The Republican journal., 1898-02-17
The Dairy Question in Aroostook.

The Presque Isle Star Herald has been
publishing series of articles on stock
raising and dairying, and as result of the
agitation active steps are likely to be
taken shortly looking to the establish
ment of the dairy industry in that section
on some systematic basis. What the
Star Herald says further on the subject is
equally applicable to other sections of the
State:
1t is fully realized by the farmers of
North Aroostook that a return must be
made to some system of agriculture that
acts on safe, sound and conservative prin-
eiples. The folly of stripping farms of
stock, and abandoning every rule of self
sustaining husbandry, in the pursuit of a
single product which is uncertain and
speculative to the degree of mere gam
bling on chances, has been brought home
to every farmer, and if the normal and
natural balance is ever gained in the va
rious branches of farming which should be
pursued here, it is not likely that the
return of a season or two OF good crops
and prices on potatoes will cause our
farmers to drop every other incidental
branch because of seeming minor impor-
ance in point of profit.
| The fact is that these branches which
at times seem to be of smaller relative
value as a source of direct money profit
are really the saving and conservative
principles Of a farmers business. 1t is
! proper for him to raise every bushel of
potatoes he can, but the capacity of his
farm in potato production should be
measured and limited by the resources
afforded by proper adequate system of
4 stock husbandry.
The potato crop should be carried no
/ further than his other resources will sus-
tain him intact as regards maintaining the
fertility of his farm, and keeping up
well rounded and complete system of
/ farming.
! Aroostook farmers should raise their
own pork, their own wheat, carry on
/ stock raising and dairyng, and then raise
potatoes as an incidental crop. If they
do this, cutting their potato fields down
| to what they can fertilize properly them
| selves, from the resources of their stock,
the county can then raise very large guam
titles of potatoes, and own them, without
heavy incumbrance of phosphate bills.
1t has been suggested in the course of
the present agitation for dairying, that
| tHo ooHueHSeu ihlih iuuuSliy IllSuV pOS-
sibly be made to play profitable part as
factor in milk production. In this con-
nection we give the following extract
from Maine exchange bearing upon this
point: "W. II. Rackliff, of the Maine
Condensed Milk Company, has just re-
turned from months trip through the
Southern States, visiting many of the
principal cities, in the interest OF the
company. While away he closed a con-
tract with The Breisch Hine Caramel Co.
of Philadelphia, the largest manufactur-
ers of caramels in the world, to furnish
1000 barrels of condensed milk during
the present year. 1t will mean the ship
ing of one and one half carloads of milk,
put up in this form, every 20 days, and
the greater part of it will be forwarded
from the Newport plant. Mr.. Racklitf
points in the south, with one or two car
i load lets TO some dealers. He speaks en-
Enthusiastically OF the company's prospects
and of the high grade of milk produced in
the section about Newport and at W hite-
field, n. H., where the other and largest
factory of the company is located. Next
spring, Mr. Racklitf states, an average of
10000 quarts daily will be received at
their plant there. The capacity of the
condensing machinery will be doubled in
order to keep pace with the demand. The
/ farmers are generally very well satisfied
with the plice paid for milk, and many
! think they receive more than they could
/ get from the creameries."