Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-16
AROosrooK COUNTY.
History Of the County-Population and
Valuation-Its Agricultural Resources.

The following extract from the address of
E. Wiggin, Esq.,, delivered in Maysville at q
recent Farmers Institute, is full of valuable
information about the garden of Maine:
But word in regard to this young and
growing county of Aroostook which is every
year increasing in interest and attracting
more and more the attention of the outside
world. Notw outstanding the many articles
that have been written about this county by
| members Of the editorial fraternity and others
who have visited it from time to time, it is
still but little known to the citizens of the
older portions of the State, and oftentimes
our friends from the other counties who have
the courage to visit are surprised to find
that we are not living in log houses in
trackless wilderness. and that the bear and
wolf and other wild denizens of the forest do
not appear at our doors day by dav, or prowl
around our dwellings by night. Aroostook
county, originally a part of Penobscot and
w Washington counties, was first incorporated
on the 18th of March in 1889 1t then con-
| tanned but little more than 5000 inhabitants
On the 2lst of March, 1913, it was enlarged
by additions from Piscataquis and Somerset
giving 1t its present vast area of $500 square
| miles or considerably more than one fifth of
the whole area of the State of Maine. But
! ty have any idea of its vast extent 1t is truly
a county OF magnificent distances 1t is equal
| in area to the States Of Connecticut and Del
aware combined, hardly one seventh less
than the old State of Massachusetts,, while the
| State of Rhode Island could be hidden in the
depths of its northern forests and perhaps re-
main for years undiscovered unless some
hardy hunter or not less adventurous timber
explorers might be attracted to it by the sound
| of the firing of guns at the siege of the
Sprague estate.
| The population of the county has incre ased
| from little more than 1900 at the late incor-
poration in 1886, to 26, 609 in 1860 and A.
| 700 in 1880, being a gain of nearly 40 per
cent. in ten years, and reckoning the same
relative ratio of increase, we must have to-
day a population of very nearly 45, 200,
or five times as many as when the county
was first formed.
| In 1860 the valuation of the county was
81. lO5. 1876 In 1870 in has increased to 81
997 $50, having more than quadrupled in
these ten wears. In 1880 the total valuation
was 81. 564 ,932, which would give US to-day
| safely SIS 900 900 as the valuation of estates
of Aroostook county. This liberal increase,
seven fold in 20 years, will give some idea of
the possibilities of this fertile region when its
resources shall have been fully developed.
1t is hardly necessary for US to speak at this
time of the advantages of Aroostook for
agricultural purposes. These have been
written and spoken of so much of late, that
| the subject would seem to be familiar with
all present. That our soil is exceptionally
fertile is beyond dispute. 1t is an objection
with some that our climate is too severe, that
our summers are too short and our winters
are too long and cold, and almost impene-
| trail lo drifts mn IA n natural hlnrk-
ade against all travel and business for a large
part of every year. Though this is to some
extent true, yet it has been much exaggerated
by those who are not well acquainted with
this section, and it is a matter of fact
that very often an Aroostook winter is much
more enjoyable than a 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 localities farther
south and nearer the sea-bOard,
but this we consider our advantage, as we
thereby escape the long season of mud or
frozen ground which those sections are affect
ed with, and when our SHOWS have disappear
ed the frost is usually gone from the soil,
and we are able at once to begin operations,
and indeed it almost seems the work OF
magic as we see the fields which one week
are white with their wintry mantle, in the
next rejoicing in the richness of freshly
springing verdure. The crops which can be
raised with profit here are perhaps fewer in
number than in the more southern parts OF
the State. Corn receives but little attention
with us, and but little breadth is devoted to
this crop, but the different kinds of grain
take kindly to our soil. and for years the
wheat crop has been a success in this county.
Nowhere in New England does the potato
flourish as it does in AroOstook. The yield
is large and the quality excellent, as is shown
by the market quotations, AroOstoOk pota-
toes always taking the lead in price. |
should have been glad if had had the time
at my disposal to have given some figures in
regard to this crop, showing the number of
bushels of potatoes shipped and the amount
of starch manufactured in the county. Starch
factories have multiplied throughout the
county during the last few years, and have
proved a great benefit to the farmers, giving
the m a ready and sure market for potatoes
at price which has proved to be re-
munerative. The raising of large breadths
| of potatoes has caused our farmer 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 q smooth
grass field. How long the production of
potatoes on large scale can be cOntinu-
|
ton which our best farmers have been care
fully considering, and many of them now
hesitate about blowing up good smooth grass
land to plant to potatoes without manure.
| The business of dairying is receiving increas-
| ing attention among the farmers Of this valley,
and the amount OF dairy products is yearly
increasing. Our distance from the great
cities is drawback as regards the business
| of butter making, as the market now demands
a freshly made article, but in the matter of
cheese we can compete with other portions OF
| the State. The business of stock or marketing
has not yet engaged the attention OF farmers IN
this section, to the extent which the natural
advantages of Aroostook for this branch of
| farming would seem TO warrant. With our
abundance of feed during the summer and
! tall, 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 which could
be conducted with profit.
CANAAN.