The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-04-28
YERMONT'S POTATO CROP.
Average Yield Per Acre in This
State Falling While That OF Maine
Is IncreaSing-Our Possibilities.

Bradley c. Newell, formerly a
member of the Vermont Legislature
who acquired some fame and money
through the exercise of a peculiar
gift of healing which he did not un-
derstand nor attempt to explain, has
left the paths of publicity and settled
down to the quiet life of farmer at
Rowe, Mass, the money received
from the exercise of his healing gift
constituting large part of the cap
ital he has invested there.
Newell again looms up in the
limelight and attracts the interest of
his former neighbors by his achieve
ments as a farmer. He has won
fourth prize in a potato raising con-
test, producing 471A bushels of po
tatoes from measured acre OF
ground. The winner of the first
prize raised Gil bushels on meas
ured acre.
These figures are much above the
average yield of that crop, but they
show the possibilities of New Eng
land soils. On the irrigated land
of the West it is probable that larger
crops can be produced than anywhere
of conditions. In those arid sections
/ there are no clouds to obscure the
summer sun. no cold winds to retard
the growing crops. Steady sunshin
can be depended upon, day after day,
and week after week, while the
amount of water required for the
crop can be turned from the river or
the irrigation canal.
But neither the fruit nor the vegc-
tables produced in that rich Western
; country is equal in flavor and quality
, to thar raised here in New England
; The apple growers are making
! greater profits there than back in
| Vermont, not because they produce
superior fruit but because they de-
velop the possibilities of their soil
and then exert themselves to get and
retain a desirable market
Right here in Vermont, in Wash
! ington county, is some of the most
fertile and productive soil that ever
laid out of doors and absorbed heav-
! ems sunshine. 1t contains certain
elements that go to make up quality
! OF product that the finest western
, soils do not possess. 1t will repay
the effort of the intelligent cultivatcr
better than the finest soil OF the
West, for which men are paying
prices that seem fabulous.
Comparatively little intensive or
really scientific farming has BEEN
done by agriculturists in Vermont.
When man does, by new and care
III methods, make a remarkable SIZE
cess of some crop raising it is d mat
ter Tor newspaper comment and per-
sonal wonderment for a few days
and then it is forgotten. 1t seems
not to be a stimulus to the great ma
jority of farmers to copy something
of his methods and make their own
lands more productive.
So there are few figures at hand to
show the productivity of Vermont
soils, but figures from Maine give
some indication of what may be
done. and it is certain, actual analv-
| he
mont is equal to that OF Maine in
point of fertility and possibly of pro-
duction.
Names best known and most valu-
able farm crop is the potato and the
fame of the Aroostook county as a
potato producer has spread all over
the world. But Aroostook county
Is not alone in its productivity,
Farmers down there consider a
yield of $50 bushels to the acre "A good
one, and the price will average 80
cents bushel or better year after
year. With yield of only $50
bushels, an acre will produce SO.
and the expense OF producing the po-
tato crop is comparatively small. The
average yield in Maine last year wa :
80 bushels to the acre. One man
produced 74S bushels from two and
half acres, another $500 bushels
from ten acres, another 1000 bushels
from 101a acres, another 1900 BUSH
els from 40 acres. A Richmond farm
or harvested 400 bushels from an acre
and Somerset county man 569 BUSH
els from one acre and $40 from an
other while the best record was that
already referred to. of Gil bushels to
the arce. This stock yields the Maine
farmers $l2000,000 a year, of which
at least $7,000000 is profit. The de-
posits in the banks of the Aroostooli
district show an average per capita
Of $3.50, while the average for the
entire county is $3.50.
While Maine is increasing the pro-
duct of her farms, with. no better
soil than Vermont has. through the
efforts of State departments. railroad
OFFICIALS and of the farmers them
selves, production in Vermont mas de-
clined. In the matter of potatoes
alone, and that has been taken for
Illustration because it is such dis.