Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-01
The PLEASURE OF BRINGING :
AN ABANDONED FARM BACK
TO LIFE BY MODERN METHODS
Bingham Merchant Creating Delightful Home and Fruit
Farm Where Only Weeds and
Bushes Grew

Skowhegan, Me, June 80. (SpeciaD-
From an old. abandoned farm situated
on a side hill overlooking some of the
biggest mountains in northern Maine.
Alfred s. Burke of bingham has
started upon a unique plan that will
make him long be remembered. He is
establishing without doubt the largest
small fruit farm in this section Of the
State and has already the largest blue
berry field this side of Washington
county
Mr. Burke has been in business as
merchant in Skowhegan and Bingham
for more than so years. It occurred to
him that in his retiring years a little
recreation was in store for him. He
bought a farm that had never been
hardly a livelihood producer and built
a cottage upon one of the highest
points. 1t Is so located that 1t over
looks a small pond and mountains are
seen for over so miles 1t appeared to
be an ideal spot for a summer home
Mr.. Burke planned 1t for more than
just place to go and rest. He saw in
those old pastures a fortune. He saw
in those gray birch bushes spotted with
small pine principal and interest on a
good sum. He saw in an oil maple
grove with thick underbrush pleasure
and profits. There were about eight
acres of pasture with a lot of. low
bushes. In his roamings over this
pasture he saw once in while Il nlue-
berry bush. 1t was then that he saw
the possibilities and Immediately he
began to burn out the grass and old
brush. He now has fine field of blue
berries that have already produced
many dollars worth of berries and
another season it bids fair to produce
about 200 bushels of these berries.
Though they are of the wild type, the
methods used by Mr.. Burke have in
creased them in size. He keeps out all
brush and weeds that would sap the
vitality of the plant. Mr.. Burke's patch
of eight acres is about 1000 feet above
sea level he plans to burn over the
field once in five years and then waits
one year for new growth This field
of berries is being enlarged by him
simply by cutting down grey birch
bushes and allowing the BURBERRY
DuSneS to spread.
The writer visited the place few
days ago and Mr.. Burke in most
hospitable manner showed him the
place from its height. Mr.. Burke OPP
pears to take a great deal of interest
in his pine. He pointed out many
small pines that he had trimmed and
said: Every one of those small pines
represent a dollar at interest" They
were only about two inches through
at the butt, but when Mr.. Burke ex-
planned what they would do in a few
years the writer saw the force of the
argument Other people on this place
had never thought of these things. He
trims each small tree considerably
from the trunk to the top leaving stubs
about six inches long. In explaining
why he did this, Mr.. Burke said IF
the limb is cut close to the bark of
the tree in a few years that place is
grown over and then rots and when
the tree is cut for lumber there is a
damaged place in the boards. BY leav
ing a long stub, it soon dies and drops
close Off near the bark of the tree and
leaves nc scar except through the bark
Probably one of the prettiest places
on this unique farm Is a maple grove
of ten acres. It's owner has gone
through it with ladder and saw and
trimmed every tree and as place OF
beauty it cannot be equaled and as
place for producing money there are
few sap groves around like it.
"Some people tell me ! am foolish to
come out here ard do these things at
my age" said Mr.. Burke as he climbed
with the writer to the highest point
OF the farm, but want this place to
mean something and to have people
say kind things of me after / am
goLeS for believe that this will be
q that win be much desired be-