The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-09-24

| and to higher appreciation OF the works oil
the Creator. Thus by the obstacles we meet
| are we made to enjoy the success which follows,
and are irresistibly spurred on in our efforts to
| beautify and adorn the earth on which We live,
| and thereby render it more enjoyable to our
| fellow man.
Our mission we believe to be a worthy one.
| All are ready to acknowledge the influence
| of the cultivation of fruits and flowers on our
higher natures. Without fears of being open
to accusations of unjust egotism we say that
| we feel proud of every individual who has en-
rolled himself as member of our society,"
While we never shoald lose sight of the in
| fiuence of our exhibitions, we should remember
that all the influence we hope to exert, all the
the good we hope to work out. is not wrought
| through display of the productions we would
foster and encourage. Highly as we value the
aesthetic influence of horticulture and f1oricul-
| ture, we must bear in mind that the greatest
Infunece comes through the highest success.
Hence we must labor totdssemnate knowledge
as well as awaken enthusiasm since we know,
that through knowledge success is achieved.
we also know that man cannot 1--we on the
beautiful alone. Attention then must be given
to material prosperity. Our labors must not
then be directed altogether in any one channel, ,
| but must be diverted into all the channels
| where we would make our influence felt.
| While through our exhibition we reach
goodly number of those we would benefit, yet
far more do we and shall we reach through
the printers art. Operating from this stand
point, in addition to coming before the people
through the newspapers of the day, our society
at the close of the first year of its existence
| issued printed report of its proceedings for
| the year. This was sent out in the faith, that
] though quiet worker and silent teacher, it
| would have mission of usefulness more ex-
| tended than the echo of the voices which gave
utterance to its contents, We hope to make
| it more useful in future issues
All over the state are lands now of small
value-which, if planted out to apples and
| pears, would in few years be so greatly in
| creased in value by the growth Of the fruit
| trees as to prove better investment than any
popular security in the market. Many cases
| have been cognzant of where this was the
case All OF you perhaps have read of the Or
| chard planted by the late r.. L. Pell of New
| York, who thought to plant couple of thou
sand trees for his son, thinking if they brought
| an annual income of only single dollar
apiece that his son would thereby secure an in
| come that would at least place him above want.
| He continued to plant until his orchard extend
| ed over two hundred acres, and himself realized
| a fortune therefrom.
We must also give more attention to obtain
| ing good fruit. Therein, more than in any 9TH
| er direction, doEwe find the profits. Also we
| must cultivate as principal crOD only those
| Kinds from which we can obtain the desired re-
suits. In this direction there is great need of
| knowledge among the masses. Many are the
ANNOUNCEMENTS arising from this cause alone.
How many are now planting out crab trees, where
| porter, nodhead, OF hubbardston may as
well yield its luscious fruit in vastly greater
quantities. How many, too, are planting infe-
rior kinds. where the best may as well be
grown? IT'S our mission to diffuse informa-
ton and correct such practices.
With view to the preparation of q reliable
list of fruits for Maine at the winter meeting
OF the society last January committee was
raised to prepare list which the society can
endorse. They now have the matter under con-
sideratlon, and, without doubt, will, in due
time, report
Our l.,fu ;S
one may see who examines the labelling of the
several collections of fruit on exhibition. This
should not be; and the society collectively, aud
members individually, should labor to correct
the evil. We want to designate the different
varieties of fruit by their correct names. To
aid in doing this the society early appointed
standing committees of fruits among whose
duties should be correcting all errors in no.
menclature." That duty has not heretofore
been attended to, and at this exhibition is being
entirely neglected. The society should at once
take measures which will lead to more desra-
BILE results
While the society can do but little, perhaps,
IN the way OF testing new varieties, it can do
something in the way of introducing new vari-
cites which have proved of value in other Sec
lions, and the members can do much-and, we
have no doubt are willing to do it-in testing
their value here. Let each member of the So
ciety, by arrangement with each other try a
sngl variety each, and very soon much valua-
BILE knowledge would be gained In doing this,
as well as in all the transactions of the society.
