Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-11-16
The Maine State Pathological Society.
THREE DAYS MEETING AT NORWAY,
WITH A FINE DISPLAY OF FRUIT
AND PROFITABLE SESSIONS.

THREE DAYS MEETING AT NORWAY
WITH FINE DISPLAY OF FRUr
AND PROFITABLE SESSIONS.
There was scent of apples In the al
at the Norway Opera House, with
sight Of them to delight the eye, and
decided mental flavor Of fruit in all tn
programme of the three days from Tues
day evening till Thursday evening.
The Maine State Pathological Societ.
held its animal meeting at that place OF
those days. The attendance was good
and the programme, which was carried
out as published with only two or three
changes, was one of instruction ant
profit for the fruit raisers. Including
the banquet of Wednesday evening
seven sessions were held, and all were
packed full of meat. Good weather
throughout aided in the success.
The show OF fruit, which occupied I
large space on tables at the sides of tn,
hall, was large, and in quality certaiul,
as good as at any of the former exhibi
tons of this society. There were speci
mems from many of the noted frui
growers of the state. The exhibit oil
fancy apples in the bushel box, and the
manner of packing, which was quite 3
feature of the display, was something
new to many of the spectators, indeed
was quite revelation to most of them
and attracted much attention.
Tuesday evening at 7:30 the first OF
the sessions of the society was called to
order by William Craig of Auburn, the
president of the society, and after a
piano solo BY Miss Kicker, prayer was
offered by Rev. NJ. C. Ward of Norway.
Hon. j. A. Roberts of Norway then
gave the visitors cordial welcome to
the town, and referred briefly to the i'm
portant work of the society. Oxford
County is a good fruit growing section,
and we are glad to receive the benefit to
be obtained from the discussions and
instructions to be had at this meeting.
The fruit business is now in sort of
transition stage. We are facing new
and new methods are coming
in, must come in, to meet them. | be-
lieve the fruit growers will meet the sit
uation well. Don't dwell too much on
the insect pests and other obstacles to
but show the young men
this beautiful fruit that is on exhibition
here. aud make them see that there il
profit in raising il.
In responding to this, K. l.. White of
vice-president of the So
ciety, said that it was universal desire
TO come to Norway for this meeting
The aim of the society is to get into its
the growers of fruit, and to
make Maine, as it may be, the best fruit
growing state in the world.
President William Craig in his annual
address referred to the fact that in spite
If adverse conditions, orchards we'll
cared for had produced good crop of
good fruit this year. This society has
been advocating and teaching better
for more than a quarter of a
| am almost surprised as
ook over the records of its work to see
how long it has been advocating advanc-
al methods. Dn you pay enough heed
10 the valuable instructions and sugges-
tons you receive? Have we progressed as
we ought? He advocated recognizing
The changed conditions by paying more
attention to barrel and box exhibits, and
less to plate exhibits.
The secretary, w. j. Kicker of Turner,
gave a verbal report, principally calling
attention to two important things that
had been secured within the past year
the efforts of this society-the
purchase of the state experimental farm,
and the passage of the law regulating
the packing of apples. Two field meet
iugs had been held during the year, one
at East Hebron with East Hebron Grange
early in the season, and the other at
Highmoor Farm, the experimental farm
purchased by the state, in the fall, which
was especially profitable.
DR.. G. NJ. Twitchell here rose to say
that the real credit for securing the
passage of the apple law belonged to the
growers of Oxford County.
President Craig was willing to give the
Oxford County growers large share of
the credit, but not all of it.
The treasurer, Z. L. Lincoln of Wayne,
that the permanent fund now
amounts to $3.50, and the total resources
are S1033 50.
C. S. Pope, member of the Experiment
Station Council, made brief report.
There was song by F. S. Pike of South
Paris, and then President Craig intro
troduced f. Cyrus Miller of Haydenville,
Mass, to give an address on Better
Fruit for New England" Mr.. Miller is
a young man, though not 80 young but
he has already made marked success
in orcharding, and is still enlarging his
business. His talk was illustrated with
lantern slides from photographs taken in
his own orchards and fields which we're
being prepared for orcharding. Some of
these fields were about as rocky as any
thing that we find in Oxford County,
vet he pronounced that the best of Or
chard land, when worked into shape.
Mr.. Miller himself in overalls was a
figure in a number of the photographs.
He SAYS that he does almost all of the
pruning himself, as pruning is An art
that it is difficult to teach. He keeps
the trees headed back so as to make
them low growing, the ideal tree being
high enough so that when loaded with
fruit the lower branches just come to
the ground. His methods of work were
fully explained by the aid of the views,
and numerous questions put to him
were answered in the course of his talk.
Wednesday mornings session began
late. This was because they waited for
the fruit exhibit to be "all in place be-
fore 10 A. NJ" as the premium list stat.