Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-06-18
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Names Record Yield Of Potatoes.
(Bangor Commercial. }

(Bangor Commercially
The Commercial has just had occa-
sion to reply to the enquiries of a resi-
dent of the great state OF Pennsyl-
vania,-a commercial man, by the way,
who visits this state frequently,--in re-
gard to the total yield of potatoes on
the Maine farms. We had to admit
frankly that there was no record at
hand, complied by state officials and
considered fairly reliable to show how
many bushels of this great agricultural
product are grown here year after year.
The state assessors know hom many
head of horses, cattle sheep and hens
there are and the bureau of Industrial
and labor statistics can show how
many labor unions may be found here
in Maine and how many members these
nuions have, but only an incidental ref
erence is made by any state official and
that by Conn. Gilman of the Agricul-
tural department to the size and impor-
lance of our potato crop.
Now it may be known that in the
past few years the time honored ''spud''
has done more to advertise and draw
attention to the possibilities of the
Maine farms than any other product
sent out by this state. And this, too,
in spite of our state officials. The letter
of the travelling man mentioned is an
evidence of this in one instance at
least He had been here in the winter
of 1906-01 and heard of the magnitude
of this crop in one county alone and
gone back to the rich and highly pro-
ductive Quaker state and told them
that they wasn't $50 much" at raising
potatoes and writes down to the Com
mercial to back him up in his argu-
ments He stated that there was a rec
| ord of 527 bushels to an acre there, but
he thought Maine could beat it, and
sure enough it can.
When potatoes are mentioned it is
natural enough in this section to call
up G.. Fred Snow, general freight agent
of Shc Bangor e Aroostook railroad,
for facts and figures. He has both at
his instant command and quotes them
gladly.
"'Fhe crop of 1906 in Aroostook coun-
ty alone must have been between IT,
o00,oO and 1S,00O,o 900 bushels The rail-
road transported 1922, O12 bushels of
that years crop which is about 10 per
Cclil VI Tic lDtdl SltlC OI JIt COUNTY.
AS to the yield per acre, he had def
mite information of the experiments con-
Quoted On the John Watson farm at
Houlton under the direction of officials
of the Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station to the effect that 1912 barrels,
Using 40 bushels were obtained there
in 1907, an off year and a bad year in
many places for potatoes
kut controversy now on in the
heart of the potato section, between the
editors of the Aroostool1 Republican of
Caribou and the Review of Fort Fair
held, seems to add more definite knowl-
edge to the record per acre" question.
The editor of the Review rather takes
his Caribou contemporary to task for
having printed the story that r. a.
Shaw of Caribou recently had returned
to him a letter Written to his parents
in 1873 when living in Washburn and
reciting the information that a piece
of potatoes raised by him that year
yielded at the rate of GAG bushels to the
acre, and no fertilizer used either. The
Review calls the story SILLY" and
''ridiculous.' 1t then states facts"
THE greatest yield ever secured in this
region was that Of P. H. Reed, Fort
Fairfield, in 1892. namely 745 bushels
and 46 pounds from one acre, the poto-
toes weighed, the ground measured
and all circumstances witnessed and
certified to-
The Republican replies at length and
quotes Mr.. Shaw as to the reliability of
the statement as published and is
backed up to the very letter by a man
''who knows what he is talking about
So there it rests: the record per acre
is still III controversy unless Editor
Harvey of the Review acknowledges
the con and submits gracefully to the
fact that to Washburn belongs all tbs
glory and honor of record yield OF
'Spuds," but whether he admits it OF
not 145 bushels per acre is going some
and beats the county and the world
probably, with the single exception of q
| record made in Colorado. Ii it's 94t
| bushels per acre, whew,