The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-09-12

i"o OihtI pofIoHs Ji tue railroad =
holdings to prove to sKeptics. partIcu-
larry those farmers who hold the clay
bottom farms down the state. that this
sandy soil is fertile. They have al
ways believed otherwise. That once
demonstrated beyond doubt, the re-
mainder Of The task is likely 10 BE-
more easy.
This work Of actual demonstration
of the value Of the soil is in charge o.
Mr. Iiunton, who now lives in Cherry
field, graduate Of Maine colleges and
farmer Of experience, both in Maine
and in the west. He has not brought
his crops to their present fine oondi-
ton without a struggle. lie has found
10 question as TO fertility. \ ton o.
commercial fertilizer 10 the acre.
though less than used ON ordinary
Maine farming lands, has ben saf-
Gent, but he has found certain NV
problems, due 10 the newucss OF the
country One OF these OF snail mo-
ment but Illustrative, was the moosa
which cane and ate the beans to the
ground all along the row. evidently
finding the neatness and ACCURACY OF
the arrangement to his taste. But tho
worst trouble came with the yota-
toes. Ample preparation was made
for the Colorado potato BEETLE and the
paris green took care of these from
the first
But this northern region seems 10
have a BEETLE OF lis own. far mo-
deadly. That is an elongated blue
black BEETLE which lives ordinarily on
the fre-weed. In August the barrens
are most beautiful with the rose
purple bloom spikes of this handsome
herb, but it is doubtful if the Maine
potato farmers care for this beauty
On the leaves Of the growing fra-
weed were beetles and the moment the
potatoes appeared above ground they
deserted their usual plant for the po-
tato tops They clustered on them
and at one time it looked as if they
would never allow them TO get an
inch above ground. The poison which
was so deadly to the Colorado beetles
was but seasoning for the salad to
them. They throle on it. and oeeu
when it was put on so strong as TO sI.-
danger the vines the result WAS Tie
same. Then Hunton, in despair Over
his crop, took the night train to Port
land and came back the next day VIII
arsenate of zinc, which he applied
with a severity which was scandalous.
But it did the work. It wiped out the
bue-black beetles, which. indeed
soon ceased to be a pest. Only the
full grown beetles seemed to care fcl
the potato, the larvae going back To-
the fire weed. and the crop was saved.
THE APPEAL TO THE WEST
The demonstration work will 60 on
next year on a larger scale even thaIl
il is at present and then il. as uo..
seems certain. the fertility Of the So
is fully demonstrated the colonization
scheme will proceed. Thirty-siN thou
sand acres will make - so-aer.
farms and the tracts will prohablg he
divided upon this basis Thu land viii
be so plotted that the numerous NJ
ter courses which now run throu4h
it and which are filled with front and
shaded deep in rich meadow grass
will touch each farm. so far as pos
sible. Roads will be laid out and
houses built by the railroad 1t will
be possible to supply all this region
with pure water from Schoodie lahc
by a gravity system. when the tiuo
comes that il IS needed. and there
is water power in abundance to be
had from this and other sources Its
white coal may some day light the
whole region by electricity as We'll a
furnishing power.
The scheme Will be to call the at
tention Of farmers on older lands say
in the middle west. where farm values
have reached high level. to these
new lands, their fertility and the ease
with which they may be worked, as
well as the nearness o. the great New
England markets There is already
tendency ON the part OF western
farmers to come back to New England.
This nunortf,uffV should increase ri..