Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-10
THE FARMS OF SkOWHEGAN
~ G. W, JupKiNs

The word corn 10 q peculiar one.
It Is applied to the principle cereal in
each English speaking country. In
the United States It means maize; in
England wheat; in Scotland oats.
It is said that Columbus first took
Indian corn to Europe. II Columbus
discovered corn we should forgive
him for discovering Spanish America
and be thankful that he did not land
on New England soil and place
Maine on the Spanish Nam. coney,
at the Constitutional Convention to
form the State of Maine, wanted 1t
to be called the Commonwealth Of
Columbus but Thatcher Of Portland
objected on the good and sufficient
ground that Columbus never knew
there was such a country. Corn has
always zen q leading crop in this
vicinity. One man in Bloomfield
raised 1875 bushels of ears and sound
corn to an acre, and some of the ears
were over fourteen inches in length.
This was counted about the best Sec
ton Of the State for corn production.
The town north of Skowhegan was
called Cornville. The production Of
corn is now threatened by the arrival
of it's greatest enemy from Europe,
the corn borer. Potatoes were al
ways a staple crop and many car
loads were exported annually. In
1861 over 10000 bushels OF potatoes
were purchased here and shipped to
the Boston market. In 1887, 37.875
bushels were raised in town. judah
Mcclellan. a prominent citizen Of
marks here at a meeting of the Gen.
frol AeyrintI1frra1 Snr;otv nof On
1841.
"The country known as the State of
Maine. including it's disputed terri
tories is between 43 degrees and
short 48 degrees north latitude.
It's uninterrupted forests were full
OF wild animals with furs Of highest
value. 1t has various timbers. par
ticularly white pine. with rivers to
take 1t to market. For long spells OF
the year, the large streams flowing
into the ocean were thronged with
countless shoals of salmon, shad and
herring.
Now the. animals with valuable
furs have been exterminated or
driven back and fish in large streams
are Of little account compared with
their former value. The numbering
still f1ourishes in the northern and
eastern part Of the State, lucrative
il rightly managed but bringing inn
poverishment and insolvency to
crowds Of people who rush in with
out capital or experience. India
wheat. grain resembling buck
wheat. was strongly recommended in
the agricultural periodicals. l sent
to a seed man in Hallowell for a peck
~ Dorcnnollxy 7 fain
from it for l sold the proceeds at
$500 per bushel, but it proved fail
ure in this quarter.
/ tried Ruta Bagas-raised half an
acre-enough to fill up a large part
of large cellar, but in the follow
ing winter when it became necessary
to cut them up for the cattle. oh.
what an ugly job 1t proved to be.
once. Let the fancy farmer, him
who can afford to build spacious
homes with spacious cellars under
them, who can afford to hire needful
help, raise his acres OF Ruta Bagas,
Mangel Wurtzels. Sugar Beets. etc,
but as for the small farmer, 1 think
he had better stick to the old-fash-
toned Irish potatoes. I am not aware
but that the mode Of managing
farm among our farmers in general
is judicious and praisewOrthy. The
best and most feasible lands lying
handiest to the buildings are selected
for moving and tillage, while the re-
mote tracts and those Of inferior
quality are pastured.
They very properly limit their
dressing to that furnished on the
farm. There is a rotation Of crops
that the land may not become ex-
hausted by too frequent cropping.
Help is scarce on the farm. A good
man will spurn SIS a month for six
months, telling you that he can get
double that sum on the river or at
Bangor. The increase in factories
has made a fearful draft in female
help. II this continues even the
dairy, so essential a part Of rural
economy, must be badly curtailed.
Our principal productions are wheat,
rye. corn, oats, barley, hay and po-
tatoes.
We have hundreds of coasting YES
sells carrying to the South and West
and every variety of lumber; they
want to get freight back. and they
get flour and corn to supply the de-
mand of our seaboard. The impor-
tatiOn Of flour into New England is
estimated at 100000 barrels a year.
which amounts to ten million dollars
at $500 per barrel. 1t might be better
to raise the wheat for our own use
than to go to New York to mill.
The soil of Maine is peculiarly
favorable for raising stock of all
kinds. To spirit up the farmers in
the improvement Of their stock is
one Of the principal objects of Agri-
cultural Associations and premiums