Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-25
State HOUSE.
Movement for Better Fruit
Growing in Maine.
Fair Associations Asked 10
Aid by Premiums.
Vital Statistics Department Send.
ing Notices to DeIinquents.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting of Governor and Council
Thursday, Dec. 30 at q p. NJ.

State IIn.omOlogist f. f. Hitchinps
of Watcrvile, who is in charge of the
orchardng work of the agricultural de.
partment, was at his office at the State
House Friday for the purpose of senG-
ing out communications to the secre.
tares of the different State and coun-
ty fairs for the purpose of encouraging
the raising of better fruit in Maine by
making the premiums of sufficient inn,
portance along this line to be attrac.
tive to the farmers so that they will
make better exhibitions the coming fall
than ever before. Mr.. EitchingS has
been in conference with a number of
the fair officials in various sections of
the State, who heartily approve of the.
plan and he states that there is n.
doubt that they will consider the mat
ter in their awards for the coming
season.
I'VE wish to impress upon our or
chard men," says Mr.. Hitchings, the
necessity for better care of their fruit
trees by following out improved meth-
Ods of cultivation, pruning, fertiliza-
ton, spraying and other details OF
care" He predicts that the gift of J.
II. Gregory of Marblehead, Mass, OF Il
$1,000 bond as a premium for the hest
acre of orcharding will boom Mann
fruit ana points out that at the session
OF the State Grange Just closed in Ban
gor a number of acres of orcharding
were pledged in competition by men-
beis of the Grange. AS has already
Eecu stated the trees to enter the COM
petition will re set in the spring of 1910
and already other interested parties in
this state are Offering the second and
third premiums to LelD out the work
along the same line.
Tho man who sets the acre.
Of trees if he does not receive
the premium viii have an or.
chard of inuch more value tc MIN
than one of the awards would be- Mr..
HitchmGs continued, voicinG the senti-
mcnt of Or. TWitchcll of Auburn and
others who have expressed themselves
n regard to the competition. Anyone
WiSlin" to enter the competition should
write to the department of agriculture,
simply registering their names for COM
petition. No deposit or entrance fee is
required to enter the contest
Resolutions were adopted ct the ses>
sion of the State Grange in Bangor i'll
favor of the movement for better fruit
in Maine. 1t is recommended that tho
State Grange use every effort to inn
press upon the subordinate members
the great Importance of the fruit m
lustry of OR State.
The fruit interests of the state re-
teived q severe setback during the Win
ter of '06 and '07, yet those interested
in the industry feel that the interest in
fruit culture in this State is about to
De revived and that the apple of the
fut Irc for Maine will enter the field in
competition with the apple Of the West.
where such a phenomenal success of
fruit raising has been made during the
past few years.
The department of vital statistics is
engaged in sending out letters to the
delinquent city and town clerks. who
have failed to make the required re-
turns Of births, marriages and deaths
during the month of November. Thc
number is not large, although some
what in excess of October, when the
number of delinquents in this respect
was less than any previous month since
the present law went into effect.
Hon. A. w. Gilman of FoXcroft, com
missioner of agriculture. was at his
office FridaY doing the necessary work
looking to the closing of the business
of the several subordinate DEPARTMENTS
&C injected with the agricultural departs
ment for the year and the completion
of the annual reports. Commissioners |
Gilman was at WoOlwich Thursday
whore the last Farmers Institute of the
year vas held. The institute work is
now practically completed for the year