Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-08

slant attention to details and the necessary
confinement required in successful dairy
ing are distasteful to many farmers who
are no. obliged to flee to the business for q
subsistence. Indeed we often hear some
such remark rs this made by farmers who
are peculiarly well situated for undertaking
the dairy business; "As long as can raise
hundred barrels of potatoes on an acre
AMI sell them for 81 80 or 80. 90 a barrel,
I'm not going to tie myself down to milk
ing cows" For this reason many farmers
devote but little attention to their cows,
using them for the most part as machines
for converting their hay and straw into
manure and getting whatever return may
happen to result from them. OF course
there are many notable exceptions TO this
rule and many neighborhoods in which
dairyiug is made business aud 10 care
fully and Systematically conducted. The
rule however holds and we predict that
Aroostook will not make any very great
advance in the direction of systematic
dairyipg as long az the business of raising
potatoes continues rs profitable ~ it is at
present The fact remains however. - an
encouraging outlook foe AroostOok far
mers, that all the conditions for successful
dairyipg are here present to be taken advan.
tage of whenever necessity or inclination
shall influence them to go into the business.
We are willing to predict in this connec'
ton that should the time ever come when
for any reason our farmers are compelled
to abandon the business of raising potatoes,
dairying will become the
Special Industry In this County.
Our farmers will then devote themselves
to it with studious care and attention and
Arocstook will become one of the most
important and notable dairying districts of
New England. Sheep raising has always
been found profitable by those of our
farmers who have devoted themselves to it
to any extent, though whatever has let been
done in this branch has been merely IS az
auxiliary to the general iiue of farm opera
tons and few have made anything of a
| sp ecialty of the business. 1t 10 however,
one of the resources of Aroostook which is
capable of being utilized and developed
whenever desired. Increased attention is
being paid in all sections of the county to
the raising of good horses and the exhibit
tons of this class of stock at our county
fairs show that much improvement is being
in this branch of stock husbaudry. The
results already reached prove that ARGOS
took is naturally adapted to the production
of first class horses and tina; the business
can be made profitable one by any one
who has the courage and natural fitness TO
enter into it. Fruit culture has finally
become firmly established as one OF the
profitable branches Of Aroostook industry
aud the business is rapidly increasing
| every year. While It is true that
certain portions of the county are more
particularly adapted to fruit raising
| than others, still there are few localities
| where the business cannot be made profit
able except it be upon the intervales Of the
upper ST. John. II was formerly thought
that apples could not be successfully raised
| in Aroostook and that the larger part of the
county was north of the fruit belt. But
intelligent experiments and careful atien-
lion have demonstrated beyond doubt
that this i. not the case. The mistakes made
in the past by those who attempted to raise
varieties no. adapted TO the climate resulted
| il failure and often in encouragement, but
since experience has taught our farmers to
Discard all trees not perfectly hardy, sue
| cess has attended their efforts and the out
| look for the future in this respect is very
encouraging. The
List of Good Apples.
capable of being produce in Aroostook
was at frs. brief one but il is being added
to every year by successful experiments
and by new varieties originated in the
county. Already in Northern Aroostook
we have list which carries us well into
the spring. while in the southern part of
| county still other varieties are successfully
produced In this list we may mention the
Yellow Transparent, Tetofsky, Duchess,
| Alexander, Fame use, Wealthy and Dudley's
Winter as among the proved
standard varieties, while others
are raised with good success in various
portions of the county. The Wealthy is
proving profitable apple for Aroostook,
as the tree is hardy and free bearer and
the fruit of fine quality and keeps well into
the spring. Another variety we have omitted
to mention. Sound and solid specimens of
the Ben Davis can be raised here that will
keep for decade and then be just Is good
as ever they were. For The first time
apples have thi, year been shipped by the
CARLOAD from Aroostook with satisfactory
reforms. A shipment made by J. W. Dud-
ley of Castle Hill netted him four dollars
| $4,000 per barrel, and he was informed
that had they reached Boston q week
earlier even more satisfactory returns
would have been received. Apples have
also. this fall, been shipped from Sherman
in the western part Of the county, with good
net returns despite the long distance to the
station at Kingman. The raising of plums
| for shipment also promises to be a profit
able branch of fruit culture. Moore's
| Arctic plum i, a variety for which there lie
a large demsnd and it appears from expert
meuts already made that this plum can be
raised in large quantities in this county.
The tree is q heavy bearer and when laid
down in the fall comes safely through the
winter.
Mr.. J. B. Long Of Msysvil!e Centre
has some fifteen hundred plum trees, a
portion of which bore quite heavily this
year. He will set nearly thousand more
next spring and has great faith in the sue
cess Of the business. Quite . number OF
other farmers have ordered large lots Of
these trees to be get next spring and should
the experiment prove successful valuable
addition will be made to the list Of ARGOS
.took's exports. While speaking Of fruit
culture ~ one Of the assured resources Of
the county we may meation that the bust.
ness Of raising strawberries for the Boston
market is one that promises good returns
to any one Who shall iatelligentIy engage
III tlliS Vtohtu VI uu.O5bufys lHt NOlt 0J
Aroostook is particularly adapted to grow
ing this delicious berry and nowhere are
field strawberries fouad more plentiful.
Experiments that have been made In the
cultivation OF strawberries on . smsll scale
have proved tina. the burmese could be
extended with profit and as the berries would
reach Boston after the supply from other
sources had been exhausted they would meet
with no competition and their rich quality
acd handsome appearance would command
for them ready sale .. good prices.
Possibilities 81 Arsosseeh's Fussse.
We have spoken at some length of the
soil capabilities and agricultural resources
Of tsis great county and hare enumerated
some OF the products that can prof ably be
raised We have given the figures Of the
immense sEiSr.pt. of potatoes and Of the
vast amount of money brought n the far
rssrs Of the county for this crop alone. l,
addition TO this many car loads Of hay are
annually shipped from Aroossook aud much
money 10 also received from this source.
Though the raising Of hsy for sac il not
made special part OF Aroostook sgricul-
ture yet the crop 10 the county In favor