Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-03
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPEED THE PLOw."
Apples-Just Apples.

Apples-Just Apples.
Green apples on the trees are becom
ing large enough to give an indication o
to the size of the crop to be expected
this fall, and also to cause collie in th
stomach of the small boy who eats them
Apples are an important crop on farm
among the Oxford Hills, and have beef
for some years. At fret the orchard
were for home consumption only. Their
were few grated varieties, most Of th'
fruit being natural, and used for drying
stringing and decorating the outsides o
farm buildings during autumn days
yes, and for cider. 1t is surprising how
many bushels of small, grabbed apples !
took to supply an Oxford County farme
with cider. OF course they made vine
gar out of any cider that happened to b'
left after it was too old to be even callet
hard.
Apple trees which come up In the pas
lures and fields and left to themselve.
are called natural fruit trees, and somt
people think they are wild apples; bu
such is not the fact. They are simply
cultivated apples lacking proper envi
ronment They are simply slum apples
yet sometimes, as with human beings
something rare is produced even IL
slums.
Those who think they know, say wild
apples are always crab apples, whether
they are found in Europe, Asia or North
America. Tradition seems to assert that
the forbidden fruit in the Garden OF
Eden was the apple. II is conceded that
whatever grew in this earliest of gardens
must have been wild; therefore the ap.
Piles must have been crab apples. Thi,
causes our opinion of the judgment and
tas of Eve to fall to the lowest notch
and at the same time our opinion of the
subtlety and persuasive powers of the
serpent to rise. II the traditions OF
years has obscured your judgment, dear
reader, in this respect, just eat a few
crab apples and then review the case.
AS for Adam, bis testimony don't count,
The Bible is authority, that q man will
eat almost any kind of old fruit If q
woman asks him to.
It was about the year 1870 that com.
orchards began to be planted in
Oxford County. or the trees planted,
Baldwips were the favorites. They were
good to make pies Of at home and to eat
around the winters fire. They we're
good to sell to our city cousins, and
good to send across the big pond to
those whose relationship to ourselves
is uncertain. They are particularly good
for this purpose, especially If shipped
early in the season, because the firm
texture of the fruit makes them stand
the roughness of transportation we'll.
They have retained their popularity
for many years. or all apples raised In
the United States the Baldwin leads In
per cent. OF all the ap-
Piles raised in Maine the Baldwins lead
34 5 per cent.
The Baldwin is native of New Eng
land, and discovered more than a Gen.
tury ago. Just how long ago it was
found and priced Is unknown; but in the
outskirts of the city of Woburn, Mass,
can be found monument with this in
This Pillar
Erected in 1895
by the
Rumford Historical Association.
Incorporated April 2S, 1877.
Marks the estate where
in 1893
Sam'l Thompson Esq're
while locating the
Line of the Middlesex Canal
Discovered the First
Packer Apple Tree,
Later named the
Baldwin.
Within the last quarter of the nine
teenth century a rival to the Baldwin
has appeared; but it is rival only iD
shipping qualities. This is the Ben
Davis, but 80 excellent is its shipping
qualities that 1t stands second to the
Baldwin, being only one-tentb of one
per cent behind in the apple production
Of the United States. There are many
Ben Davis orchards In Maine, but the
product is considerably behind that Of
the Baldwin, being 9.S per cent, but
stands second on the list In the matter OF
production.
There are twenty.six varieties of ap-
Piles raised In the state of Maine in quan-
titles large enough to consider in adding
up the product. There are probably
other varieties-that is, single trees here
and there, beside those mentioned below
10 the order of their production:
Baldwin, 81 5; Ben Davis, 9.s; North.
ern Spy, IL; Wealthy, 81; Rhode Island
Greening, Al; Red Astrachap, 39; Nc
Iptosh Red, 81; Fameuse, or Snow ap-
pie, 3.5; Duchess of Oldenburg, 2 8; Tol-
man Sweet, 26; Tompkins King, "a;
Graveustein, 2S; Golden Russet, II;
Yellow Belflower, II; Yellow Trans
parent, IL; Early Harvest, 8; Jonathan,
8; Fall Pippin, Z; Stayman Wine Sap, g.;
Wiuesap, 8; Maiden Blush, 3; North
western Greening, 8; Arkansas Nam
moth Black Twig, 2; Grimes Golden, q;
Rome Beauty, L. This leaves about
seven per cent for other varieties.
Last year there were sold in the state OF
Maine COL 900 barrels of apples, which
W ere 375, 900 more than was sold In 1918,
POL 900 barrels more than was sold In
1917, and 3d. 900 barrels more than was
sold in 1915.
AoUARIUs. -