104 AGRICULTURE 0E MAINE. 



SUCCESSFUL POTATO CULTURE. 

 By E. A. Rogers, Brunswick. 



Potatoes are one of our quick money crops. It takes years 

 to grow an orchard, or breed up a herd of cattle, but a crop of 

 potatoes can be planted, grown and marketed in less than six 

 months time, and 1 believe at a greater profit per acre than any 

 other hoed crop which we grow on a large scale. Aroostook 

 county last year produced about six million bushels, at an average 

 price of sixty-five cents per bushel, or nearly four million dollars. 

 The net profit on many of her farms last year would have bought 

 those same farms at the beginning of that season. And can we 

 here, in the older parts of our State, share in this prosperity if 

 we adopt methods used in that supposed favored county? From 

 my own experience I must unhesitatingly say yes, and I believe 

 even greater profits await the progressive potato grower in this 

 section than in our northern county. 



There are many reasons why potato growing in this part of 

 our State should continue to be profitable. These reasons are : 

 First, the two largest potato producing states, which most seri- 

 ously invade our markets (New York and Michigan) have as 

 yet sprayed but very little for blight. A number of Michigan 

 farmers have, within a few weeks, assured me that the yield in 

 their state would not average fifty bushels per acre, largely on 

 account of blight, and the same conditions prevail in many sec- 

 tions of New York. The farmer there has not only to learn 

 that he must spray, but, what is more important, how to spray. 

 This is one of the most essential features in potato growing, and 

 it will be years before the farmers of those states master the art. 



Second, we are near the market, which means less freight; 

 and besides, there is a growing home demand. 



Third, I believe we can raise as large a crop, of fine quality, 

 as can be produced anywhere, and that on commercial fertilizers 

 alone. A yield of from three to four hundred bushels of market- 

 able potatoes per acre can be raised with practically no hand 



