Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-12-20
Pine Apples In Maine.
COMMENT, ADVICE AND CRITICISM BY A
RECENT VISITOR.

1t was my task, and no small one, ~
we'll as q real pleasure to judge por
ton of the exhibit OF fruit at the State
Pomological Association Of Maine a
Auburn, Nov. $40. The task was t(
determine whore all was excellent, whict
most nearly met the requirements Of th'
store. The pleasure came from contac
with So much of beauty, as we'll s.
merit, and the opportunity to study II
at close range. For enthusiasm ant
knowledge of horticulture, and riot
programme and more rich discussions
| have never attended any meetings
equal to the two great ones held annual
ly in our state, and while their exhibit
of fruit is not mean enc, and that put
up by the state experiment station il
exceptionally educational, have never
seen one made by single state which
approached that put up by the Maine
apple growers, the Benjamin in the cas-,
in apple growing. To say that there
were from 500 to 900 individual exhibits
means much, but when one realizes tha'
only a comparatively few of these were
plates of five, but that there were over
lS0 full bushel boxes, beautiful, uniform,
high colored, perfect fruit, they begin to
appreciate II. These occupied the entire
front of the hall, banked in front and
both sides Of the stage. There were q
number of barrels ranged along the wall,
showing not only sound fruit, but ex.
celent 10 packing, attractive, honest.
There were county exhibits, from Is
to 20 varieties In each. Several counties
had three or four such, competing only
with those from the same county. Then
there were individual exhibits of stand
ard varieties of u specimens; with a
prize of S., % and 81 for first, second
and third. OF these, there were many,
Baldwins and Greetings predominating
There were many plates of the various
apples grown In the state, five specimens
to the plate. These, with the county
exhibits, occupied two tables running
the entire length Of two sides Of the ball.
In the collective exhibits, the first
mark of merit in the scoring was for
market varieties; then trueness to type,
freedom from blemishes, and quality.
From the standpoint Of the commercial
orchard, this was as it should be. Fre-
quently found in the 20 varieties ex
hibited, which were peculiarly fine, only
one or two sorts with any pronounced
market worth. Such had to take second
place, in favor Of those whose market
value was greater, although they might
lack the highest quality. By "market
sorts" / interpret not only good sellers,
but those which are vigorous growers,
productive and least disposed to injury
from disease and insects, and good ham
dlers. Among . large number of varie-
ties found possibly six which met these
requirements. There were Others of
high quality, but because of lack of
vigor, non-productiveness, or poor ship
pers are not 80 profitable from a COM
mercial standpoint. There were some
just apples, with neither form nor come
Illness, nor beauty, that one should de-
sire them. Yet the country over, people
are raising them. 1 found two local
apples, very prolific, of high quality, but
poor shippers, and 80 little known 10 the
worlds markets, that they will not bring
what they are really worth. They are
the Milden (Milding), and Nodhead
(Jewett's Red | was impressed with
the unwisdom of setting varieties most
valuable in the locality where they
originate and flourish, but which when
set in other localities, fail to do as we'll.
Some such southern apples I could
scarcely recognize. Wealthy, McIntosb,
Greening, Baldwin, Northern Spy and
Ben Davis (usmed in order of ripening)
we're the varieties most in evidence, and
which rank in the first class. In all
cases, apples were more elongated than
have ever seen them. This was par
ticularly true Of Greetings, naturally q
fat apple. For high color and freedom
from blemishes, no apples grown on the
Pacific slope ever were better, and for
real quality none grown there could ever
approach them. This exhibit impressed
me, not only for the reasons just stated,
but as demonstrating what enthusiastic
effort will do. A display which would
be Q credit to any apple state In the
union, made by one whose orchards have
scarcely been noticed; particularly as
showing what Maine can do in apple or.
charding; and the stimulation this ocular
demonstration meant to those who saw
it. That may enhance still further In
the eyes Of all the people these efforts,
have written the above.-Edward Van
Alstyne in Rural New Yorker.