Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-05-28

Possibilities Of Small Fruit Growing.
(Lecsurs given by Professor Brown. Head
Of horticulture Department, at Farmers' Week
Aeeting)
There are many points to be argued In
favor Of small fruit growing In Maine.
Among these the following may be
mentioned.
1. Only one season IL required to get
the plantation under way.
3. The work 10 not hard and may be
adapted to many individuals who are
not physically qualified to handle other
branches Of farm work.
8. The financial returns will equal
that Of any branch Of agriculture.
4. A small amount of land and
limited equipment will yield compare
lively large returns.
The small fruits that may be consider.
ed commercially profitable under Maine
conditions are as follows: Strawberries,
raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries,
curran!s, cranberries and blueberries.
OF this list the gooseberries and currants
have been identified a. carriers OF the
disease Of the white pine blister rust
and cannot, therefore, be generally
recommended for planting. While they
are among the hardest OF the small
fruits and give highly profitable returns
their connection with the spread Of the
blister rust 10 of such far-reaching i'm
portance that further planting cannot be
at present encouraged.
The blueberries and cranberriss repre-
cent q greater money value than any OF
the other small fruits, but since little or
no attempt has ever been made to bring
them under cultivation their natural
boundaries are fairly we'll fixed. Where
conditions are favorable they represent
highly profitable branch Of the small
fruit industry. :.
This leaves, then, for general cultural
purposes the strawberry. the raspberry,
and the blackberry. The strawberry is
the most important and the most widely
distributed of any of the small fruits.
1t 10 hardy enough to be successfully
grown In all parts Of the state. Many OF
the varieties that are good for home
use are also good commercial kinds.
The local markets are good and where
transportation can be had to Boston the
business may be developed almost with
out limit. Well kept plants will often
produce quart of fruit each, and one
quart for each Q or 8 feet Of matted row
may generally be expected.
The plants are generally set az early
In the spring ~ good growing conditions
will warrant. Rows feet apart and
the plants one foot In the row.
With good cultivation through the cum
mer they should vine ont and make
solid row by fall. When the ground
freezes up In November the plants
should be mulched with straw and
coarse. manure. In the spring this is
scratched of the plants and placed be-
tween the rows. This keeps the weeds
down, keeps the dirt off the fruit and as
1t decays furnishes food for the plants.
As soon as the fruit is harvested the
rows are narrowed down to 10 inches
and then given clean culture for the
rest OF the year. After the second crop
the area 10 plowed up and the space
seeded to clover and buckwheat.
The varieties vary considerably In
different parts of the State. Many kinds
are found in the southwestern part that
are not grown further north or east.
The list 10 long one and all will do
equally we'll In oil parts Of the state. In
90 far as possible they are listed In order
of their importance. the ones most wide
ly known placed ut the head Of the list.