Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-01
POTATO is KING
Up in Aroastook Where They
Grow Millions of Bushels.
Machinery Figures largely in Plant
ing and Harvesting Crop,
Same Facts and Figures of interest
Concerning the Business!

No section. Of Maine Is more pgoni-
nently before the people today than is
Aroostook county. For the past two
weeks story upon story has been print
ed Of it's prosperous condition: of the
great potato crop which was to bring
thousands, yes, millions of dollars into
the Golfers Of the people of that county.
For a section which depends upon agri-
culture 50 much ii is contrary to the
General rule OF the State. Abandoned
rms are practically unknown up
tt..-~e and everybody is making money.
to bc cure there are larger lumber IN
teresls the county and the lumber
territoi far greater than that which
is devot, 10 farm lands. Still, when
one speaks # Aroostoots the mind in
stantIy revert to potatoes and other
farm crops, mostly the former.
Aroostook potatoes have been famous
for many years now and their fame is
constantly spreading. To one who mas
never visited the county an inspection
of one Of the big potato store houses Isl
a revelation. 1t comes as q great sur
prise, for few have any conception of
what they are like Nor do most peo-
pie understand how the crops are hand
led of their size. They read in the
paper that the potato crop of Aroostook
viii amount to SO much this year. That
is the end OF it.
They do not stop to think how farm
ers work Or on how large a scale they
farm it, Did they the county would be
better appreciated.
On visiting Aroostook county, and in
this sense is meant the farming section.
the first thing which impresses itself
upon one is the prevalence of machinery.
Everything which can be done by ma
chine is carried out in that way.
Manual labor is dispensed with just as
much as possible. At first it scarcely
seems that ii is wisdom to use machines
for some Of the things which they do up
there. but the results show that it is a
money winning idea.
From the time that the blowing of the
fields begins until the last bushel of the
tubcrs are housed in the fall, machinery
figures in the labors of the field very
prominently. Even the plow which is
mostly used requires the services of but
one man. being what is called suiky
J,low This one man has an easy time
too. compared to what his grandfather
and father had, when they started in
TO turn over a piece Of land. All ne has
10 do is to sit on 9 comfortable seat and
guide his horses Hard work? Yes,
but it isn't like hanging onto the hand
ies of a plow, the reins knoted about
the neck &nd chase up and down fur
row after furrow Of ploughed land all
day When most Of us We're boys, hoe
ing the potatoes meant some long days
of back breaking work. Not so to the
Aroostook farmer boy of today He uses
horse hoe, which does the work Of
scores of men and boys-does it better,
too.
II used TO be the proper caper to go
out for pototo bugs armed with sticks
or small pals of Paris green mixture.
II doesn't go today in Aroostook It's
TO slow YOU know. Instead. they have
hugh spraying machines. mounted on
wheels and ORA wn by horses, which are
hauled through the potato fields and
each and every plant given thorough
wetting with the bug discriminating
mixture.
Aud when il comes to harvesting the
croD the machine gets right into the
game once more and opens up the hills
with astonishing rapiddity. No one
man can keep behind this machine and
keep the crop picked up. Half a dozen
OF them are required and they have the
hustle every minute Of the time. AS
one sees these men work. having
watched the use of the machines dur
ing the planting, growing and harvest
ing season. he cannot help wondering
how long it will be before some chap
With an inventive turn Of mind Will de-
wise machine which will pick the
potato up.
In no way, probably. can better idea
of what the potato crop of Aroostpoh