Maine Memory Network

Contributed by Maine Historical Society and Maine State Museum

Description

John Martin (1823-1904) of Bangor, an accountant, shopkeeper, and garden and landscape enthusiast, drew this illustration of an apple tree on page 42 of a "Scrap and Sketch Book" he started in 1864.

Martin entitled the drawing "The Tree I Lost." He wrote that he planted the tree, which came from Nath Harlow's nursery in Bangor, in 1856 "on the very best soil I had." He wrote, "Samuel C Harlow supposed it to be a Hubbard none such which is represented in the agricultural books as being the king apple as to quality, size, durability, and soundness."

Martin found it "a specie of greening with a red cheek the flesh when ripe a juicy tender tart very sharp."

In 1862, the tree was heavily laden with apples when a September tornado split the tree and "laid the largest half on the ground."

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About This Item

• Title: John Martin apple tree, Bangor, ca. 1862
• Creator: John Martin
• Creation Date: 1864
• Subject Date: circa 1862
• Location: Bangor, Penobscot County, ME
• Media: Ink and watercolor on paper
• Dimensions: 14 cm x 21 cm
• Local Code: Coll. 1972; 1997.16.1
• Object Type: Image

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Cross Reference Searches

Standardized Subject Headings

• Diaries
• Apple trees--Maine--Bangor
• Apples--Maine--Bangor
• Accounting--Maine--Bangor
• Martin, John, 1823-1904
• Bangor (Me.)--History

People

• Harlow, Nath
• Harlow, Samuel C.
• Martin, John

Other Keywords

• Artwork
• Drawings
• Folk art
• Journals
• Natural disasters

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For more information about this item, contact:

Maine Historical Society and Maine State Museum
489 Congress St., Portland, ME 04101
207-774-1822 x230
Website

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