The Republican journal., 1886-10-28
Letter from Houlton.
A RIDE THROUGH NORTHERN AROOSTOOK.
MARS HILL. FORT FAIRFIELD. THE YIEL d
OF POTATOES.

RIDE THROUGH NORTHERN ARoosTooK.
MARS HILL. FORT FAIRFIELD. THE YIELD
OF POTATOES.
Correspondence of the journal.
IIoULToN, MAINE, Oct. 10, 1886. On the
ninth of the present month we avail ourselves
of long desired opportunity to visit the north
ern portion of Aroostook county. Several de-
tails, of more or les importance, prevent our
starting before half-past eight o'clock, at which
time we get into the carriage for ride of forty
four miles to Fort Fairfield. The weather is
deightful almost as warm as a summer day.
The roads are also in excellent condition. so
that we ride distance of one hundred miles
without dust or mud. The region of country
through which we are to travel is new to both
of us, with the exception of the first few miles.
The writer had on two previous occasions been
as far north as Monticello, 12 miles,, my tray-
cling companion, who has been a resident of
Houlton for several years. and has Travelled,
during this time, into some of the States west.
has not been farther north than the poor farm.
Why he went so far, without going farther,
whether he had any special object in view, or
any aspirations leading in that direction, neg
lected to inquire. To each of us, therefore, the
country through which we are to travel has all
the charm of novelty. Our interest however,
is intensified by the glowing descriptions which
others have given us of the ''Garden of Maine"
On leaving IIoulton we pass through the
towns of Litteton. Monticello, Bridgewater
and Blaine. Many good farms and buildings
attract our attention as we travel on the main
road, but there are also many poor farms, look
ing poorer by contrast with the good. The
main road, we are informed, docs not run
through the best section of the farming lands
in these towns.
Mars Hill, a, seen from the Fort in lIouton,
appears worthy the name of Il mountain. and
we have often wondered why it had .ailed to
receive such Il distinction. If it coulG be trans
ported bodily to some of the states less ti>tin-
guished for mountains, hills and wales than
Maine, it would be christened without delay as
Mount --- and a new hotel would be erected
on its summit before the opening of the next va
cation season. Yet AS we come in sight Of Mars
Hill in our journey northward. the sight diSap-
points us. 1t appears smaller than we had
Us of other objects and incidents in life to which
distance lent enchantment. As we Get nearer
the hill, however. and lower down. on a level
with its base, and in position to see its length
as well as its breadth and heiyht-cspecial a.
we are driving by it - it assumes Il magnitude
and grandeur equal to our highest conceptions.
and we reluctantly forego the pleasure of
standing on its apex, for the sun is warm and
our time is short. My companion. many inches
taller than |, is reluctant to ascend. and cor
daily acquiescc, believing that in the present
instance "discrcton is the better part of vaor."
At Blaine, tile road on which we have been
travelling branches INTO two; the westward
leading to PrcSquc Isle and Caribou. the east
ward, through Mars Hill and E;lston to Fort
Fairfield and the Province of New Brunswick.
The section of country through which we now
pass gives evidence of a marked increase in the
quality of the soil both in richness and free
dom from rocks. The barns are large. the soil
UNDER good state Of cultivation, and with very
few exceptions the farmers appear to be pros
porous. The principal want j. water. If some
genius could make the waters Of the Aroostook
river run through this section instead of empty
ing into the st. John at the Aroo>took Junction.
he would confer untold blessings upon this see
tion of ->roostook county. Four miles from
Fort Fairfield is cl ce>c factory. and little
nearer. Il starch factory.
shortly after six o'clock in the evening We
arrive at Fort Fairfield, where We tarry until
Monday. The township is six miles by twelve,
a town having been added to it some wears
since, for the accomplishment Of vcry deSir-
able object was told. the building of a bridge
across the AroOStook river. The town lies on
both sides of the river; the village along the
southern banks Of the stream. hcmmrd in ON
one side by the river and on the other by hills.
As the village increases in sizc,-a> it surely
Wilt will grow wider It the upper portion.
The railroad runs through the village, along
the banks Of the river, furnishing facilities for
the transportation of its varied products.
Crossing the bridge, the road branches pass
ing through three sections of farming Hand,
much of which has apparently been settled
within few years, for acres upon acres Of
stump> in the different stages of decay greet
the eye upon nearly every farm. The growth
of wood is mostly hard. The large herds Of
cattle and farm buildings indicate the farmers
faith in the possibilities of the near future
The crops of this region accord with the
best portion of Aroostook County. one gentle
man took me into his out-of-,loor cellar and
showed me the potatoes he had raised on one
and half acres of land.--tiyc hundred and
ninety-one bushels! When they were worth
one dollar Il barrel, he was intending to begin
hauling to the market. Presumng that this
price will be realized, if not more, very short
Iy, yields pretty good return for the cultiva-
ton of one and half acres of land-S2l5. The
expense of raising potatoes under the present
method of cultivation is not large. With
machines of various descriptions the labor
has been greatly diminished in recent wears
The digging is the most expensive and the
most laborious part of the work at present.
There is, however, a fair prospect that this will
soon be greatly diminished. A friend of mine
has recently secured patent ON n potato dig
ger, and when some slight notifications have
been made in the running gear he is satisfied
1t viii dig upa row of potatoes as fast as Il span
of horses can walk and leave them on the sur
face in rows Your readers must not infer
that these are exaggerated figures concerning
the yield of potatoes, and that such yield is
confined to the northern section Of Aroostook
County. A gentleman in the town of Lnneus,
having carefully measured his land and the
potatoes at the digging claims to have raised
more than five hundred bushels to the acre
and another gentleman informs me that he has
come near this quantity himself. more than
once. Inmy next will write description of
the trip as continued to the Grand Falls.
Studies Of the Recent Earthuuakes.