The Republican journal., 1912-12-05

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awarded in the BoWker potato contest,
Nov. 21st, at the New England Corn Show
IN horticultural Hall, Boston. Six of
the prizes went to Maine and one to Yer.
mont. The first prize of 5000 was award
ed to L. A. Littlefeld of Lincoln, Me-,
tor field of 545.4 bushels of Green
Mountain potatoes from one measured
acre. The second prize of $500 went to
George E. Burditt of Rochester, VT,
Tor yield of 5272 bushels of Pride OF
Vermont. Five prizes were awarded in
the following order:
Gerald Thompson, East Holden.
B. L. Aborn, Knox, Me........... 1855 $40
); N. Pease & Son. Bangor, Me..."4OO.6 635
y. U. Page. Bangor, Me ............. 1887 CPL
+. f. Chandler. Dover, Me......-453.1 6l2
TWO SILVER CUPS FOR ARoosTooK CO.
E. L. Cleveland Co. Of Houlton, one Of
the largest potato growing firms in the
county, won first and second prizes, con-
sisting of handsome loving cups, for an
exhibit of potatoes made last week in the
Bangor & Aroostook booth at the Amer
lean Land Irrigation exposition in New
York. This exposition, which was open
to all the States and Canada, was con-
Quoted on a big scale, with exhibitors
from all parts of the United States and
Canada and that the first two prizes
should come to Aroostook county is an
honor to the exhibitor, the community
and the Bangor & Aroostook railroad,
which induced the exhibit.
The first prize was won in the grand
sweepstake for the best exhibit of COM
mercial potatoes, competition being open
to any grower or combination of grow
ers, companies or communities of any
one State. The prize was a $3.50 cup
donated by Arthur E. StiIlwell, president
of the American Land and Irrigation Ex-
position, and former president Of the
Kansas City, Mexico & Orient railway.
The second prize was 5000 solid silver
cup for the best county exhibit of pota-
toes, competition open to an individual.
or combined exhibit of growers, from a
single county of any State.
LINCOLN MAN WINS A PRIZE OF 5000.
L. A. Littlefeld of Lincoln, Penobscot
county, has received notice that he has
been awarded the Bowker prize of $500
on his yield of 545.4 bushels of potatoes
from one measured acre of Green Noun
tains. Mr. Littlefield's potatoes turned
out n per cent. table size and his crop
scored perfect in cooking test made by
the professor Of household economics at
Simmons college, Maria W. Howard
He also got 46 points out of a possible so
in appearance. which included shape,
type, skin and flesh. The starch analy-
sis showed It, 81 per cent. which was d. 81
per cent over the minimum standard of
IL per cent. His total score was TIA
points, being the highest in the contest.
The contest acre was planted on sandy
x,,hi Job oil TO-,
of hay in 1911. The rows were 80 inches
cut one to four eyes to each piece, plant
ed ten inches apart in the rows by ma
chine and covered four inches deep; in
ten days the piece was cultivated, then
brushed and "buried;" ten days later, it
was cultivated ard hoed again, this be-
ing repeated in another ten days. The
acre was sprayed with Pyrox. Twenty
five hundred pounds of Stockbridge pota-
to manure was applied, divided into
three applications. 1t was bought in
the open market. No other fertilizer or
dressing of any kind was used. The po-
tatoes were dug and weighed in the
presence of three disinterested wit
nesses, one being representative of
the Bowker Fertilizer company, and
turned out 80, 722 pounds, equal to 1854
bushels per acre.
Mr.. Littlefield is young man about 80
years of age, unmarried, residing with
his mother, and makes speciality of po-
tato growing. He also owns small herd
of fine Jersey cows. He raises some
corn and other mixed crops. His farm
contains about $50 acres. His ambition
is to raise good crops and to produce
good cream and butter as we'll as prize
pofotooc He takoS npl1c1a1 inf i,
his farm operations.
In addition to Professor Howard, the
contest was judged by Prof P. M. Har-
wood of Massachusetts State Board of
Agriculture, ane E. S. Stackpole of E.
Putnam & Sons. potato merchants, in
Boston; and associated with them was
Prof. Philip H. Smith of the Amherst
Experiment station, who made the chem
ical tests for starch.
There were 81 entries in the contest,
and Notwithstanding the uneven season,
SO stayed in to the finish. There were IS
crops of over 300 bushels per acre, eight
of over 400 bushels and three of over 500
bushels per acre. Aroostook county was
barred. When these yields are compar-
ed with the average yield in the country,
which according to the census of 1910 is
81 bushels per acre, it shows the posi-
Dlltles OF potato growing In this cOun-
try.
THE PoTATo-RAIsING BELT.
Awards made at recent exhibitions
here and in New York demonstrate that
New England is superior potato-raising
country. The census gives "a bushels as
the average yield per acre for the coun-
try, while the average for New England
is 148 bushels and yields of 400 and 500
bushels per acre can be secured by care
full attention, while 200 bushels per acre
is assured with ordinary attention.
Maine carries off the honors in potato
, raising both in yield and variety. The
Pine Tree State is capable of raising 40
hfm 5S Of pS}tstoss and %
/. The average consumer cannot under
stand why every farmer who has sol