 State will spraj- their trees to destroy the scab and codling worm. The 

 spread of the trypeta is a cause of alarm among fruit growers, since no 

 eftective, practicable remedy is known. With its life history so well 

 known it is hoped that our experiment station maj'- be able to discover 

 some effective means of holding the desti'uctive pest in check. 



The prices have been low, although choice lots have sold readilj-. 



