The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-01-13

STATE. Reports from VARIOUS farmers IN
different sections Of the county, particu-
larly on the farms in and near Belfast,
show a large increase in the acreage
planted and yield Of from 200 to $50
bushels per acre. The State average is
but 100 bushels per acre.
There is also an increased interest in
the poultry business, all the poultry
raisers handling larger flocks, and some
new ones starting in. Eggs reached the
highest price ever paid here, selling from
the producer at 40 cents per dozen early
in November. w. M. Randall in East
Belfast and A. M. Ferguson on North
port avenue each added largely to their
buildings and runs.
The apple crop was large and Of ex-
cellent quality. Shipments began early,
and prices were well sustained through
out the season. Charles w. Lancaster
bought for shipment more than 1000
barrels in September and October, and
continued at the same ratio through the
season, shipping in all more than IL, 600
barrels. He made one shipment to Scot
land. The shipment Of apples has Great
ed demand for new barrels and large
numbers were made by local coopers.
Shippers are also using new boxes,
each holding bushel, to meet demand
for that style of packing the best quail
ties of fruit. Some of the poultry raisers
are setting out their runs to fruit trees,
with mutual benefit to both industries.
Prices ruled higher on farm products
than ever before Butter sold at the
stores for 81 cents, and this price created
demand for oleomargarine, which retails
for Is cents. Butter dropped to 80 cents
after Christmas. Eggs also reached the
highest price ever known here, selling
Thanksgiving week for 43 cents per
dozen. Poultry retailed, Thanksgiving
week, as follows: native turkeys, "a cents;
chickens, p; fowls, IS; geese, "a; ducks,
%. The price of milk was advanced one
cent per quart; selling at cents in sum-
mer and cents in winter.
Farm labor was very scarce and the
women went into the fields during the
rush of harvesting. A woman coming to
town with team load of farm produce
was not an unusual sight when the pota-
to and apple shipments were at their
height.
The year 1909 was in line with its pre-
decessors, for decade or more, in the
improvement in size and quality of the
horses used on the farm. A few years
ago ordinary farm horses weighed from
900 to l, 100 apiece, now the general range
is from 1000 to 1000. M. B. Smith
keeps 40 high bred horses at his farm,
and Horace Chenery has 30. Charles W.
Lancaster and ]. A. Staples sold 25
heavy horses from Iowa in April.
The crops of Strawberries and other
small fruit and berries were large and
good, The cabbage crop was large and
good, but caulifower was failure. The
hay product was good in quantity and
quality, but harvesting was delayed by
rains. When the good weather came it
was ideal for the business and the crop
was secured in excellent condition.
Prof. VIM. A. Brown Of the Univer-
sity of Maine gave a poultry demonstra-
ton in Equity Grange Hall July Sd.
The annual fair of the Waldo County
Agricultural Society was held September
7th, 9Th and 9th, and had fine weather,
large crowds, good races and interesting
exhibits. A baby show had q infants
offered for premiums There were "a
yokes of oxen and IL pairs of trained
steers in the cattle parade.
Fred A. johnson closed out his dry and
fancy goods business in Masonic Temple
in December and went to Colorado.
FISH.
Bottom fish were scarce all the season
on account of the ravages of dogfsh,
and but few were taken in the upper
part of the bay. Mackerel did not ap-
pear in any numbers, and only few
thinkers were taken in me nets. Herring
We're very plentiful. Although the
smelt fishing began early, September LIST,
the catch was small. CLANS continue
to decrease in both size and numbers, and
Holsters are almost a thing of the past
Even cunners founders and tomcods
were not caught in such numbers as
usual.
NEW BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
The year just closed was banner one
as to new buildings erected and improve
ments to others. Among the new build
ings we note the following:
The new building of the City National
Bank; a two story double tenement house
on Bridge street, by DR.. 0. S. Vickery;
the new hall of Seaside Grange; a cot
tage at the Battery, by W. R. Howard;
a carpenter shop on Congress street. by
Fred V. Cottrell; Colonial cottage at
Cltypolnt, by Mrs. Mabel Cushing; log
cabin at Beaver Tail, by Leslie Gardner
and Ralph and Roy Cunningham; a cot
tage on the harbor front, near Condor
street, by Geo. R. Gray; wooden adj
dition, for workshop at the county
jail; a concrete house on Bay View
street, by Frank H. Hoag; a frame
dwelling on Bay View street, by Elijah
c. Howard; garage on Northport
avenue, at the residence Of O. E. Frost:
a set of farm buildings on the Hazeltine
place, Perkins road, by Robert L. Curtis:
a one-story wooden building on Main
street, by Geo. C. Lower, for his up
holstery business. John R. Dunton,
Esq, built cottage on the shore lust
above the Battery and several cottages
were built on what was known as the
Allyn field.
Buildings which have been materially
enlarged or improved include the former
rooms of the City National Bank, at the
junction of Main and Beaver streets, for
the occupancy of H. L. Locke & Son and
r: A. French & Co.; the rooms of the
Waldo Trust Co., in Masonic Temple;
Colonial style porch, veranda and grad
ing the grounds at E. R. Pierce's resi-
dence, High street; the Curtis store in
East Belfast, remodeled for a dwelling,
by Clarence M. Knowlton; the Salmond
place on Northport avenue, graded,
shrubbery and trees trimmed and build
ings renovated, by Walter J. Clifford;
James Roberts built an L to his house at
the Head of the Tide; Mrs. Camilla. A.
Hazeltine built pergola, Skis feet, on
bor bo,1co ~, Count e+roa+