Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-11-21
Small Fruits for Farmers.

Experienced cultivators In that partie
ular line can as Il rule raise and sell nice
fruit at price that would be ruinous to
the farmer few miles out Of town For
instance: Twenty-Five years ago I was
growing good many Strawberries for
that date. and getting from II | 2 to 80
cents per quart. IL some one then had
told that in the future / should be
compelled to sell them for 5
to 10 cents per quart, and had
made me believe MIN. l should
have got out Of the business soon
as possible; and yet have since sold
hundreds and thousands Of bushels that
did not average me more than 81 per
bushel. 1t is true made no large profit
on them, although the balance was 10
my credit In the final result. How was
1t done? During the decline in prices
was constantly learning. | had made my
soil very rich and learned to cultivate
better, and grow larger crops. l had
learned to systematic my work, and cut
of expenses here and there and by
these and all other methods that could
adopt, | obtained much larger yields
than formerly, the result Of which was, |
learned to raise such products, and nearly
all DlIlcI III Hut. nj d NcoI
that in previous years l should have con
sidered utterly impossible. 1t is safe to
say there is not farmer strawberry
grower in this county, and there are
quite number, but what has lost money
on his fruit; and the larger his plot the
more he has lost. There are other reasons
why It is as a rule very unwise for the
farmer to engage in small fruit growing !,
but the above named are probably sui
ficient
On the other hand. shall he grow them
for his own family use? Yes, by all
means, and grow an abundant supply
not only for summer but for winter.
1t is often said that the farmer can buy
his fruit cheaper than he can raise 1t
But the plain fact is that unless he does
grow it himself it Is safe to say that
seven out of every eight never would
have full supply, or even half of 1t.
If you have land That will grow Il
good crop of corn or potatoes. it will
grow reasonably fair crop of straw
berries, raspberries. currants, black
berries or grapes. We have Strawberries
on our table for about one month, and
during the last week Of that month we
have the Marlboro Ga red raspberry
Souhegans, a blackcap. are few days
| later; then comes the Gregg Ga black,
and the Cuthbert "a red raspberry and
very choice in quality. Before they sre
half gone come the currants and then
the blackberries. Early grapes are ripe
| before the berries are gone. and last until
winter. There need be no break in the
supply. There ought not to be. | do
not know of forty acre farm
in the entire West but what l could
! select some spot upon it where all t, I
these fruits could be grown. Only think
OF having not Just taste occasionally,
but fun supply for yourselves, your
children and friends from early in the
season until winter. and in addition my
good wife puts up full supply in glass
jars, go that there is not day in the
year but that we can have them if we so
wish My farmer friends, you may
have lust as full supply as we do, and
they are comfort and pleasure to us
that money could not buy,-Our Coun-
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