Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-03-29

feet walked on Dy the peOpIo VI th9
Pacific Coast any longer. They have
been and still are walking all over us in
the apple, peach and pear raising busi-
ness and the Maine orchardist will lose
the use of his feet altogether II he does
not wake up and get move on.
Before starting for the Pacific Coast,
| was told that would stay there, and
if was a younger man this prediction
might come nearer proving true, for
there certainly is fascination about the
way they do things in the wild and
woolly West, and particularly in the
Pacific Coast States. There are many
questions to talk about like
lumber, fisheries, real estate, shipping,
etc. But | will simply take up the ques-
ton that the citizens of Maine should De
the most deeply interested in at the pres
ent time. The Chamber Of Commerce,
of Seattle, Washington, is surely live
Institution and has many attractive feat
ures about it worthy Of emulation. Ii
is located in the upper story OF one OF
Seattle's sky serapers, "Central Build
ing" where it has extensive and eiaoo-
rately furnished rooms and offices. Mr..
Y Yandell, Secretary, is its busy man, and
ne certainly applies himself diligently to
his Job. A fine exhibit of the products
of the soil of the state is in evidence,
and would attract the attention OF any
one having the least amount OF interest
in such matters. Fruit, fruit, fruit, OF
every kind and description,-Apples,
Pears, Peaches, Plums, Grapes, etc.;
Wheat, Corn, Barley, Oats and grasses.
Apples are the great crop that is getting
the attention at the present time. Peo-
pie may be said to have gone apple mad.
On the western slope Of the Rocky
we find the milder climate,
and here is where we find in the Yakima
Valley and Hood River the greatest
apple orchards that are kept alive and
fruitful only by means of constant lrri-
CATION, and it is from these sections OF
Washington, and the Willamette and
Rogue River Valleys OF Oregon, that the
great handsome, rich cOlored fruit that
finds its way to the Atlantic Coast
comes, and it is through the shrewdnesS
and ability of these Pacific Coast hust-
lers that they have already encroached
upon the domain of our Maine raised
apples aud have almost driven them out
OI tue uldEkel. ~ lOOh az suVS0 apps
are beautiful. They are 'apples of gold
in pictures of silver" in truth. They
are fair to look upon, and many of them
are fine eating, finer indeed than much
of our Maine fruit filed with bitter
spots, knots aud honeycombed with
worms, for none of the fruit that is
affected by any sort of blight is allow
ed to 90 to market as tirst-class fruit
there. A box of apples is the same
from top TO bottom. There is no dea-
coming process and the method of asso-
citation marketing is well worthy of the
attention of all Maine fruit growers.
That there is some tirst-class fruit grown
in Maine, we are aware is the case, but
even what there is, is so poorly packed
that only a small part of its value IN
aciuality is ever realized from its sale.
A box which contains about two-thirds
of one bushel of this western fruit sells
for 50 so. A barrel of Maine apples OF
three bushels sells for about IS %.
Just think of i'll Then ask yourself the
question if it is not ridiculous. Why
the difference in the freight alone from
the Pacific would make fair profit; for
il is acknowledged that apples can be
raised with profit at two cents per pound
ON the Pacific, and this would be eighty
cents per box OF thirty-eight TO forty
pounds. Eight cents per pound il the
retail price. Maine apples with the
trees properly pruned and cultivated
(yrouud is plowed four times year on
The Pacific Coast Orchard) as they do 1t
in the west, minus the irrigation mot
needed here) looks just as well, and
when you come to eating, tastes hun
dred times better. The irrigated, fore
ed, cultivated fruit is often coarse in
grain and fat in flavor in comparison
with the fac grained, rich, tasty Maine
fruit aud no expert eptcurean taste Is
necessary TO prove il. The loss OF the
market to Maine TO date need be 80 per
manent loss to Maine, for the profit had
been cut down to so very small point
that it was not easy to find it. Names
has come. Thousands of
people are eating apples just because
they have had this fine looking Pacific
fruit introduced to them, and il Maine
will adopt Pacific Coast methods she
can reap a harvest that she has never
dreamed possible before. Pack the sp-
ples in handsomely labeled boxes in
stead of barrels, and No l Fruit, mark
No. /; No. Fruit, mark No. z, and
Names farms will be doubled in value
within the next decade.
Pears and peaches can also be raised
In Maine. The State Board OF Trade
should organize commercial CLUB,
made up of men from parts of the state
that will interest themselves in this and
other Maine products and possibilities
An exhibit Of a permanent character
should be established in Portland, the
chief city of the state, with display OF
the products of the soil and manufac-
lures (grauite, slate, canned goods, etc }
that need to be fostered, and also to
show Just what the state is now doing
in the way of developing its varied In
dustries. One of the rooms OF the Port
land Board should be given up to this
purpose, the same as the Seattle Cham
ber of Commerce is doing. Another
liberal size exhibit (permaneno should
he established in New York City and
main, aimed at the expense OF the state
NJ Maine, and the legislature should ap-
nropriate a sufficient sum TO keep 1t up.
These two exhibits would surprise the
world and greatly help the development
of this state, also believe that In con-
uection with these two exhibitions there
should be an agency for the sale OF
farms, orchards, and summer property
ali along the Maine Coast, and the rea,
estate dealer that would pay a fair rental
might either by cash or care OF the e1-
hibit be allowed to be associated win
the exhibit Hundreds OF thousands Vi
dollars worth of Names ROCKY sno.sS %
conld thus be put on the market, greatly
~ the profit of the state. am very
snrs that IL the Pacific Coast had one
thousandth part of the opportunities
that we have she would not 20 to sleep
but would Immediately get on move,
There are hustlers in Maine, but tney
are not as common as they are on tne
Pacific Coast, and for that reason tnere
are a thousand opportunities here .na' '
L.