The Portland daily press., 1877-07-25
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
A Timely Suggestion.

For many reasons the present is an unusu-
ally favorable time to draw the attention of
the unemployed residents of Maine to the
many advantages especially to the tiller of
the soil which their own state offers. The
termination of the numbering operations on
our rivers in the spring and the shutting
down of our saw mills In early summer an
nually set adrift large number of able bodied
and Gapablemen who are left without steady
employment until the next seasons opera
tions begin. All through the State these
men and many others who in the genera
prostration of our industries have been left
without the means of gaining livelihood
are to be found, looking In every direction for
something to turn up. When the Black
Hills furore was at its height many of them
turned their eyes in that direction. Bot it
needed only brief experience to convince
them that their dreams of wealth in that re-
gion were all illusory. Their short tarry there
only served to familiarize them with the dice
box and the faro bank. Where one man was
gaining livelihood with the pick and spade
dozen were filching it from their neighbors'
pockets. The trickery Of the blackleg was
the only quality which commanded success,
and the men who went there intent upon
gaining an honest livelihood turned away in
disgust Nothing teaches so thoroughly as
experience, and these men and others who
were watching the result of their venture
are now probably ready to consider more
favorably than heretofore the advantages
which their own state offers.
1t Is to them and such as they in other
states that Mr.. 2. A. Gilbert addresses a
timely article in the New England Farmer
on the advantages which the lands of the
Aroostook Valley offer. These lands lie
along the Aroostook river, and scattered
through them are numerous thriving settle
ments. SO that the emigrant while he may
enjoy all the advantages, is likely to expert
ence few of the discomforts, incident to new
country. The soil is deep and rich, over
lying a crude limestone ledge in vertical
strata, the surface of which is undergoing
decomposition. This bed rock is struck
from one to several feet below the surface,
yet nowhere crops out. Being thus under
drained the land is not cut up by water
courses and runs, but stretches unbroken
into large tracts, which when cleared of
forest form fields of any extent which may
be ploughed into unbroken burrows. The
leading products are grass and grass seeds,
potatoes, wheat, oats and buckwheat, and
all are produced in abundance and with
little cost. Dairying is now receiving con-
siderable attention, and several cheese fac
tories are in successful operation. AS to the
climate, though the winters are long and
cold and the summers short and hot, sudden
changes are few and the health of the resi-
dents is remarkably good Communication
by railroad are easy and is increasing yearly.
About the only capital which the settlers on
these lands needs to ensure success is the
capacity and disposition to labor. Little
money investment is required. A stout heart
and strong hand is certain in few years to
rear comfortable home and that too among
well educated and intelligent people.