Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-07-18
FRUIT FARMING.
VISIT TO A HANCOCK COUNTY
FARM.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT
STRAWBERRY CULTURE BIER
RIEs ARE SHIPPED TO BOSTON.

+ -SInhll fFull dEih4uE
One Of the leading fst mers engaged in
this line Of business. perhaps The leading
one. j. E W Wooster. Of Hancock Point
A representative OF THE AMERICAN
visited Mr. Wooste1's farm recently to
learn something Of the manner Of fruit
farming a. carried on here.
Mr.. Wooster has devoted hi attention
to small fruit growing on scientific
principles for about eight years. during
which time he has, by experience, study
and research, gained knowledge Of the
business which probably entities him to
his claim OF being the leading fruit
farmer OF the county. Still he says him
self that he considers himself but an
amateur in the business.
a drive - little over two miles from
Mt. Desert Ferry brought the reporter to
Mr. Wooster's farm, situated near beauti-
full Peck's beach on inner Frenchman
Bay Mr. Wooster wss found in the
straw berry fields, busy with the pickers.
1t WAS near the dinner hour, and Mr..
Wooster's suggestion that he could prob
ably work better on full stomach"
met with ready ecquicseence.
Dinner over, tour OF inspection OF the
farm Vas III order Mr. " ooster deyotes
his attention principally to The raising
of straw berries, raspherries, black berries,
currants, gooseberrIes and cherries. with
few apples.
In straw berries he no" has twenty
eight different varieties, not counting
seventeen seedlings not YET named. The
straw berries are separated mt three lots,
arranged rs regards seasons-earlS. inter
mediate and late. He low has three acres
of plant. set for next year.
Mr. Wooster spoke interestingly OF
straw berry culture. Some thirty years
ago it was first discovered that The straw
berry plant like many other plants, was
OF two varieties be "seftert!lizing or
s.perfeCt bIoomers," hich supplied their
own pollen ard the pistlIIate. or female
plant, Which required the pollen from
anot her plant to fecundate. Scientific
straw berry growers are now striving, by
fertiliz4ug one variety OF plant with he
pollen 81 anot her variety. t. git perfect
straw berry perfect in shere. color taste,
size and quality. With 4 hardy plant
thing never vet attained.
The plants thus obtained, or seed
lings" as they are called, will each have
an Individuality of It's own. even though
coming from the same parent plants,
Just as children OF the same parents
will be d ferent in appearance and char
acter from each other. though possess
ing some of the traits of both parents.
Mr.. Wooster is this year experimenting
with seedlings from the "Haverland"
which originated in Ohio, tertilized with
the Parker Earle from Texas. He
now has seventeen seedlings from these
plants, and already they begin to show
distinct peculiarities Until the indi-
viduality OF each plant is esta blshed,
they will be known by numbers alone.
+ When their characteristics are seen and
established, then they will be named.
Mr.. Wooster advises fruiting plants
only one wear to get the best results as
it W i'll be found hard on tie second year
to keep down weeds, and nj n, test only
All inferior berry will be obtained
OF the twenty-eight varieties of berries
ones are the "Burpach g" ''Iiayerlaud,"
..Warfield. -" Parker Earle. "Sharple,s,"
Beverly" .'Loyrtt-- Early" and "Beder
Wood
The ..su-t.c,,'.zs probably the largest
and mos -. ,..-.sA, POPULAR berry in h.,
xarlt t-s......t+f,- first t5.-l;ing az--y,-qr
NJ. Wa5--.-- ~, errie.. 81 this .rr:ety
taoai,. .,..,-ur. E ,ft..h,- IN diameter. ana
ye;gf s,..-5.,i q, .,i..c.. and haIf. Eleven OF
these h,--..- made. "a quart. The sharp
less j-an.,.,,., ;4opltrr variety.
The strawberry season h,rr lasts about
six weeks. TIN. wear the season was ten
DAYS ,7r.5,--. tt,sn usual. winch met hurt
the market here. as Western -b,.rr.,s Ner,
Maine season be..ap. Mr.. Wooster made
-. -. -l-;.... -. IN. i,..,,,ht "a