Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-24
Some Things Make
Him Tired but
Apples Should
Be Doomed.
Characteristic Letter from (;
Man Who Raises Good Fruit.

Editor Kennebec Journal:
This constant exploiting and booming
of the West-presumably for the en-
couragement of the East makes me
tired, awfully tired. | am sick Of it; it
reminds me of the girl who had a
lover that was persistently dinging in
to her ears the praises of a lady friend
of his until, out of patience, she de-
clared, Sammy dear, you make me
tired, awfully tired-Ive heard enough.
If you think enough of me to marry
me, propose right away" and he did;
at least | suppose he did. am thor
oughly sick of this everlasting lauda-
tion Of the West by papers. magazines
and correspondents. We have here in
Maine just as good soil-though a lit
tie harder to work-as in the West;
grander hills and grander mountains:
the best of timber and the best of
granite: the finest of rivers and the
finest of lakes; and, to cap the climax,
the most varied scenery, the choicest
fishing and the gamiest hunting. What
more do you want?
There's another thing that makes me
tired-this constant laudation of Aroos-
took county. For nearly a half century
it has been praised up to the skies as
the garden of Maine. almost para
disc and you'd think, by the way they
run on, that there wasn't another
county in the State worth looking at
And what for Why, just because
they raise buckwheat and spuds in
great quantities. It's good county, L
admit, [ have been there and / have
frequently noticed that. just as soon
as they get rich or a little ahead,
they are anxious to sell out and got
back to the good old county of kenne-
bee that produced the stock from
which they emigrated. And laugh as
we may it is that same kind of stock.
brought up and nourished on buck
wheat and spuds. that has produced
frstclass men and women-men to help
fill the halls of legislation, men to gov
ern the State and men we have been
proud to send to Congress, But enough
of this I started in to boom Maine on
the apple and to combat thesfd that
we had much to learn from the West
in apple raising. packing and market
ing.
Not much. but something of course
as we are never too old to learn. They
have the advantage in newness of soil
and age of trees, but great disad-
vantage in lengthsof and cost of trans
portation. Box apples from the far
West sold in the Liverpool markets at
an average of $500 per box q busheD
while Eastern apples sold per barrel
at an average of $3.50 to $500. Sound
and well-packed apples sold as high
as $500 per barrel in Liverpool and the
best box apples at $3.50 to $500 per
box, but when all the bills for trans
portation, insurance. cooperage and
commission were paid the net profit to
the producer in the East was greater
than the profit to the Western man.
Maine Baldwins sold in the English
markets all winter long from 25e to
80 cents higher per barrel than any
others except few choice lots from
Canada and Western New York. Put
that down as great feather in the
cap of Maine. Yesl The apple is King
and if you can't find anything else to
boom Maine on, boom it on the apple.
The coming apple is the Delicious"
I bought one at a fruit store the other
day for 10 cents and my mouth has
been watering for another one ever
since. / will give a description of it
and q few other apples next week, if
agreeable to the editor.
w. p. A.
Hallowell, Me. March 90.