Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-05-03
HANCOCK COUNTY CROPS.
p. G. Wooster, of California, Tells
What He Knows of Them

4. one person from each of the counties OF
Maine was called upon to tell what was
grown in his or her county. p. q.
Wooster was assigned the paper on Han
cock county, and submitted the article
printed below.
Why should you think that l should
know what is grown in Hancock county,
could better tell you what was grown in
that county thirty five or forty years ago.
l was there then, and helped to grow
things; and as think OF it now, some Of
the rocky farms there did pretty well.
l saw and helped harvest some very
good crops which gave me back ache
often, and tired feeling all over hundreds
of times. But, as a general thing, am
inclined to think that Maine can be made
to produce more than she does, and Han
cock county her share Of II II she be mp
and doing. There are great many things
that can be done there to-day at profit
that were never thought OF when | was 9
boy, and might be done more easily, with
derived from farming.
Probably by the time | get through
reading, il not before, you will be con-
WINGED that / do not know what Is going
on in Hancock county at the present
time, or what is being grown there; but
for the purpose OF this paper am going to
consider that everyt hing that is produced
in Hancock county to in any way enrich
the producer and the county. Is grown,
whether it grows up out Of the soil, as
potatoes and cabbsges, or from the
earth's surface, as granite from the ledge,
or out Of the bays and rivers, o. fish
caught with hook and line, net, seine or
taken in weir, or anything that moves
about on legs, as animals, product Of the
industry of man, is grown.
And, first of all, then, men and women
are raised in Hancock county. There are
just as good boys and girls grown in Han
cock county as in any other county of the
State, and / will make no exceptions.
might name some Hancock county men
who have made themselves known to us
through their great and good deeds
whereby they have helped the human
race. You have heard OF them, you have
read of them, and because OF them you
impulses for greater endeavor to make the
most of yourself; but want to say to you
that | knew some of my neigh bors in
Hancock county who were truly great
men and great women, although you have
never heard OF them. They were great
in little things, in essential helps, always
on hand to aid where service meant much
to the recipient.
A man may become great in the profess
sions, he may become great as farmer,
rs sailor, q merchant or rs o mechanic.
To understand q trade, take pride in 1t
and work at tito get that out of it that is
more than dollars, viz: satisfaction of
having done ones best, is as good situa-
tion for . manly man Is any other from
the pillow to the White House, or to the
throne of kingdom or seat OF an empire.
Greatness is qualitative, not cumulative.
The humblest citizen OF a town may
possess qualities that will make him just
as great in the sight of God as the
preacher, president or king.
Therefore, men must be grown first.
Not everyone who looks like q man, be-
cause of his dress and general appearance,
Is . man. Not every female who looks
liks woman in many ways, and acts like
one, Is . woman in the highest and best
sense Of the term.
The most important beginning is in the
household, with man and woman ut the
head; and l am sure you will find no
better regulated homes than those OF
Hancock county. Judge % found them
forty years ago.
And SO that 10 why Hancock county has
grown many things besides. Let US
arrange q List OF them. First, we will
begin with the tall pines. I do not know
how it is now, but then Hancock county
furnished the best Of masts for the ships
she built in her own shipyards all along
the coast; and the hsckmatack and spruce
knees, and the wood for the ribs for these
water walking vessels.
But hear someone say, the forest grows
OF itself; it is not grown. Ny friend,
there is nothing that grows Of itself, and
man alone grows nothing. He does not
grow corn or potatoes or beets or cabbage,
truly speaking. Man is beautifully fur
| nished with tools and means and ways,
but God produces, grows. He grows the
forests and the truck of the garden a.
well. What is produced in Hancock
| county is grown there.
There is lull in shipbuilding in Maine,
I believe, and has been for some time, bat
perhaps, when the tariff is arranged all
right so as to again furnish American
shipping to whiten the oceans with it,
canvas, it will return, ct least, in meas
ure, and Hancock county will have her
share, you can rest assured Is to that.
But, to include pleasure craft and fish,
ing boats, the shipping OF Hancock coun-
ty is important at the present time. ]
presume that our county now furnishes
q great many spars, but il not, she does
furnish lumber from her forests for build
ing material for cities, and ties for rail-
4