The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-11-02
Talks With Hon. Fred Atwood


In a former talk, Mr.. Atwood, in reply to ques
tons from the journal representative, had some
thing to say of agriculture generally, and of Maine
agriculture. But neither branch of the subject was
by any means exhausted and the interviewer put
the following question: How does agriculture
compare with other pursuits?
MR.. A. Without doubt agriculture is on the
road to more prominent position among the
varied pursuits of life than it has heretofore oc
cupied. The value of the farms of the United
States is estimated at nine thousand six hundred
and fifteen million dollars, nearly much as both
the railways and manufactures together This es-
innate does not include farm stock buildings or
stock If these added, the total would be
much more than that of both railways and manu-
features. Moreover the value of the farm prod
ucts for 1880 nearly two thousand millions, justifes
a much higher valuation of the farm property In
Guiding the stock, buildings implements, and all
that may fairly be included under the head of farm
property, the value probably exceeds twice that of
both railways and manufactures
JOURNAL. How is it with Maine?
MIR. A. Oh Maine has shown more solid. sub
stantial progress in agriculture in the past ten
years than in any prior twenty-five years. The
seeds sown, the rocks removed, the dching done.
anu belnS uohc, III lle past wv years, even. are
not yet fully appreciated. The results will soon
surprise our own people, as well as those of the
Western States.
Journal. What is the cause of this new DEPART
urc2
MR.. A. Education, and mainly new spapcr edu-
cation. There are few houses that do not have
from one to five newspapers, some wholly and all
largely. agricultural These are exchanged, so that
read weekly. Then, our State Board of Agriculture
has been for Years quietly but surely sowing seed
that is bearing fruit The Institutes of the
Board are largely attended by farmers and their
families who 90 to learn the science Of agriculture.
You nave only to call at farm house, and speak Of
agriculture to quickly learn how interested they all
are in their work, and how ready TO present ably
and scientifically the methods of agriculture rs Il
profession. farmers boy of thirteen will tell You
accurately of this and that fruit, its name and quail
tiles state the pounds Of milk required to produce
a given quantity of butter or cheese tell YOU which
is the most profitable crop, and how to handle a
swamp lot, to ditch and drain. In fact, farmers
appreciate their professionalism the family,
as they grow up are induced To eagerly read and
learn for themselves.
JOURNAL. Is the Grange beneficial;
Mr.. A. UnquestionnbIy. The Grange has 10y its
meetings and discussions caused members to study
the works that would fit them for these discussions,
to scan closely the result of their varied abuls and
have thus created lively and healthy desire to IN
eel.
Journal. What of Aroostook county?
MIR. A Aroostook presents without doubt the
finest (taken i'll every way opening for immi2ra-
ton of any section in this country. The climate is
healthfu, society good, and the soil unsurpassed.
The fact is that many do not comprehend the values
of this county Originally part of Washington and
Penobscot counties, il was Incorporated in 1850.
and enlarged in 1884 by acce-sion9 from Piscata-
quis and Somerset counties II has an area of $500
square miles, while the State of Connecticut has but
1914 square miles, Rhode Island !,306-thc two
states together $3.50 - and Massachusetts, 900
square miles. These comparisons SHOW the i'm
mense territory of Aroostook county, destined,
perhaps, to become Il State 1t is well watercd,
free from stone, and the soil proiucc5 !inn crops
for many years without manure. In furmtr wears
barns were huiit on streams, that the manure
thrown out might be washed awav. In 1850 the
population was f,700. and is now estimated Il; IT,,
600 The increase per year fortwo ear, was } per
cent; arout - yer cent in the last ten ycar- The
Increase IN acreage of cleared lands may not he
quite 50 large, but the products have fully Kept
pace, If not more. The average price OF wild LANDS
Is about Sl50 per acre; of settling lands from 81
to 81; cleared FARMS 800 to $1,000, according To
size, location quality Of soil, improS emcnts build
ingS, Sc. The principal crops are potatoes has,
oats and wheat Potatoes average 30 bushels per
acre--fre4 uently 400. Hay averages one tom per
| acre, oats 80 bushels per acre-frequently -, OF
WIN tn n SbnIc
was shipped from Houlton alone last season 350-
| 900 bushels of potatoes. In the vicinity Of IIouton
it cost l6 cents per bushel in 1850 to raise potatoes
and 10 cents in 1881. The increased cost in the lat
ter year due to a poor crop; bat the price in
market such "a TO make it Il very profitable
crop in both years. The crop of 1852 is immense.
