Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-11-12
THE P0M0[0C|CA[ ?
MEETING, WATERv|LLE.
Splendid Program Of Papers and Dis
cuSsions by We||-known Authorities
---Fine Display in Exhibition Hall.
Waterville, Me, Nov. 11.-(SpeciaD.

Waterville, Me, Nov. 11.-(SpeciaD.-
The second days session of the
Maine State Pathological Society OPEN
Ell at the Waterville Opera house at
10 A. NJ. Wednesday under ia
vorable conditions. The attendance
was much larger than on Tuesday
evening. The exhibition opened at the
Armory at the same hour and was a
mecca for the visitors during the day.
The weather was not exactly all that
could be desired but. nevertheless, the
people came from. far and near to be
present at the meetings.
The meeting was called to order by
President Craig. who introduced as the
first speaker, Prof. E. F. Hitchings,
state ertomolosist. Mr.. Hitching read
paper entitled. Our Present Orchard
Conditiuus." 1t was as follows:
"Our Present Orchard Conditions and
a Remedy Applied"
Tho orchards of Maine are, as a
rule. in a very serious condition as a
result of the extreme winter of 1867.
The very unusual weather condi-
tiOns that prevailed over the greater
part of the Apple belt were never
recorded before in the state. The
climatic conditions of that winter
We're responsible for the general
breakup of many of the most prosper
Gus orchards in central Maine. The
blow came when least expected, and
laid waste so many of the then thrifty
trees that many of our orchardists
gave up in despair, especially those
who had good paying orchards estab-
lished upon which they depended for
their life support. 1t was an
especially hard blow to such parties
who were well along in years. and had
planned and worked on what they
supposed was to be their stock in
trade.
| have in mind many such orchards
that never will be rejuvenated. in
most sections there are still left
standing the dead remains OF what
was once a fourishing orchard. One
| recall in particular, | have a photo
graph of the same, where the trees are
still standing, showing once vigor-
Gus, healthy, paying orchard, now the
bare trunks and bleached branches
alone tell the oft repeated story.
The varieties We're Ben Davis, Bald
wins, Bellfowers and r. I. Greetings.
Orcharding in Maine has never be-
fore had such a setback. We are
now passing through a crucial period
in the history of Horticulture: some
have bravely faced the music and
with good old Yankee pluck have
started in again to build up another
orchard better than the first.
Never in the history of our pine
Tree State" have the opportunities
been so great for the advancement of
those principles that go for the better
ment of Agricultural and Horticul-
tural interests Never before was
there so much need of grain of
leaven to enter the lump and permeate
the whole Commonwealth with its
vital energy.
There is latent energy enough to
satisfy even the most arragant pessi-
mist
Why not lend your individual aid
in the good cause and thus become a
factor for good in the community in
which you live?
There are names enough on the
books of this Society to represent
every section OF the State. OF these
how many are active workers in the
good cause? Are you a silent partner
in the concern and expect success to
crown your efforts in behalf of rural
betterment? What rate of interest do
you expect on your investment?
President Roosevelt did a wise
thing when he appointed Com
mission on Country Life" to invesu-
gate the conditions now existing in
order to suggest others that will tend
to an uplfe in our home life.
Not that there is more need of such
an investigation in our farm life than
in the city. but because the farm is
the vital workshop of the nation and
the more nearly this life approaches
to the ideal, the better it will be for
the health and happiness of not only
the country life but of the city as we'll
Enough fruit and vegetables can be
raised to amply furnish large family
the year around with choice fruit
The diagram shows a plot 10 rods
long by rods wide laid off in checks
rod square Select a good garden
soil, free from WecuS. Line OH III
blocks rods square, beginning one
rod in from each edge. This will
give room for twenty apple trees.
Make good selection of varieties to
cover the apple season. When the
apple trees are ordered place on the
list three cherry trees. three pear
trees and six plum trees together with
six gooseberry. a dozen currant. SO
blackberry and so raspberry bushes,
also 200 or more strawberry plants.
Now you are ready for your
orchard.
Line off the ground as before
described Set the apple trees first.
then place the other trees as filters in
the following order: The three
cherry trees in the centres of the
first row of Squares followed by the
sif plum trees in the next two sets of