ORCHARD NOTES. 1 55 



nizecl by the management that such studies are eminently 

 desirable. 



It is possible, as illustrated by the studies which the Station 

 has made upon the potato, to carry on successfully in co-opera- 

 tion with farmers, studies upon an annual crop. It is not prac- 

 ticable however, to carry on fundamental investigations upon a 

 crop requiring many years for its growth, upon land and in 

 orchards which are not under absolute control, for a long period 

 of years. Valuable as the results are that have been obtained 

 through the co-operation of Mr. Pope, obviously experiments 

 extending over long series of years could not be undertaken. 

 Recognizing this, the fruit interests of the State asked the legis- 

 lature of 1907 to consider the question of purchasing for the 

 use of the Station a farm that should be located in the apple 

 growing section of the State and provided with orchards and 

 equipment suitable for pomological investigations. The organ- 

 ized agricultural interests of the State, including the State 

 Pomological Society, the State Dairyman's Association and the 

 State Grange, passed resolutions asking that such opportunity 

 for orchard investigations be provided. At the legislative hear- 

 ing many appeared in favor of the bill, and no one in opposition, 

 and so far as known the matter was not opposed by any member 

 of the legislature. For some reason not clearly evident, the 

 legislature, on the recommendation of the committee on agri- 

 culture, voted to refer the matter of the purchase of a farm to 

 the legislature of 1909. 



Early in the winter of 1907, Professor Munson received a 

 flattering invitation to leave the Maine Station and take up work 

 elsewhere. At that time it was confidently expected that the 

 legislature would provide a farm and opportunities for pomo- 

 logical research. With that thought in mind, this offered posi- 

 tion was declined and Professor Munson decided to remain 

 with the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, as. he believed 

 there to be a valuable field for investigation and he confidently 

 hoped that facilities would be provided. After the adjournment 

 of the legislature, an offer came to him from West Virginia 

 which he accepted, largely because the opportunities which were 

 there offered along pomological lines were so much greater than 

 the Maine Station had or was likely to have in the near future. 



