Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-07-23
Strawberries in Aroostook County.

10 The Editor of tic heaAedec JoufHdt'
Now that one direct line of railroad Is ac-
tually being built it is ii good time for far
ners in Aroostook county to look about Tor
new channels through which to obtain their
bread and butter. Although We shall con
tinue to grow large quantities OF potatoes
they will be but one of the strings to our
bow. Another industry and l believe a
more profitable one might he carried Oh by
our farmers that of growing Strawberries
To begin at the ending will say first thai
we can supply the Boston market with TINS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT fruit later than any
other locality that | know of. This yea
my Cresccnts commenced TO ripen july
18th: Bubach 10th; Downing 18th; and al
this writing, July 18th, none of my Bel
monts have ripened. Some of our neigh
bors had their first ripe fruit July 18th
Probably the bulk of our fruit will ripper
the last ten days in July, although som'
will be later Practically we have the late
market all to ourselves.
Our soil will grow strawberries with !
less amount of dressing than that of Mas
sachusetts. our climate is all that one
could wisi-no long continued drouths an'
plenty of snow to cover the plants in win
ter. Land is cheap, labor is plenty, an'
wages not as high as IN Massachusetts. oul
farmers have the necessary amount of pluci
and enterprise when once they see the poin
to carry Oh the business successfully.
am not aware that any one in the
county has ever grown strawberries othel
than for their own use and few
quarts for their local market. There
are no secrets about straw berry cul
ture; the business is rs simple as that o
potato culture. Some well informed meI
have male the statement i'll public that ",
can grow as many bushels of strawbcrrie
per acre as we do of potatoes. but con
slider bushei per square rod good yield
although have grown larger crops from IL
unproliic variety.
Two sears ago last spring \. V. Marstoi
of tins town came to me to buy strawherr,
plants He had never seen them CROWN,
except when a child but after asking som,
questions he decided that he would set III
eighth of an acre. His farm was new am
full of stuInps, but lie meant business ans
small obstacles secmct; mere trihcs. HI
piowed III Il good coat of dressing ant
applied commercial fertilizer on top
His rows were wide apart 3 - to 1 feet
but that was close enough for a stump
piece Last year that little patch yielde'
twelve bushels of berries AMI he thinks i
he had set Bubach and Crescent with onl'
enough Downing to fcrtilize them instea'
of planting largely of the latter which wer'
unfruitful he would have had at least twen
tv-fve bushels. Eleven bushels were soil
in town and found IA ready sale at 10 cent
per basket. Twelve bushels or 3Si basket
at u cents per basket brought So go; Of
at the rate of SiG0S0 per acre
The above figures are not given as al
exceptionally large yield but as the result
of the largest straw berry patch ever knew
in Aruostook and think under more favor
able circumstances Mr.. Marston OF an,
of his neighbors can easily surpass it. l
does not look as if there was danger o.
Cutting the market for many years at least
and see no reason why our farmers can
not send straw berries to market by the car
load as they now do potatoes.
One important item in favor of straw
berry growing is the small amount require
for freight in proportion to the cash re
ceipts. Another is the small amount, o.
fertility taken from the land.
In q future article | will give my mctho
of growing strawberries although hast
never grown them on large scale.
PRr-,srE IsIE. u. MooRE.