The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-24
ArOOstOOk.

1t seems to be impossible to beat into
the minds of New England farmers the
fact that in northern Maine there is
tract of country as large as Vermont,
and equal for farming purposes to the
best parts of western New York and
Ohio, which is still mostly unsettled.
If this fact were really understood,
there would be no more emigration
from New England until that territory
is all taken up. A recent issue of the
Maine Farmer says:
GA flying trip through the best de-
veloped section of upper Aroostook
found the farmers Astounding in farm
products. The barns are fairly filled
with hay crop secured, unlike the rest
of the state, in the very best condition,
while the grain is found in the greatest
abundance. 1t is admitted without
question that never before was so
bountiful crop of grain of all kinds
harvested in that famous grain produc-
ing country. A wider breadth than
ever before was sOwn, the growth was
rank, and the kernel plump and heavy.
This held true with all kinds grown.
Immense fields of grain were every
where seen stretching away over broad
acres, like the grain fields of the West.
The storage room was insufficient for
such crop, and on many farms huge
piles of straw still remain in the fields
where the grain was threshed, while
piles and stacks hover around the barns
and yards Hay is so cheap and plenty
that little if any use is made of this
straw for fodder, so that all that can be
so disposed of is used for bedding for
stock and rotted down in yards.
" Aroostook's famous crop, potatoes,
was in greater abundance than ever
The yield per acre was hardly as large
as in some former years, nor is the
breadth to the single farm on the in
crease. But the multiplication of farms,
each growing this crop, has been such,
that the aggregate product proved be-
You'd all facilities for handling after
harvested. Upwards of two and half
million bushels were manufactured into
starch. Meanwhile the railroad has
been, and still is, handling all the mar
kets call for. The opening of markets
for this crop through the erecting of
starch factories and the opening of rail-
road communication has been a great
boon to the country, but the time has
evidently now come when they must
look beyond this for dependence.
Stock husbandry offers an easy solution
to the problem. Some of the farmers
have already become convinced of the
wisdom of this course, and have estab-
lished good herds of stock 1t is this
sentiment which has established the
dairy enterprises which are proving so
successful and for which the locality is
eminently adapted. A factory at Carl
bou has made the past summer seven
and one-half tons of cheese; Albert
Haynes factory at Maple Grove has
made thirteen tons; the Pressure Isle
factory fourteen tons; Francis Barnes
factory thirty-two tons; and several
tons, we have not learned how many,
have been made at Il. Merritt & Sons
factory, Houlton. This cheese has sold
for twelve and twelve and one-half
cents pound, thus distributing some
$35, 900 among the few farmers who
have been engaged in dairyng. This
business can be immensely increased
and still leave room to grow all the
potatoes wanted Other branches of
stock industry offer similar induce
ments to those who will engage in
them"
! What an opening is here for young