Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-12-01
Maine.
PoMoLoeIsTs HAD FINE TINE.

| PoMoLoeIsrs HAD FINE TINE.
1t was a rousing meeting of the state
pomologicsl society at Waterville re-
Gently. As already noted in these
columns, a strong programme was pro-
vided, and the discussions following the
various addresses were very helpful.
At the business meeting the same board
of officers were reelected. 1t now
stands as follows: President, William
Craig of Auburn; vice-presidents, Ed
ward L. White of Bowdoin and G. l..
Palmer of East Livermore; secretary, w.
j. Kicker of Turner; treasurer, E. j..
Lincoln of Wayne.
The society set on foot important
measures. A committee was instructed
to appear before the legislature and
urge the purchase of an experimental
fruit farm, the one at the college OF
agriculture at Orono not being adapted
to fruit culture. Another fully as i'm
portant measure was that of appointing
a committee to prepare a bill to be pre-
sented to the legislature, providing that
upon every closed box or barrel of fruit
that is put up and offered for sale or
shipment shall be the name of the owner,
time of packing, name of variety and the
grade, whether No. l, No. 2, or No. 8.
In addition, the bill is to describe the
No. l apples, SO there can be no mis-
take. Still further, the society voted to
instruct the committee to add to the
preceding section one providing for size
of barrel and box, so that it may be uni
form throughout the state. The size OF
barrel adopted was that provided by the
bill before congress, and is II l-S-inch
head, As 1-2-inch stave, and contents not
less than 100 quarts. For box, the
Maine society adopted the Canadian
style of l0x1lx20 inches.
TALK on CHERRIES
There were many interesting ad
dresses at the session. S. G.. Shurtleff
gave fine talk on The Cherry. He can
not understand why it is that fruit 80
highly priced by the ancients and one
universally grown in Europe and adapt
ed to this country is so neglected. In
Maine it is less grown than in any other
state. 1t is a fruit within the reach OF
every person who owns small piece OF
ground, and, therefore, should receive
attention. In recent years, since canned
fruits have become an important branch
of domestic economy, the cultivation OF
the cherry has assumed increased impor-
tance. Few fruits are 80 desirable for
canning as the cherry, for it does not
lose any flavor when canned. A later
issue of The New England Homestead
will carry some of the experiences of Mr..
Shurtleff in raising cherries.
In an interesting address on Maine
orchard diseases, Prof. w. J. Morse
brought out some important facts. He
regrets to find so many neglected Or
chards about the state. There are some
which are very well cared for, but Prof.
Morse believes that many more should
be found. Frequently, apparent neglect
in the orchard is due 10 the scarcity OF
efficient help or the orchard may be on
a side hill and the owner content TO take
what he can get-a third-rate fruit-with-
out any care in return. Prof. Morse
says New Englsnders believe in the gos-
pei of the square deal and then he asks II
it is fair thing to dig lot Of holes in
the green-sward, frequently too close to-
gether, put an apple tree in each hole,
call the collection an orchard, and then
leave it alone, trusting the Lord to do
the rest. That is the way some OF our
farmers are doing who are always care
full to take reasonably good care OF their
crops and stock.
BORDEAUX INJURY.
| Under some conditions, says Mr..
Morse, bordeaux may cause some in
jury to the foliage of the apple. This
happens only occasionally with US and
apple scab alone causes far greater in
jury Annually than does bordeaux in the
infrequent seasons it occurs. To avoid
spray injury, Prof. Hedrick of New
York makes the following suggestions:
Use less copper sulphate, give the three
pounds copper sulphate, three pounds
lime to 80 gallons water, thorough
trial. Spray in moderation and spray to
cover the foliage and fruit with thin
film and yet not have the trees drip
heavily. So far as possible use the oor-
deaux only in dry weather. Use equal
amounts of lime and copper.
| The apple scab in Maine is respon-
sible for more loss in dollars and cents
than is any other fungous growth. The
loss from this disease is largely in re-
ducing the per cent of No. apples and
not iu the destruction of the fruit as is
caused by most other parasites. 1t is
safe to say that 10 to 95 per cent of loss
from the sesb might be avoided by
proper spraying.
The black rot fungus is entitled to
the second place in the way of destruc.
tiveness. 1t causes a complete and
rapid decay of the fruit, often while still
on the trees. Thorough spraying will
tend to remove the danger of fruit decay
by killing off the spores and keeping the
fungi checked during the summer.
Prof. Morse closed his excellent address
by reminding fruit growers that any
specimens of fruit rots, leaf spots or
fungous diseases may be sent to the
station for Identification and for sug-
gestions as to the remedial measures.
AN ADDRESS OF UNUSUAL INTEREST.
The address by Mrs. v. p. DeCoster
on The Husk and the Kernel OF Rural
Life, was not only interesting, but very
helpful. She began by referring in
complimentary way to the commission
appointed by President Roosevelt to
assist in rural uplift. She believes
Prof. Bailey, the chairman of the COM
mission, is the best fitted man in the
country for the position given him by
President Roosevelt. Continuing, Mrs.
DeCoster said: "The better education
a person has, the better he can appre-
ciate country life. An uneducated farmer
can enjoy nature in a sort of Indifferent
way. He lives mostly on the husks Of
country life. He has never been taught
to dig into it for the sweet kernel that
study and research will give. We un-
consciously see and hear the things in
which We are most interested. The bird
lover while walking or riding will see a
bird or q nest, or catch a note wholly
unobserved by the ignorant man. The
botanist sees q flower no other man
would have noticed.
at is not enough to live in the coun-
try and simply know enough to get dol
lars out Of the soil. We must love Ii
and study it and get into the heart OF 1t.
The reason so many business men have
purchased farms is because they have
learned there is . chance to use their
| brains and make them pay. 1t used to
be said that education turns young men
from the farm. That is no longer true.
Even a naturally bright boy or girl can
grow up on farm woefully ignorant II
not taught to study and observe. We
are waking to the fact that in this COM
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