Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-08-29
AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN.
Interesting Letters from Hancock
County Farmers.

County Farmers.
Bulletin No. s, of the State board OF
agriculture for the season OF 1900, con-
taips the following interesting letters
from Hancock county farmers:
DEER IsLE-1 have q Clapp's favorite
pear tree that has bioomed profuseiy for
years, and soon after the blossoms fell
the stems would look as 10 they had been
singed and scarcely any fruit would set.
This spring sprayed II thoroughly with
Bordeaux mixture just before the bios
SONS opened, and now II Is loaded with
fruit. 1t looks as II this was the result OF
spraying, though ii might have borne
fruit without IT. For this locality good
winter fruit pays best. Baldwins are
about the best all around fruit. There is
a market for all the winter fruit right at
home, bu, large crop OF fall truit would
prove a drug. tried an experiment with
the pea louise which appeared on part OF
my peas about July 20, completely cover
ing the ends OF the vines. ! took bee
smoker and flied 1t with paper well
spripkled with sulphur. and smoked them
till they were pretty thoroughly stirred
up. and then sprinkled them with insect
powder. They did not seem to relish The
treatment, and few honrs after, they
were not nearly plenty. | smoked
them again the next day. and they have
not done much damage, though there are
still some left. | give this for what II is
worth. k. ). WARREN.
PFSogscoT- Fruit culture in this sec
| tion has been neglected in some ways.
Apple trees have not been pruned as they
should have been, and In great many In
stances the worm has had control OF the
whole crop. II people would spend more
time in looking after their orchards l
think they would be better on When !
moved to this place forty -one years ago
people told me IL was no use to set ont an
| orchard. as the bresze from the ocea n
would blight the fruit, so for seventeen
years | neglected to set out any trees,
Since that time / have started asmaii or
chsrd, and IL pays the best returns OF any
part OF my farm. ! chose a southwest
slope for be site, and 1t is well protected
from the north wind by grove OF ever
green trees. l pick my apples into
crates made of lat hs, and carry them into
the cellar and leave them there until near
spring. | find they keep better In this
way than IN barrels. 'rhe only drawback
/ in this section is the d ifiicuity in getting
to market. y. r. NORTON.
SEDGwIcK-I should think some sys-
tenn OF cooperative selling would he
good thing, vii h some smart, honest man
to manage Il. For maintaining the repu-
iat ion OF our fruit, should cay that every
one " ho has fruit To sell should give hon
z
1t is marked. 4. III. DoRiTY.
FLIswoRTH-I have an orchard OF some
SO apple trees. few pear trees. and some
plum trees The pear trees are not doing
Rnyi h Ing, and the plum trees give nothing
hut black knot. but the apple trees are
doing nicely. They have been set more
than twenty years. | gave them good
care when young and they are pay ling me
row. / have about twenty ktuds-too
ian ba rf he In bf.,a
Hsrston's Red. Bs win, aud a few early
. ones, are all should care for and yet ours
all 90 at n good price. | would not he
without be straw htrry-it Is surprising
" hat large amount can be rsi+ed a
srnsil pirce Of ground. | s-o have lot
OF cranterries, and shalt pre- pare place
of ground for rsspherties aud black berries
this tan. have sprayed apples and pota-
toes with Bordeaux mixture with good
results. JAMES T. CpsuMAS.
ELLSWORTH very important thing
in orehsrditg Is thesse' ecti ing OF varicts.-
We need fruit that viii ind market in
sny part Of the word where apples are
+ shipped. Many farmers are planting tho
Ben Davis for the reason that they can
keep he fruit and market ii in April and
MAY. getting good prices tor IL. The tree
requires high culture and close pruning,
is very hardy, heavy bearer and comes
into bearing young. The requisites for
-uCctrsiul urCbHfultlg tuhb re sum fDhFiL tN
in the four following suggestions: Good,
strong-growing, hardy trees: young and
continuous bearing; varieties that will
produce apples Of uniform size, shape,
color and quality; fruit with keeping
qualities bat will enable the planter 10,
dispose OF his crop to the best advantage
| believe the Stark sppie meets all these
requirements. IL appears to be the mot
vslus bic apple that has ever been planted
In this section. Orchards should he
planted on moist soil OF moderate depth,
one that will permit OF proper drainage.
Hard wood ridges furnish he best orchard
land, and we have thousands OF them in
Maine. Too much stress cannot be laid
on The care of newly planted trees. The
cultivation should he thorough and CON
tinuous. | wish the farmers OF Maine
could see The results of this work which
| have seen in this sect ion OF the State.
NV observation teaches me that CONNER
cial fertilizers are OF great value in grow
ing ali kinds OF fruit. Straw berry cuI-
.ure in some sections has demonstrated
the greet poss utilities OF the State as y
producer of choice fruits. Some of the
Japan piums give promise of being sue
ceSstuily raised here. aud should be thor
ouFhiy tested. Many varieties OF pears
and few varieties OF cherries can be
grown here to good advantage and With
large profit to the owners. Let us take
counsel OF each oth her and learn the possi-
hilities OF our State for fruit-rsising.
thereby stopping the flow OF money out
OF he state and adding prosperity to our
farmers. believe fruit-growiug is TO he
come in time the leading industry OF the
State. J. E. CHM.
His satauieal majesty always smies when