Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-04-26
Fruit oroxers, Meetins.

u Fruit Growers Meeting.
For two reasons the attendance at tn,
meeting of the Oxford County Fruit
Grow ers' Association, held In Parii
Grange Hall on Wednesday, Was small
The conspicuous reason was the rainy
weather and the muddy travelling. The
other reason was that there was q mis-
understanding In relation to the day,
some understanding that the date OF the
meeting was the Goth, as had been pub
llished in the papers, while others seem
cd to have distinct impression that II
was the 21st.
For this latter reason too there were
no speakers from outside the county, as
Secretary Cummings was one OF those
who had in mind that the 21st was the
day, and as he had attended to the cor.
respondencs and had named the 21st as
the day, DR.. Twitchell, who had been
expected, was not on hand. There were
nevertheless some interesting discus
sions by the fruit growers of the county.
The meeting was called to order by
President j. A. Roberts of Norway quite
late in the forenoon, and matters OF
business were first attended to. II was
decided that no more meetings would be
held by the association this spring, but
that field meeting should be held in
the early fall at the orchard of some
member, if the matter could be arrang-
ed. The matter was left with the presi-
dent and secretary to arrange.
President Roberts suggested that the
Maine Central was to run sort of farm
ers' institute train over its line early in
the summer, and that it was possible
that this train might be secured to 60
over the line of the Grand Trunk il it
seemed to be desired. There was
sentiment in favor of having this done if
practicable, and 1t was left with the
secretary to see what arrangements
could be made.
A short time was devoted to practical
discussions before dinner, and F. l.. Wy
man was first called upon to give a
demonstration, with the aid Of some
small trees which had been brought in,
of his method of setting and trimming
trees from the nursery. He described
his method Of setting the tree, and trim
ming it so that the lowest limbs would
be of height that would allow of a
horse going under them to cultivate, and
nc higher. Leave from three to five
main branches, and never disturb them,
but keep them trimmed up every year,
and you can make head of just such
shape as you want.
Others who were present differed with
Mr.. Wyman in details, some preferriug
lower head and looser arrangement Of
branches, aud there was an informal dis
cussion.
After the dinner, which was served by
Paris Grange, F. Fl. Morse of Waterford
gave talk on the fertilization and cul-
tivation of orchards. He emphasized
the need Of fertilization, saying that if
there is any one thing that our trees
need more than another, il is something
to eat. Try to feed them the right fertil-
izer, and feed regularly, every year, not
a big lot at once and then neglect them
for years. He was unable to tell what is
the best formula, having used on his
own orchards varying forms, and did
not feel like saying that he could tell
any one just what to do to his orchard,
as conditions vary so much. Since he
has been using fertilizer regularly, in
stead of getting heavy crop once in a
few years and light crops the rest of the
time, the situation is reversed, and he is
getting heavy crops most of the time,
and light ones occasionally. With re-
gard to cultivation of orchards, he pre-
ferred to use a cutaway barrow rather
than pillow, as it was less likely to in
jure the roots.
R. L. Cummings said that the position
of Mr.. Morse, that no one can give def
mite rules for another to follow under
different conditions, has the application
that you can't tell us what to do by
what they have done in Oregon. The
principle is of wide and general applica-
ton. Those who are of the largest ex-
perience are the least likely to tell Us
that they absolutely know certain things
that position is left for the theorists to
take.
w. V. Canham of Lisbon, who was at
the meeting representing the Lewiston
Sun, was called upon, and enlivened the
meeting with some general remarks of
copgratulation, and couple of highly
entertaining readings.
r. l.. Wyman told of his Ben Davis Or
chard, with raspberries between the
rows of trees, that had been under cul-
tivation for number of years. and had
produced large crops of raspberries, and
large and increasing crops of apples.
He has an orchard on which he has been
using sod mulch for number Of years,
aud is now preparing to put 1t under
cultivation, believing that the better
method. he believes that fertilization
and cultivation is the important thing
for us here in Oxford County, more i'm
portant than spraying. He closed by
telling a story of Baldwin tree, which
in one year, with a price of $500 per
barrel for No. apples, produced larg-
er net return than an acre and half of
sweet corn which he raised the same
year.
A. K. Jackson, X. L. Cummings and
others gave some of their experience
along various lines in the raising of
fruit, and there was running fire Of
questions through much of the discus
sious.
In closing the meeting, President Rob-
erts couuseled the members to care for
the neglected trees, of which we must
admit we see so many in the country
that they are an eyesore.
Public Automobile Service.
The public automobile service that
was installed last fall between Rumford
Falls and Audover proved so great sue
cess that it will be continued the coming