Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-08-14
Lewiston Journal.
DEPARTURE IN FRUIT GROWING

A PLAN FOR AN ORGANIZED COMPANY o.
FRUIT GROWERS IN MAINE. - How
MAINE May Grow HER OwN APPLl
TREES, AND SAVE HER MONEY A;
HoME.-A QUESTION PRESENTED Fol
Discussion.
The question may thus be presented
Can farmers, pomologists, and capitalist
proftably organize as joint stock com
pany, for the growing and disposing o
nursery stock. apples. and other fruits
by any or all the methods that individu.
ais grow and dispose of the same The
writer Of this has given some thought tC
the subject and presents the following a.
an outline of his views. Pursuant to the
foregoing, the writer would first premise,
that the suggestions he makes are not in
tended in any way to be er-cathedrd fol
the reason that his judgment is far from
being fully matured on many of the de-
tails submitted. To proceed, then, in
the first place, suppose the capital stock
of the company be put at $4,000 in
shares of $40 each; to be called for by
installments as wanted for investment
and in order to give larger number a
chance, it might be we'll at first TO limi,
the number of shares taken by any one
to ten. The first investment of the
company through its agents or directors
would be to secure tract of land well
adapted to the growth Of apples and 9TH
er fruits, say, some cheap fam, with COM
Portable buildings and contiguous land to
inclose a surface Of 500 acres. Much OF
this land being rocky, would he worth
but little for general cultivation of cereal
or root crops, its principal use being for
pasturage or growing fruit, yet with its
unused potash and other elements in the
soil, so conducive to the rapid and healthy
growth of fruit trees, that, in many re-
spects it would be similar to the virgin
soil in which our ancestors planted their
first orchards that yielded such enormous
crops of natural fruit.
There are towns or plantations not far
from railroad facilities in several counties
of this State, where the requisite land
and farm buildings could be bought for
S2500 and in some cases for much less.
The next move in the spring, following
the purchase of the farm, would be TO set
some 5000 hardy and well selected trees
covering so acres or more Of the ground.
The writer Of this concurs with leading
pomologists Of this State, that it is OF
more importance to know how fruit trees
are grown, than in many cases where
they are grown. Now as test, in gain :
ing light on the question, from what To-
cslity fruit trees should be taken 10 set
In Maine It might be we'll to transplant
. portion Of the best seedlings, found
growing in many parts OF our State and
stock or limb graft them At the proper
time then procure another portion Of
good stock for setting. from the large nur.
series Of New York and Connecticut; and
and il nurseries can be found in Maine,
where good budded trees are grown, also
set Q portion Of these to complete the
number.
As to the vexed question Of varieties to
be set, the writer is Of the opinion, that
In view Of the unreasoning prejudice that
exists in the minds of some, either for or
against cid or newer varieties It would be
we'll to set or graf, portion Of the old
varieties that are good keepers, such as
Baldwins, Greetings. Russetts, Northern
Spies, spitzenburg and Bell Flowers thon
q portion of the new varieties that are
good keepers such as the Walbridge,
Mann and Red Canada, which, although
an old variety. Is not much known in
Maine also act a portion Of the old and
new varieties that are excellent for eat
ing or cooking in their season, which is
late fall and early winter, though some Of
them have been kept until the first of
April, such as Mcintosh Red, Fameuse,
Grsvenstein and Wealthy. There are
three qualities very desirable in apple
trees they should be hardy, annual, and
early hearersI and also three qualities in
the fruit good flavor, good to keep, and
handsome.
Further l think it would be advisable
to set few hundr ed Of the better varie-
ties Of sweet apples Of early and later
sorts, to feed swine, to be kept on the
premises not only for their inherent value
but to make manure to keep up the fer
tility of the soil around the trees. If
necessary, wood ashes, sulphate of lime,
etc., might be put around the trees in
small quantities. and then by the aid Of
the swine more fertilizers could be made
and used.
The same snrina that the fruit trees