The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-06-17

of soil appears to be the slight difficulty
of working it; in most other respects it
seems to be as good as any.
The climate of this section of the coun-
try seems to be, moreover, finely adapted
to the attainment of the best results. The
cold of winter will seldom kill the plant
or BUSH Once in a great while the heat
of summer, or the scarcity of moisture,
may test its powers to survive, but not
often is this the case if it be set out early
enough in the spring time. One man who
put out 3, 600 plants year ago, never lost
dozen during the period of protracted
drowth last year.
The crop again is sure. There is scarce
ly such thing as failure possible when
proper attention and care are bestowed
upon the plants. Seasons differ, of course.
Some are better and some poorer than
others, but nothing approaching total
failure is likely to be realized, particular
ly in strawberry culture.
This is an item of great value. The
mining interests are uncertain at best. In
it fortunes are easily lost or won; but the
berry crop, while it is not likely to make
any man fabulously rich in year or two,
perhaps never. vet will bring excellent
returns for the money and time devoted
to its interests.
Another item of almost incalculable in
terest and Importance in connection with
small fruit culture is the good it confers
/ upon Others
1t provides employment for many boys
and girls, women and children and feeble
men, to whom the money they earn is
great blessing. About one-tenth of the
income from the straw berry patch reaches
those to whom it is a source of greatest
help. l have no doubt but that in multi
tudes of cases the opportunity to earn
something for themselves has inspired
many boy and girl with an ambition to
! do something tor themselves without
which they might have drifted to their
! fall.
Other interests often entail evils upon
individuals. l should have conscientious
scruples about raising things which
would most surely be applied to base and
degrading purposes. | have heard peo
pie argue against the inconsistency of
| temperance farmers in England raising
barley which they knew would be used
for making malt; and the malt for making
beer and the beer for making people
drunk. No such objection can lie against
the culture of the strawberry. Not only
is il harmless, but beautiful; not only beau
tiful but useful; not only useful but JUS
cious. What fruit is better. What more
wholesome. What looks richer | wish
| could have a dish of them petrified as a
| table ornament.
| believe most emphatically in the cul-
tivation of small fruits. A thousand acres
of straw berries within a radius of four
or five miles from the depot would bring
to this community more prosperity than
any other enterprise which is likely to
! To + Wnp16 lift 10 h1r1ap
from the heart of many an individual who
is anxious about tomorrow. For some
two years or more the Commercial Club
has met together seeking to promote our
material interests. Considerable interest
has been at times awakened. A year or
| SO ago we were full of hope for the build
ing of a new hotel: barrel factory on
| large scale was contemplated: large
| clock factory was at one time counting
| your sympathy cash and land. The only
valuable interest secured through such
efforts, | think, has been the ice plant
Yet all the while, when we have been
! looking abroad for something to come to
us from without, we have teen largely
unmindful of the fact that our largest
hope and most promising field of enter
prise las been waiting at our very doors.
We have been saying ''Lo here" or 'Lo
| there" We have turned our eyes to the
hills beyond us, to men who had no pur-
pose to gain but the futherance of their
own interests, forgetful of the fact that
in the hills and valleys all about lis, in the
very stones upon which we tread, and in
the strong arms and hopeful hearts of
our own people, lie the secret of our sue
cess. We have wanted somebody to brip Q
something to us, forgetful OF the fact that
that which we most needed was right here
| We have been wanting somebody to bore
a hole in the earth ont of which should
rush the gas, or out of which should flow
the oil which was to make us rich in a
day and we have had a derrick standing
in readiness for operation; but let me say
frankly that there is greater certainty of
success in the cultivation of small fruits
than is likely to be realized in oil or cas-,
AS money making scheme the discovery
of gas or oil in large quantities would
bring the most phenomenal success in the
brlefeSt period of time. while it will take
year or two to develop the fruit indus
try; but | for one would rather be assured
of the successful development of the fruit
industry than of the discovery of gas or
OIL for the simple reason that you would
have most of the benefits and blessings in
the latter case which might be obtained
good without the evil
My interest in fruit culture is primarily
twofold in its character. In the first place,
my interest in the culture of fruit, apart
from any consideration of profit, is deep
| like to see it grow. Such forms of
beauty are 20 me most pleasing. One of
the first things l did when a few years
ago bought a lot was to plant some fruit
trees, vines, bushes and plants. Yet
never since | was a boy until last year,
have | eaten SO much as a cherry which
grew on a tree that | could call my own.
In the second place, l am interested in
fruit culture because there is a money
consideration in it and its development in
any community means an increase of ma
terial prosperity for that community. 1t
means an increase of business interests,
Greater prosperity for our merchants,
better conditions of life for the people,
better houses, better homes, more com
forts, more pleasures, better clothing,
better schooling, more books, and better
ones; better streets, and side walks; better
churches, and better support with less
dependence upon outside help. A few
years ago comparatively young man, with
wife and some children, had to give up
his position as telegraph operator on ac-