we must use proper precautOn. that we are not
made the advertising medium of interested
statesmen.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Gilbert's address
Hon. W. w. Thomas, Jr., was introduced. He
spoke about thirty minutes. The following is
an abstract of his address:
Agriculture is the first and greatest employ
ment of man. Blot out agriculture and you
blot out civilization, and reduce the human
race to few scattered tribes of savages less ia
telligent than the American Indians at the time
Of the discovery of this continent. Agriculture
is the chief employment of the people of our
state. In Maine are $1,000 farms, valued at
$1O5,0 100000. The live stock upon them is
worth 200000000 more, and their products for
1873 are estimated at $36,5O0,O00. But large as
are these products, let us still ask the question,
ry condition." The question must be answer
ed, No. Indeed. the lack of interest in the
qulet ana peaceful occupation of husbandry is
the most serious obstacle in the pathway of
progress and prosperity in Maine. The exodus
of the sons Of Maine from the state that gave
them birth is so large that the remark you
md Maine men in every state in the Union,
has almost passed into an adage
Is there remedy for the decline in the farm
ing districts of Maine? l believe there is, and
that it consists chiefly in making farming more
profitable and more attractive. The problem is
how can We make farming more profitable?
Gentlemen, if we can believe the signs of the
times, you have already commenced to solve
this problem. Yon have begun to apply the
principle OF cooperation, SO potent and profita-
Bile in other industries, to farming. As proof
of this cite the many cheese factories and
dairy associations which have sprung into ex-
istence all over our state within the last two
years. Farmers have begun to discard some of
the old time crops, which many seem to raise
from force of habit and without regard TO
whether they are profitable or not, and to turn
their attention to those products, especially of
the garden and orchard, which command the
quickest sale and the highest prices. And enc
of the brightest of these signs of the times
which point to the progress and prosperity OF
our agricultural interests is the association of
these advanced farmers-of yourselves, gentle
men, into the genealogical Society of Maine-a
society whose efforts are directed to increasing
the amount and quality of the cultivated fruits
adapted to our state, and, therefore, necessarily
to increasing the profits of farming.
Only second to you, is the honored Hortcul-
tural Society of Portland, an association of
gentlemen of this beautiful city by the sea,who
have found time in the midst OF the pressing
and wearing cares of business to make their
garden a little paradise of fruit and flowers,
thus setting valuable example of beauty and
thrift which has been felt not only in Portland
but throughout the county of Cumberland.
The fruit that fourishes best in Maine IS the
apple. This is Fortunate for the apple is the
most valuable and important of fruits Wheth
er we regard the amount and value of the crop,
the facility with which it is raised, the extern
sive portion of the globe adapted to its culture,
the ease with which it can be transported, the
length OF time it may be kept or the variety of
uses to which it is put, the apple sta nds forth
among fruit like iron among metals-king.
The labor question is one of prime mpor-
lance to the farmers of Maine. Intelligent,
reliable labor at fair wages is one of the great
est needs on the farms of our state.
The inventive genius of America which has
produced our agricultural implements helps us
out of this difficulty, but not entirely. The
course for the farmers to pursue is clearly this
To raise those crops which give the largest re-
turns with the least amount of manual labor.
The crop raised in the orchard and garden are
those very crops. Experience proves this so
clearly that it needs no argument. What is the
condition Of our orchards to-day? A drive
through almost any section Of state will
convince that it is far from satisfactory.
The number of thriving young orchards, though
increasing, is still limited. On many farms
the old natural fruit trees of our grandfathers
are the only one to be seen. In some places
most of these are dead aud gone, and the few
survivors standing with decayed trunks and
withered branches, serve chiefly as monuments
to mark the spot where once an orchard ex-
| listed