Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-14

raised about 60 barrels of potatoes to
the acre on an average. Now they
raise hundred or more. In the old
days a comparatively small amount of
fertilizer was used. This year the
Aroostook farmers have paid three
quarters of a million dollars for fertil-
izer. In 1900 and 1901 the University of
Maine sent some of it's agricultural on
perts to Houlton to try scientific farm
ing on 4 farm owned by John Watson
which was turned over to them for the
purpose. 1t was their chief aim to
show that the deadly blight, the most
dangerous menace to the potato plant
known could be readily and cheaply
overcome. A large field was planted to
potatoes. Half the field when the vines
had come through the surface was
sprayed with solution of equal parts
of copper sulphate and unslaked lime
in water and the other half was treated
in the old-fashioned way. The spray
ing cost for labor and materials about
$3.50 per acre. That portion of the field
which had been sprayed yielded at the
current price $40 per acre more than The
unsprayed portion. The Aroostook
farmers never forgot that lesson. More
than ninety per cent. of them spray
their potato vines now and blight is
practically thing of the past
One finds everything, even values,
on big scale in Aroostook. Five
hundred and 600 acre farms are not I'M
common. The horses used in blowing
and planting are handsome great ami
mails weighing $500 pounds to the pair
and worth from $500 to $1,000. A large
number of very heavy and expensive
horses have been recently brought to
Pressure Isle, Houlton and Caribou
from Chicago where they found ready
purchasers among tie farmers. Small
low priced animals are rarely seen in
any part of the county. In Pressure
Isle, in the fertile valley of the Aroos-
took river, can be found an excellent
illustration of the increasing value of
farm property. One farm which eight
years ago was bought for $500 was sold
last fall for $1,000. Another farm sold
six years ago for $4,000. This year half
of it found ready purchaser at ST.
COO. The e. l.. Hayden farm in Pressure
Isle is valued at $25 600 to $780, 600. but
inaSmuch as the proceeds from the sale
of its products 50 annually $4,000 4
business man would at once say that it
was worth more than that figure. 1t l.:
not for sale at any price.
There are more than fifty different
varieties of potatoes, most of them
hybrids invented by ingenious farmers
who have planted two different kinds in
the same hill seeking to reproduce The
good qualities of both in one new Va
riety. Many of these experiments have
been successful. The Green Mountain
aud Beauty of Hebron, the former 4
white and the latter pink tinted va
rIety are in greatest favor and piarted
most. Other lie adi's varieties are nh-
kota Red. Early Rose and Bliss Tri-
umph, the latter 4 favorite with South
ern farmers because it is both hardy
and prolific and an early market pO-
tatO. OF the very newest hybrids the
most popular are the Irish Cobbler,
the Early BOvee and the Junior Pride.
About one-fourth of the potato crop
annually is used by the starch cactol les
in the manufactures of starch. Aroos-
took county produces nearly han the
starch manufactured in the United
States. There are now Ga factories in
he colnty. sixteen OF which are owned
i
Years ago the entire crop was used in
making starch hut now the farmer
sells to them only such small and
bruised potatoes as would be regarded
rs unfit for the regular market. The
starch factory provides an immediate
cash market for the farmer for all his
refuse and otherwise worthless pota-
toes. 1t stands between him and dis
aster for even when other markets fail
he is sure of getting something for his
crop and that in cash. The factories
run only in the fall of the year but are
very busy then sometimes running
night and day. 1t occasionally happens
that in the spring there is no outside
demand for potatoes and they are then
hauled to the starch factories which re-
sumo the process of manufacture until
the additional supply is exhausted.
Fifty different varieties of ArOostoo
potatoes will be exhibited at the ST.
Louis exposition this year, the exhibit