Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-06-09

Il To 20 cents more ut HoultOn. In
April however prices went up unex-
pectedly and many sold for ~ so and
sac per barrel In Aroostook Valley and
$500 was at one time paid at the Houl-
ton station. Many Of our farmers re-
ceived as high as $500 for their potato
crop alone and some even realized 5000
In clean cash for their stock. One OF
my neighbors, Capt. Henry Rolfe-
hauled in one day with one team to the
station at Presque Isle, distance OF
about four miles, potatoes enough to come
TO $l75 and carried his cash home al
night. Capt. Rolfe planted eleven acres
and though he commenced haulirg
from the field to the station at 81 90 per
barrel and in this way disposed OF an acre
or more yet he realized about $1,000 for
his crop after reserving a liberal amount
Tor seed and home use. No sturdy, ener
getic man need be afraid TO run in debt
for large part of the price Of a gooi
farm in this county If he have not the
means to pay the whole amount AT tin.
OF purchase. With economy and good
management and few good years he
will be pretty sure to wipe out his debt
If he have faith In his business and de-
vote his whole energies to farming. We
have spoken so far of the potato crop
as the leading cash crop, but it must
not be thought that we raise nothing
but potatoes in Aroostook,
Large Quantities of Grain
are raised here each year. though com
paratively few farmers make business
of raising grain to sell to any extent
The usual rotation with our best farm
ers is to break up piece of grass land
and apply coat of dressing and plan,
to potatoes. The next year part OF
this field is sOwn to wheat and the re
mainder to oats, oats and peas, or barley
and seeded again to grass. Some good
farmers have obtained satisfactory re-
suits by applying all their dressing upon
the grass as Il top dressing and putting
none upon the land when broken up fol
potatoes. The grass crop is of course
in any system of agriculture in this
country the basis upon which all else
depends and in this crop the average pei
acre in Aroostook is above the average
in the State. Many car loads of hay are
annually shipped from the county al
though few make business of raising
hay for market but sell what they have
left after carrying their stock through
the winter. As it is necessary in order
to preserve the fertility of our soil to
keep stock and feed the larger portion
of the hay and grain upon the farm. the
present low price of beef has
driven many of our farmers to take up
the business of dairying and increased
attention is now being directed to this
branch of stock husbandry. AroostOok
is peculiarly
Adapted TO Dairying,
as grains and grasses of the richest quail
ity can here be raised in abundance.
Quite q number of cheese factories have
been operated III the county and have re,
turned satisfactory results to their pat
rons, and the demand for Aroostook
cheese has always been brisk at top
prices. The business of co operative
butter making however has never been
tried in the county. Mr.. |. 0. winslow
Of st. Adams has operated butter fac
tory at, Fort Fairfield for the two past
seasons, buying the cream of the farm
ers upon the test plan. A movement
is now being made to establish factory
at Pressure Isle on the co. cooperative plan.
A pledge of 600 cows and 700 shares OF
stock at S3 90 each has already been Sc.
cured and the company will proceed at
once to organize and will probably locate
the plant in the cheese factory. as the
building is sufficiently large for both in.
dustries and probably cheese instead Of
butter will be made during the hot sum
mer months. We will now devote the
remainder of this article to description
of few of the many good farms in the
Aroostook Valley.
The Farm of Mr. Albert l.. Haines
of Fort Fairfield. the present efficient
member Of the State Board of Agricul
ture, is located in that part of the town
known as Maple Grove, some four miles
from the village on the road from
Fort Fairfield to Blaine. This farm
formerly contained upwards of 800 acres,
but number of years ago IS acres were
sold to Mr.. l. II. Kip, and Mr.. IIaines has
recently sold his son-in-law, Mr.. Emmons
Houghton 135 acres. He has now left
about 800 acres of most excellent land,
80 acres of which is cleared. aud in a
fine state OF cultivation. His pasture
contains some 30 acres. The farm as il
is at present cuts about 90 tons of hay
Mr.. Haines has not gone very largely ia,
for a number of years quite extensively
engaged in dairying. He plants some
eight acres of potatoes, and raises large
crops of grain. Before selling the part
Of the farm to Mr.. Houghton, Mr.. Haiues
kept 20 cows, but has since reduced his
herd to IL. lie is the proprietor of the
Maple Grove Cheese Factory which last
year turned out eight tons of most ex
cellent cheese. SIX horses and colts
and forty sheep complete the stock
at present kept upon the farm. There
are two fine barns, one forty feet by
seventy and the other forty by eighty.
the latter having fine stone basement.
There are numerous sheds and other
convenient out-buildings. The house
is fine large two-story dwelling with
ell, and the rooms are spacious
and well furnished and are fitted
with every convenience. Good water
is brought by an acqueduct to both
house and barn and the dairy building
is arranged for the production Of the
incest Of butter. Mr.. Haines ia one OF
the farmers who always keeps open
house aud his hospitality and that of his
good wife is unbounded. He is pro
gressive farmer, wheel horse in the
Agricultural Society aud in the Grange,
and in every respect a big hearted, pub.
lie spirited man.
Another Nice Farm
90 the road running parallel to the
Blaine road, a mile and half to the
east Of Mr.. llaines', in the midst Of a
magnificent farming section, ia the fine
farm OF Mr.. Charles Holt. Six adioir.
ing farms on this road produced las.
year % 900 bushels of potatoes and 500O
bushels Of grain. These were the farms
of Messrs- Frank Haines, Fred Haines
Charles Holt. II. G. Townsend. John
ThurIough and VIM. Good. all beautiful
level farms with fine stands Of build.
iugs. The farm of Mr.. Charles Holt
consists Of a smooth, level tract Of BOZ
acres, POO acres of which il cleared, 100
| acres being in pasture. The farm cuts
leo tons OF hay in an average wear aud
produces large crops NJ grain Mr.
Holt plants annually about Is acres of
potatoes. and for last years crop nc re
| erived the snug sum Of $500 III cash
The barn is u by 81 with basement and
| is clapboarrled and painted aud we'll
finished. There are also numerous con
veniens sheds aud a large builsing f,r
tool house and work shop with stone
celler beneath for the storing Of pofa.
Continued on fourth page.]