Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-08-07
FRANKLIN COUNTY FARM Mites

Had 1T been cut early there would
have been an abundant hay crop in
Franklin county. But farmers, many
OF them, seem to have been too busy
with their other crops, and other
thlngs than crops, and there is still
lot Of standing grass, which is
worth very much less, perhaps not
more than half as much as it was
two or three weeks ago. A lot of it
has been allowed to ripen and burn
up under the rays of the hot sun
after it was ready for cutting, until
it is barely worth the cutting, if
even that. Acres of grass that was
allowed to stand all through the fine
July hay weather, were down during
the recent heavy rains, and spoiled
hay is the result. TOO bad" they
are saying, and that is all they can
do. about it. And it is too bad, for
the same condition prevails all over
Maine, and lot of good money has
been lost in this way, for much of
the hay that is now housed or being
housed, is of very poor quality, and
if saleable at all, must necessarily
go at low price.
This is, of course, largely due to
the fact that farmers have, all sum-
mer been way behind with their
work, due to the late spring, and the
great rapidity with which things
have advanced once they really got
started, SO that they have been I'M
able to catch up with their work and
get it done when it ought to be-
and this Of course includes the hay
crop.
IN Sc @+a+ - l.
been especially troublesome the past
three weeks, in fact ever since the
blossoms began to appear, and
eternal vigilance has indeed been the
price of safety; but the farmers who
have exercised this vigilance will be
Well rewarded for their plans, by a
fine crop of tubers-else all signs
fail this year While Franklin has
never been a big potato county, it is
developing quite an extensive bust
ness along this line, and there are
good many large potato fields, and
countless small ones that are turn
ing out as good potatoes as ever
came from Aroostook or anywhere
else to this section, and far better
than most of them. This branch of
farming is growing rapidly, and is
as rapidly forging toward the front,
being now a close rival to sweet corn
and beans, both of which are raised
in vast quantities for canning pur-
poses, and have long been considered
the most important farm crops.
Sweet corn will be far below normal
in quantity this year both because of
overproduction and a glutted market,
and because of the late and unfayor-
able season, although corn is coming
fine now and with good weather VIII
come out all right. But much less
than usual was planted this year,
anyway.
The factories are just starting, or
will be next week, in the canning OF
string beans, with every promise OF
an abundant crop of the best quality,
which is quite encouraging, when so
many things have seemed unfaVor-
able this year. Prices are good ana
the pack will be large.
Raspberries are abundant, prices
are good, and many farmers are hnd-
ing them a source OF considerable
profit. Blueberries are beginning 10
come in in small quantities, ana
word from the plains in the north
ern part of Franklin county is that
there will be a big crop there ready
for the harvesters, little later.
H. L. Goodwin.