Daily Kennebec journal., 1893-09-16
Changes in Agriculture. A

Almost Il half century ago when | was
lad of eight or ten years of age, wore
n iDkeeD trousers, went barefoot to school
in little brick schoolhouse, raided the
II aighbor's orchards for fruit we lacked in
our own, stoned the best Damson plum zee
il the garden from behind high board
nee, ,crawled into every molasses hogshead
for the sugar left therein, about the first
pocket money assigned to me was from a
row or two of philadelphia potatoes which
my older brothers helped to hoe and dig
Tney were sold for twelve and half cents
Per 5usheI. Those were times when wheat
raising was profitable, pumpkins grew to
fill nearly bushel measure and thrashing
was done with a fail. On dull or rainy
Sundays we had the freedom of
t.e barn and If we didn't make
a racket it wasn't because there were not
enough fsxen-headed young ones with good
lungs and jumping powers but because, If
We went too far, we should hear the stern
decree "children come into the house,
But time passed and we grew towards
manhood and the potato market also grew
nd we shipped both by rail and water to
Boston. There was fine market then
,mewhere in the fifties. We raised and
,oli by the cart load and in the fall it was a
G jodly sight to see the teams come in
rounded full with Jackson Whites and
Dronos.
But our prestige in potatoes was doomed
tJr the advent of the railroad into Water
lie and then to Skowbegan walked up
community whose power we little knew.
They were, however, foremen worthy of
cur steel and, although we fought valiently
for and contested every inch of ground, in
ie end we were beaten and retired s.adu-
ally if not gracefully from the field.
The wholesale market virtually left us
and went first to Waterville and then to
Sxowhegan and the boast frequently was in
the heirht of lively season that the roads
in all directions leading into Skowh hegan
would be lined with potato teams strungout
f,r mile or more.
In the meantime or, rather, during all
this time Aroostook county was not idle
Her pioneers from Hallowell, Winthrop
nd other Kennebec county towns had
caught on to the idea and began raising that
indispensable dinner dish to such an extent
rf'at they soon became formidable rivals.
AID row tfe HIoulton AMI Presq Ie Isle msr-
acts are without rivals in the State.
My first entrance into the Aroostook
Y
their convention there in d. cember a num-
er of years ago ard ex-tov. Robe WAS
State master. Snow was on the ground
to the depth Of SIX inches and | could not
i dge well of the country at that time but
my recollection is that Houlton was a very
lively business place and that property there
vas worth double OF oven treble v ha, il was
in some to.ns in kpnnebec county. A
i 4
about FIVE niles toto the edge of Linneus
y here for the frst tire | bsd the pleasure
snd honor Of meetIBg the Hon. Parker r. |
Burleigh. He was much interested In farm |
ing and orehariiug and showed ne a7 ex-
pertinent he va. making OF erg.4fting |
8 ions into the sto. OF oil apples trees cut |
caose to the groupd- lie got the idea from |
Mr.. Sharp of Wood.t Ok. y. b.. who has |
produced good bearing orchards in that |
y ay. His farm was a large one and his
I rincipsi att, nj on was given to pssturage. |
file had constructed and as the owner Of |
one Of the moe; extensive ard best con-
s'ructed rail fences i. has ever been my |
pleasure TO see.
Ny seee nj visi', a few years latter, was /
70 Presque I.le and Caribou in the /
D,enth Of September a, the time of the .
4 roostook county fair he'll at Prssqae Isle i
I was not particularly charmed with the way
was INTRODUCED. for our train left IIalle- i
, ell at about o'clock in the afte noon n |
r did not arrive in Presgae Isle Till half I
ps.t I2 next day. OF ali the slow going
rains think the N. B. trim world easily
AXE the cake. Ii would stop for an iaden-
'ite time for nobody knew what, let pass
myers get of to walk to their homes through
he woods and Pastures and w'ien they did
move good Psesque Isie country roadster
WouId beat them. ssi I would never 70
% the Aroostook sg ain till they bs. a straight
,ir hne and never vii. pas.i that liae
,oys.
But I Was charmed With the AIoostook
liver and the Aroo.fook country. Lad
leaYd good tesi about II hut ! can truly
ay ike the Qaesn % >tei,s In. l.~lf had not
,een told. IL Sss sDn .fi~nd. larI rich
n deeds and rich in promise fran,
oresQne Iss.- 10 sr'b-,u tt3 FIR 4
lp info New Sworn - .As-e + II i s:ssu.si
sdge ere among The ,aost i.atslfiyas, q
luifty snd sobeS-pinded in tie 6tsfe. i