Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-24
SPuDS ARE MOVING
RATHER FREELY NOW
Aro0stook Farmers Dream of 81
Potatoes Dissipating the En-
barge Situati0n-Resume of
the Situation

Houlton, Me-, March 23.-The ex-
having that before spring potatoes
would soar to 81 or IS a barrel seems
to be dissipating as is evidenced by the
fact they are beginning to unload their
stocks. 1t is stated on good authority
that about 20 per cent. Of the crop is
still in the county and this is now be-
ing moved freely at prices ranging
from $2.65 to $2.75 a barrel for Green
Mountains and $3.50 to $3.50 a barrel
for Cobblers. The roads are in excel
lent condition for hauling.
While there is steady movement Of
stock to the railroad platforms, there
is also considerable activity in the
hauling Of fertilizer from the cars to
the store houses. Owing to the short
age of cars fertilizer has not been
coming into the county in large guam
titles but now plenty of cars are being
furnished and every day many are I'M
loaded and fertilizer hauled away by
the farmers.
The arrival Of the fertilizer ship
ments gives an indication Of the plant
for the coming season and this 1t is
estimated will not fall below ten per
cent. of that Of last year.
Had it not been for the speculat tors
setting the price high early in the
fall, it is thought much more Of the
stock would have been marketed than
has been up to the present time. 1t is
claimed that some of the spectators
who forced the market to SO and over
per barrel in the fall have lost good
money.
! There is a rather unique situation in
the county in regard to the provincial
potatoes and the rulings promulgated
by the federal horticultural board seem
hard to understand. In September ii
was announced that all inspection for
injurious diseases would be removed
as it was found that the powdery scab
did not injure the southern stock. In
! December an order was issued that up
on guarantee by the Canadian govern
ment that potatoes were free from dis
ease, the embargo, which had been
placed upon Canadian potatoes at the
time Of the powdery scab scare, would
be removed and an order was issued by
the board that citizen of this coun-
/ try could obtain a permit to import po-
tatoes by complying with certain regu-
lations After some had obtained these
permits this order was rescinded, and
another issued stating, that no potatoes
would be allowed to be hauled into the
State Of Maine by team, but that they
must be loaded in care in Canada and
then shipped direct to Boston or New
York where the duty would be col
lected.
Now the situation in this town is
this: The farmers along the border
who naturally and for business rea.
sons prefer to haul their potatoes into
the border town because a great many
of them live nearer the shipping
points in Maine than in New Bruins
wick and also, because they like tc
spend their money over here, are un-
able to do so, thereby taking away q
considerable amount Of business which
would naturally accrue to the mer-
chants of Houlton and the other towns
along the border
The farmers on the Woodstock road
and the cross roads near there. who
live as near to the c. P. station II
Houlton as to any other shipping
pOlutS AllolCdu VI oCiIi6 doAC " Adu
their potatoes here must haul them t.
a siding along the st. Johns Valley
Road, or to Green Road to the c. P. r
or to Debec Junction.
1t would seem that it would be &;
good business proposition for the Houl
ton merchants association to get IL
touch with the Federal Horticulture
board and find out why or what reason
they have. If any, for forbidding TIL
direct importation of potatoes into thu
State of Maine. 1t is hard to under
stand what difference it makes if thu
stock is hauled into Houlton and ship
ped from here or loaded on cars at tn
Green Road which Is two miles from
the c. P. Station at Houlton. It can
not make much difference with tn
price Of potatoes to the farmers il
Aroostook county, as the New Bruins
wick stock will go to American mar
kets, any way, if the price is right
> and it undoubtedly does keep a lot o
business away from the merchants il
the border towns. there seems to b.
> no question that the duty can be col
lected as we'll at the local ports as 1
could be in Boston or New York.
Sagadahoe Real Eetate Transfers.