PENOBSCOT & AROOSTOOK UNION AG. SOC, 



The returns from this Society, offering but a scanty supply 

 of matter of general interest to the farmers of the State, it is 

 with the more pleasure that I insert here a paper read before 

 the Board of Agriculture at its recent session in January, on 

 the soil, climate and capabilities of a portion of Aroostook 

 county, a part of our State presenting inducements for settlers 

 rarely equalled elsewhere. 



This paper, descriptive of " Golden Ridge plantation" and 

 vicinity, is by Morgan L. Gerry, a resident. 



Description of Golden Ridge platitation. The land lies 

 mostly in moderate swales, ascending and descending gradu- 

 ally ; the higher part covered with a tall heavy growth, being a 

 mixture of rock maple, beech, yellow birch, with occasionally 

 spruce, hemlock, fir and cedar. Soil, a deep, light, sandy loam, 

 well adapted to cereal products of all kinds, and generally free 

 from frost. Descending lower into the valley, the growth above 

 named, becomes mixed with hemlock, spruce, fir, elm, brown 

 ash and cedar. Soil, a deep rich loam, well adapted to grass 

 and vegetables of all kinds which grow in Maine, or the north- 

 ern States generally. Nature has so constituted the lots, that 

 they are generally made up of the above variety; so that each 

 farmer has his up and low land, for the most part attended with 

 ever living water. Corn may be raised here as well as else- 

 where with proper care. I have invariably raised good corn 

 whenever I have attempted. 



Having observed that the fall rains do more injury than frost, 

 my manner of proceeding is as follows, as in the case of the 

 last season, viz : — When I found my corn sufficiently hard, so 

 that the frost would not injure it, I cut the stalks, and let it 

 stand till after the first frost, being careful to take it in, before 

 the heavy rains. I had forty bushels to the acre, weighing on- 



