Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-11-16
The Maine State PomoIosical Society.

ana gay, out all OOre moro OF ioss ulTect-
IL on the work of the Pathological So
ciety. Nve-mInute speeches-and most
of them kept within the time limit
we're made by Hon. j. A. Roberts of
Norway, DR.. G. NJ. Twitchell OF the
Maine Farmer, Superintendent of Schools
L. NJ. Felch of Norway, Arthur E.
Forbes of the Democrat, w. j. Kicker of
Turner, secretary of the society, Presi-
dent George E. Fellows Of the Uni
yersity of Maine, Frank P. Towne, mas
ter of Norway Grrnge, Wilfred Wheeler
of Concord, Mass, secretary Of the New
England Fruit Show, Hon. A. s. Kim
ball of Norway, Rev. B. s. Rideout of
Norway, Christopher M. Gallup of the
Maine Farmer, Professor Morse of the
Maine Experiment Station, DR.. John w.
Bowers OF Portland, Mr.. Wright of the
Rural New Yorker, George R. Howe of
Norway, DR.. Merrill, milk inspector in
Auburn, aud Cashier 81. D. Smith of the
Norway National Bank.
The election of officers occupied the
first hour of the session of Thursday
morning, while the members held con.
situations with one another, and the hall
had real sort of town meeting air. A
ballot was taken in most cases, and twice
q second ballot was necessary because of
no choice, though for few of the Off
GERS single ballot was cast by vote.
The officers are as follows:
President-Dr. G. NJ. Twitchell, Auburn,
vice. President-H. l.. Keyser, Greene, G. l..
Dnn.r Ga.,kh trns
Secretary-E. L. White. Bowdoinham.
Treasurer-E. L. Lincoln, Wayne.
Member of Executive Committee for three
years, to succeed Charles 2: Wheeler of Chester
ville-E. +. Hitchings, Waterville.
Member Of Experiment Station Council-C. D.
Pope, Manchester.
At II o'clock Thursday young peoples
hour began, and there marched into the
hall several hundred of the Norway
school children, including those from
the sixth grade up to the high school,
accompanied by their teachers and the
superintendent of schools. They filled
the seats on the floor of the hall, and
the front seats in the gallery, the former
audience vacating their quarters and
taking the back gallery seats.
The address of this hour was given by
George R. Howe of Norway, who has &C
quired wide reputation by reason of
the work he has done in nature study
and the encouragement and aid he has
given young people in the same pursuit.
Mr.. Howe said that he was selected for
this address not because he was raiser
of fruit, but because he was supposed to
know something of the environment in
which fruit may prosper-the great out
doors. His address, while it may in its
wording have shot over the heads Of his
youngest auditors occasionally, was a
clear and forcible presentation of the
many advantages attaching to life out
doors-a life outdoors in Maine.
Mr.. Howe extended to the boys and
girls an invitation to stay on the farm
after they have finished with school, be-
cause it is best for them, keeping them
in the outdoor environment. He show
ed by illustrations how much environ
ment has to do with development and
progress, and that the environment of
the temperate zones, where there is such
a wealth and variety of resources, is the
most favorable to development. Taking
up Maine, he cited numerous illustra-
tions showing Names healthfuness and
her leadership in many lines, and closed
by repeating the invitation of his open
ing, that the boys and girls should stay
on the farm, in Maine.
Professor Gardner was called upon,
and told the young people briefly that
there are just as big men on the farms as
anywhere, and just as good chance to
acquire fame and satisfy ambition.
An address by Wilfred Wheeler of Con-
cord, Mass, on "Grapes and Small
Fruits" was divided between the fore
noon and afternoon sessions. Mr..
Wheeler is q successful raiser of small
fruits. Because of the short season he
does not advocate grapes as a commercial
crop in Maine, but thinks each farmer
may raise enough for his own use. His
address was illustrated with lantern
slides, made on his own small fruit farm,
and showing particularly his work with
straw berries, gooseberries, and aspara-
gus.
o. A. Johannsen of the Maine Expert
ment Station read paper on "Insects. :"
giving detailed descriptions of number
like the curculio, the codling moth, and
the railroad worm, which attack the
fruit, and a number of the leaf. eating in
sects. The general precautions to be
taken in guarding against them he set
forth as clean cultivation, spraying with
arsenical poison and Bordeaux, and
keeping the trees pruned, all the dead
wood cut out, and the old useless trees
cut down and burned.
DR.. Lewis of the Experiment Station
followed with paper on the study of
apple diseases at the Experiment Station.
He spoke particularly of the forms of
fungi which have been studied, which
cause diseases of the wood of the tree
and the fruit. The main thing to keep
in mind, he said, is to destroy the dead
wood. Fungi breed on dead wood, and
the spores are transmitted from 1t to
wounds on the healthy wood to develop
there. Keep the dead wood cut out, and
cut down the old useless trees which are
not worth caring for. Not only cut them
down, but burn them, 30 they will not
contaminate the good trees. Fungi also
cause decay of the fruit. Keep the fallen
fruit picked up, not only that which is
two-thirds grown, but the little green
apples which fall early in the season.
For the rest of the afternoon session,
E. Cyrus Miller of Haydenville, Mass,
succeeded in making himself heard over
quite part of the hall above the sound
of the tramping of feet of people looking
at the show of fruit, and the clatter of
social and business conferences going on
at the rear and sides of the hall. Mr..
Miller had spent the previous day afield
with R. L. Cummings, and he announced
that 1t had almost converted him into a
Ben Davis man. He told his hearers
that they do not comprehend the wealth
which it is possible to get from these
hillsides. His talk was on starting a
young orchard, and he went fully over
the details of the work, in which he has
proved himself qualified. Various ques-
tons regarding features Of the work
were asked from the audience and
answered by him.