and the acreage very large \ Mr.. Clifford OF Rhode
Island, has, the present season. 20 acres of burnt
land" potatoes, all in field ON his farm in Eas-
ton. Five acres have been dug, and the yield thr-
far has been 35O bushels per Ii this yield holds
good throughout the entire piece he will have the
snug little amount Of Il 800 bushels at tile close OF
the digging season. Mr.. Clifford is a Rhode Island
school teacher, but having faith in Aroosto9k soil
he bought 100 acres of wild land there two or three
years ago, 30 of which he had cleared last sea-
son at cost of $780, and is harry esting his first
would be grand success.
Mr. Wiggin in an address delivered at the recent
Farmers Institute gave some interesting inforna.
ton concerning Aroostook which will hand you
for the journal as fully meeting your enquiries:
Aroostook is every year increasing in interest
and attracting more and more the attention of the
outsde world. Notwithstanding the many articles
that have been written about this county by mem
bers of the editorial fraternity and others who have
Is st Inn IT la
known to the citizens of the older portions of the
state. On the 10th Of March, 1899, il contained hut
little more than 5000 inhabitants But few even of
those who have visited this county have any idea
of its vast extent 1t is truly county Of magnit
cent distances. The State of Rhode Island could
be hidden III the depths of its northern forests and
perhaps remain for years undiscovered unless
some hardy hunter or not less adventurous timber
explorers might be attracted to it.
In 1860 the valuation of the county was 81 lO5 -9.
In $50 it had increased to 81 991 $50 having more
than quadIuped in these ten wears. In 1850 the
total valuation was Sl,564,932 which would give u
to-day safely SS,O0O,UO0 as the valuation of estates
OF Aroost0ok county. This liberal increase, seven
tod IN 20 years VIII give some idea of the possill
tiles of this fertile region when its resources shan
have been fully developed. The soil is exception
ally fertile beyond dispute 1t is a matter oil fact
that very often an Aroostook winter is much more
enjoyable than Il winter in any other part Of the
state OF Maine. 1t Is true the ground is covered
with snow here much later in the spring than in 10
caiea farther south and nearer the seal card, bat
this we conSl'ter our advantage, we thereby eo-
cape the long season of mud troZcl grou4d
which those sections affected with, a nj whtu
our SHOWS have disappeared the frost is usually
gone from the SOIL, and are able at to begin
operations and indeed il almost seems the work of
magic we the fields which ,nc week are
white with their Wintry mantle i'll the next reuic-
ing i'll the richness of freshly springina yerurc.
Corn receives but little attention and but little
breadth is devoted to this crop, but the different
kinds of grain take kindly the soil and for wears
the wheat crop has been success in this county.
Nowhere in New England does the potato flourish
As it does in Aroostook. The Weld is large and the
quality excellent, is shown by the market quota
tons, Aroostook potatoes always taking the lead
i'll price. Starch factories have multiplied through
out the county during the last few years and have
proved great benefit to the farmers, giving them
a ready and sure market for potatoes at 4 price
which has proved to be rcmunerativc. The raising
of large breadthS of potatoes has caused farm
er to bring under cultivation much rough and
stumpy land removing the stumps and smoothing
the ground, and fitting it nicely for good crop of
wheat, and after the wheat smooth grass field.
The business of dairying is receiving increasing at
tenti0n among the farmers of this valley and the
amount Of dairy products is yearly increasing. In
the matter of cheese can compete with other
portions of the State. The business Ct stock for
marketing has not yet engaged the attention of
farmers i'll this section, to the extent which the
natural advantages of ArOostook for this branch of
farming would seem to warrant With our album
dance of feed during the summer and fall and our
large crops of hay, grain and straw, it would seem
that Aroostook should send to market large droves
of fat cattle, and that the business should be one
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