48 STATE POMOLO<JlCAL SOCIETY. 



variety, and the location to wiiicli it was adapted, and then the persist- 

 ent "tree agent" could be met with this list, and if it was not there refer 

 him to j-our local experiment station to have his tree or plant tested and 

 the time would come when he would make few^ sales of such stock com- 

 pai-ed with what are being sold to-day. 



W'e have many inquiries as to what varieties of fruit shall be set ; that 

 is all right, for it makes a vast difference whethei' the orchard is set with 

 the best or worthless varieties. I say woi-thless, for it is a fact that some 

 of the varieties sold bv the tree agent, with his little book full of fancy, 

 high-colored plates, are absoluteh' worthless, for certain sections at least, 

 and an absolute damage to the fruit grower who takes them and sets 

 them out. 



It would be more to the advantage of our State and an object for which 

 this society should put forth more energy, to stimulate t'^e desire and 

 cause more inquiry to be made as to how we shall take better care of 

 what trees we have already set. As we travel through our State what 

 proportion, think you, have fairly good treatment, to say nothing of the 

 best treatment that would be profitable to the owner? I will hazard the 

 estimate that not one in ten receive such care and attention. Many trees 

 are planted out, a small proportion of them receive care for a time, and 

 in a few years are left to care for themselves; and it is surprising to see 

 the results that have been attained in this State even with this kind of 

 management, showing that the soil and climate of our good old State of 

 Maine are peculiarly suited to the raising of apples of the finest quality. 

 I verily believe that if every apple tree in our State should receive proper 

 treatment for the next ten years the apple crop would come very near, if 

 not quite, at the top as one of the productions of our farms. And the 

 attainment of this condition is a worthy object for which to put forth 

 our best efforts, and in this way sliow the tax-payers of the State that 

 we are worthy of all the help that we have received at their hands. 



As a contrast to the general condition of our orchards one was visited 

 the past season which is owned by one of our members and one who has 

 taken a deep interest in our Society. I think I may say that it is a model 

 fruit farm, containing as it does some 1,500 trees, all kinds of small fruits 

 and many varieties of each kind, and everv tree and each plant showed 

 by its appearance that it had received the best of care and attention in 

 every respect. In cultivation and fertilization there was no lack; in 

 pruning, care had been given each tiee as it required from the time it 

 was set, showing that it is seldom necessary to remove large limbs from 

 a growing tree; the foliage was of the proper tint of green; no borers 

 found a safe abiding place in their trunks ; no worm's nes's disfigured 

 their branches; the ground was perfect!}' level and smooth; the small 

 fruits and vegetables (for they were in connection were entirelv desti- 

 tute of weeds; the hedge rows of raspberries, blackberries, currants and 

 gooseberries being in perfect order, all trimmed and cared for, as nearly 

 as I could see, to perfection. And some of the results of such care were 

 to be seen, as the strawberrv l)eds were literally red with large, luscious 



