Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-03
ROSY OUTLOOK.
CONTINUED from Page Onc.)


son would lead to importations and if
these foreign grown potatoes got to
coming, there was no telling when
they would stop as the shipments have
to be arranged for so long in advance
that the arrivals are not always prop
erly timed to the condition of the
market.
Again repeating that he didn't regard
the situation as particularly healthy,
Mr.. Cleveland was optimistic about it
working out all right. when so
many sections" he said, however,
"turn to Maine for their supply of
potatoes. they often lose sight of the
fact that they may have underesti-
mated the home supply. Half crop
may have been harvested in New Jer-
sey, or Western New York and in some
of the western states and gradually
these supplies now not considered in
the reckoning may be available to low
err prices of the Aroostook rroCuct.
"Ry reason of the drouth in New
England the business of marketing the
early products in Boston has been
brisk. August found no potatoes in
that city for home consumption and
the Irish Cobblers, an early variety
grown here, sold at S175 per barrel
right out of the field for immediate
shipment AS result the farmers
were able to secure money for their
potatoes earlier than usual
Then Mr.. Cleveland spoke of the seed
business in which his company stands
at the head in Aroostook. We are. of
S.tn
comes in. We begin our shipments in
December when seed is sent to Texas
points and as the season advances ship
ments are made to Louisiana, Florida,
the Carolinas, and so on up the coast
and continue through the winter anG
early spring months when the seeds are
required in our own state"
The Cleveland company is carrying
So varieties of seeds in its catalogue
this year and next year will add five
more varieties. Its catalogue is big
and finely gotten up affair. showing
half-tone cuts reproduced from actual
photographs Of the various varieties
In next wears catalogue plans are al
ready being made to reproduce cuts Oh
the seed potatoes in their natural
colors, a remarkable invention in color
photography by a Frenchman having
made this possible.
The company makes its contracts
with farmers in various parts of the
county to grow certain varieties and
these are grown according to directions
and delivered when called for. Need
less to say it is the best quality OF
stock that is used in this seed business
and Clarence Powers of Maple Grove
who does big business up on the For
Fairfield branch. says that the object
he has, and it's the object of them all
to make the south always anxious t.
obtain and practically dependent upor
ArooStoOk for its seed potatoes.
But this is not the time to talk o
seed potatoes. A long. cold winter i!
ahead of everyone before it Will b.
tim. to put into the ground even in ou
southern states the seed pOtatOe!
reaching the highest possible develop
mcnt in the United States northern
most county.
Potatoes are being bought now 70
table consumption all over the middle
west and the east Buyers who ar
now numerous in the county. swarm
are here from many a faraway cit.
representing some produce concern tina
is not only anxious to supply presen
demands but lay in a stock for winter
needs.
These buyers. shrewd. keen bushes
men whose judgments are sharpene
| by many years operations in variou
| fields. get together on train or at hOtt
| and again reiterate what Mr.. Cleve
| land has said and assure themselve
and their listeners that the cOndltlO
| was never SO rosy for ArooStoOk The
| are for the most part right from tn
! states where the crops have heretofor
| been good and they bring word of pei
sonal knowledge of shortage. The
| are here to buy ArOOStOOk "Spuds' an
| buy they 60 from the local dealers fo
the most part. while occasionally
.-rnturesome one takes a trip afield an
bargains for the entire production {
MANY farmers farm.
| All this is indicative of the demand
The prices rule high for early seaso
| in consequence For Il time in til
very early season after the irish Cor
blers had been harvested and sold
| SOME INSTANCES do IllSIl d. pi.io w
barrel, prices for the Bliss and Gree
Mountain stock ruled around 81 an
$11O A few sold but not many. Cor
ditions were favorabl for fully ripper
| ing the crop and the potatoes stayed i
the ground.
| Now digging is going on apace. L
to Thursday conservative men estlma
cd that half the crop had been dug an
| hauled from the fields. Others say thu
more than half has been gathered il
still others says it will be two weel
vet before all have finished digging an
by this indicate that not much over
third has been secured as yet. Man
Il fields of potatoes are yet to be see
/ untouched many others are note
where about half the area still show
the blackened stalks still STANDING