The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-10-03
Somerset Crops.

According to the latest bulletin OF the
Somerset crops average as follows :
| Amount of hay crop, 10 per cent /;
quality, 96 per cent. Condition of fruit.
81 per cent. Condition OF potatoes. 81
per cent. Condition of corn; sweet, 100
per ceut; yellow, 101 per cent. Com
| parative acreage OF each; sweet, 81 pei
cent yellow, 81 per cent. Comparative
acreage Of potatoes, SO per cent Pots-
toes are not affected with blight to any
large extent. The spraying of potatoes
for blight is practiced by but very few.
The general average for the state is ::
Amount Of hay crop, 100 per cent !;
quality, 81 per cent. Condition OF fruit
46 per cent. Condition of potatoes, "A
per cent. Condition of corn; sweet, 81
per cent; yellow, SO per cent. Compars-
tive acreage of each sweet, 81 per cent !;
yellow, 81 per cent. Comparative acre
age of potatoes, 90 per cent. Potatoes
are reported as affected by blight to
some extent In most counties. The
spraying of potatoes for blight Is not
practiced 10 any great extent except In
Aroostook county. Average cost per
acre of spraying potatoes, each applica-
ton, SIPS. Average number of times
sprayed; with poisons 3, Bordeaux mix
ture, 3.
Correspondents 10 Somerset towns con-
tribute to the September bulletin as
follows:
SKowHEGAN-I think the condition of
the apple crop has improved during the
last month. In talking with some
Of our best orchardists | find they
will have from 100 to $50 barrels of good
apples. Some early fruit has been ship
ped to Boston and sold at $500 to SO. 25
per barrel. One reason for the shortage
Of the apple crop In this locality was
very high, cold wind lasting about three
days when the trees were In full bloom.
AS rule small orchardists do not spray.
This is a mistake on their part. There
are not as many caterpillars this year as
common in this vicinity.
ANsEL HoLwAY, (Member).
ANsoN-Orchards are mostly looking
very well. and when cultivated or well
mulched are making good growth. The
Duchess are set by some, especially for
canning. The Ben Davis ranks well for
shipping. The Baldwin King and Spy
are yet the favorites on the best orchard
| soils of northern Somerset.
GEORGE FLINT.
RIPLEY-There are not many large
orchards in this vicinity but most farm
ers have some appes to sell. Most of the
orchards are kept in grass. Some of the
larger ones are pastured with sheep bur
the most of them are moved.
VIM. HOYT.
NADIsoN-The full bloom of lasr
spring In our apple orchards has MOI
materalizod in bountiful crop. The
long. cloudy. wet, cold weather is m
IdOubtedly responsible in large measure
for the failure. Another reason is the
fact that most farmers do not keep their
orchards properly trimmed, sprayed and
under good cultivation. When the trees
have arrived at the bearing age | would
! keep them properly trimmed and spray
as often as | thought 1t necessary 70 stay
he rav1ges Of fuDgous diseases and IL
sect pests The lsat and most important
thing is to give the orchard good Guilt
walton and plenty of manure or chem
Gals and allow the trees TO have the full
benefit of the coil rather than divide It
etween the fruit and other crops.
TILsON d. SALLEY.
SoLON-For the past three years plums
have rottfd quite badly on the trees
Can YOU fell me the cause and a remedy?
There is about half crop OF apples n
an average. | have pastured sheep in
our orchard for the last seven years and
we have got good quantity of apples
for a small orchard. think that an
orchard should be pastured or dressed In
some way. A. B. WALKER.
FAIRFIELD-My orchard s on rocky
soil. which seems we'll adapted to
oreharding. have pruned and mulched
II well for few years and this year
shall get more than an average crop.
pasture half of the orchard with sheep
until the apples get large. The other
half have closed with wire fence
for henyard and think the hens are
doing something for the trees. | think
there need be 90 'of7' years if All
orchard is well taken care of.
SPRAGUE A. TAYLOR.
MADIsoN-We do hut little at fruit
or wing. except for home use. Almost
every one in this section puts ifth
mulch around fhe trees or pastures viii
hogs, and the fruit has doubled in 9 n
since we have done this. We have spray
ed our potatoes three times, once with
bordeaux mixture, bug death and paris
green, once with bug death and paris
green and once with bordeaux and paris
green. Our potatoes look fine noy, and
the crop is quite good on the whole,
though the bugs were very troublesome
this wear. j. =. BLACKWELL.
LEXINGTON-Mv ~ chard is on a side
hill aud rocky. think sheep or swine
in an orchard are beneficial. prefer
swine, as they not only eat the windfals
but root the ground more or less. The
best varieties for shipping, with me, are
the Ben Davis, Baldwin, r. |. Greening
and Harvey.
JOHN Fl. GREEN.