Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-17

edSe OF the use OF poisons and prevent
i've measures. Ten years ago the treat
ment of orchards with insecticides and
funsicides was in it's infancy. and
sprlnkling was ridiculed.i Today ev'
cry enterprisng orchardist in the State
recognizes the Importance of the prac
tice. This advance in ideas is in no
small degree direct result of the dis
cussions which have been held in the
meetings of the Maine Pathological So
ciety.
In the past. our farmers have been
urged to plant more trees and vines. IN
the present and the future the watch.
word must be Improvement. instead OF
investing more money in planting or
chards we must now aim TO secure
greater returns from money already IN
vested. More attention must be given TO
fertilizng the orchard,J to culture. TO
tillage, to pruning, to thinning the fruit
and to business methods in handling anu
marketing the product.
No part of the State is better adapted
for the general operations of agriculture
than is Aroostook county-"the Garden
of Maine" The winters of northern
Maine are so severe. however, that until
recently fruit culture has received com
paratively little attention. Indeed. less
than % years ago the positive assertion
was made by well known fruit grower
and nurseryman. that fruit culture was
impossible north of the latitude Of
The first settlers on the Aroostooil
river seem to have made no attempt at
fruit raising. About 40 years ago few
apple seeds were planted on some of the
upland farms. but the results gave little
encoura cement. Such of the trees as
lived bore inferior or worthless fruit.
After few years the tree -peddler found
his way into this fertile. but at that time
almost inaccessible region, and In sue
ceeding annual visits introduced many
hundred dollars worth of so-called hardy
fruits, all of which soon succumbed,
About 1875 the Duchess of Oldenburg
was introduced from New Brunswick
nureries under the name of New
Brunswicker," and this was begin
history Of northern Maine. The Duchess
was followed by Alexander, Fameuse.
tthe latter being rather uncertain), and.
in 1882, by the Wealthy. little later
real Peach were added to the list. while
in 1880. Dudley's Winter began to be
widely disseminated. The last named
variety, which with the Wealthy has
this northern region, was raised from
seed of the Duchess in 1880 by Mr.. j. w.
Dudley Of Castle Hill plantation. and IN
1889 was sold to Chase Brothers of Roch
name of North Star" The use of tins
name is unfortunate. since it already be
longed to one of the ''ironclad' varieties
of the Northwest
in the Aroostook region was the late
Hon. James Nutting of Perham. In. 1871
Mr.. Nutting planted an orchard of 100
trees, three fourths of which We're Ouch
meuse and a miscellaneous collection.
most of which have since died: In lsS5;
100 Wealthy trees were set, and later So
more of the same variety with several
hundred Dudleys Winter. Among the
varieties tried and discarded by Mr.. Nut
ting were Peabody GreeninS: Red Astra-
chan, Pewaukee Mcintosh, Haas Mann,
Early Russian, Talman sweet. Northern
Spy Tompkins King, Ben Davis ana
several others that are recommended as
hardy.
took the introduction of hardy varieties
INTO this region and several OF the most
promising sorts from the Northwest
i, isconsin. Minnesota and lowa-were
placed in Mr.. Nutting's hands. OF these,
some of the scions Were set in bearing
rees and others in the nursery. Most
If these varieties have now borne. and
some of the will prove decided acquisi
ions to the list Of hardy fruits. Among
he most promising varieties now on
rial in this orchard are: Arthur. ok1-
,ena. Patten Greetings. McMahon, Long
ield Prolific Sweet. Ostrakoff
About the time that Mr. Nuttins com.
nenced orchard culture on commercial
;cale, Mr. j. w. Dudley of Map!eton, q.
Iayford of Maysville. Benz. THY OF cas-
lie Hill and several others awoke to the
possibilities in this direction. and the
prediction made at the meeting of TINS
society in Bangor in 1871, that. within
y
'aise its own apples but have surplus
or export" has been fulfilled. For sew
,ral years few apples have been
shipped from Caribou and Pressure Isle.
md during the present year 1900 barrels
we're shipped by one firm. Robinson
Bros of Pressure Isle.
The present state Of fruit growing in
Aroostook county is this: nder or1il
larv conditions every farmer who VIII.
nay grow sufficient fruit for his own use
n many parts of the county. particularly
n the hills about Caribou, Washburn
ma Pressure Isle, there are eNcellent op-
,ortunities for commercial orchards. but
,nlv the hardest. 'ironClad> varieties
viii survive. \ windhrcak is an abso
ute requisite of success, but win lnlS
,rotectjon some varieties of special value
nay he grown. At the present time no
,arieties of plums or cherries have been
-ound which are sufficiently hafuy T.
The ciimate without ~ R wlnt,l
.hcrries-particularly Griottc du Nord-
are. however, promising Tor nome cor
SUMPTION. Even the MooerS Arcuc piuih'
Hhich originated AT Asniahd II VI UNI, M,
ain hardness unless top worked uPo,
he Canada" plum, and laid down each
winter.
SOME LITTLE KNOWN FRUITS.
The BIuebcrry: The blueberries y
America have been strangely overlooked
like by horticulturists ana by ms
oranS: yet there are no less IMAM SIN =!
;pVpn distinct species which lurHiSh luz
# considerable value. and as many more
which. though of less Importance pro-
luce fruit which may be eaten.
DESPITE the great use that must nave
,een made of the berries by the INDIANS
and by the colonists in New Enslahu,
here are but few records referring T.
his fruit We know that Champlain as
,arlv as 1645 found the Indians near
lake Huron gathering biueberrles To-
heir winter store, and Roger NllilaniS
mentions "Attitash twhortleberries) oil
which there are divers sorts, sweet IKE
,urrants." Aside from two or three
minor references. these are about the
1nly records eXtant. except In the Nari'
ms botanies and ftoraS published since
he beginning of the present century
DoiIhtlesS the reason Tor TINS dpptItht
Neglect is largely due to the abunnahce
md excellence of the wild plant. lnete
seemed to be no reason Tor the eNertip:l
Incident to cultivation IN oruer ~ PloI"ie
I liberal supply of fruit: -,..;,.,
In New York and in Michigan aportiVe
,ttanpts at cultivation have been hlaue.
A. the Arnold Arboretum. in Massachu
.etts Jackson Dawson has grown many
.oedlings and has learned some ValuaDie
aseI,,,e regarding methods of culture. Al
~ nrasent time. however. there Is prdc
.;n,III- no systematic attention gwen 70
~ "a rden culture of the BURBERRY. SaNt
Ia RECENTLY undertaken at the Maine
Experiment station. IT., r,,
In many parts of our State there are
bnueands of acres of land utterly worth
- for agricultural purposes, Whlch
e. tba timber is removed. send up an
l i',n5ant growth of BURBERRY bushes
,idars poplars. grey birches. etc. anu
which BY proper management may - -
Sai;exed be made to yield a handsome