THE POTATO IN AROOSTOOK. 103 



People in what had been called good circumstances about Wood- 

 stock had to have aid from the Provincial Government to save their 

 families from starvation. How the potato fared in that period of 

 frost and gloom we cannot now ascertain. There may have been a 

 scanty seed saved in each season, or a draft may have been made on 

 Provincial aid to start again with. Eighteen hundred seventeen saw 

 a good 3^ear again for crops and from that day to this the potato has 

 grown continuously. The method of planting, of course, was in the 

 new land among the stumps and logs. The custom was to begin the 

 chopping in the winter, burn it over in May or June, and then plant 

 the seed wherever a bit of ground could be seen and enough ashes, 

 earth, and refuse could be hoed together to make a suitable hill. No 

 hoeing or after-care whatever, but in the fall dig at convenience. 



The Black Christie variety- was always grown as a later keeping 

 potato than the Earl}' Blue, and' to this da}' it has many advocates 

 and lovers, who claim it as the best table potato. Its color is the 

 main objection brought against it. A variet}' called the "Saco" was 

 earh' introduced to the settlement and used for cattle. It had a very 

 large, round, two-fisted sort of shape, and was white. Late in the 

 following spring it could be eaten at the table. This potato had alto- 

 gether disappeared before the advent of present varieties. Mrs. 

 Putnam states that one spring day, she pared one of these mam- 

 mouth Sacos as we would an apple, cutting quite deepl}', and after 

 the paring was done she took the skin out to the barn, scratched a 

 slight trench between the black logs, and planted the skin there, 

 laying it along its full length. In the fall she dug up thirtj'-six 

 potatoes as the 3'ield of the skin, some few were good size, the rest 

 small. In 1819 occurred the marriage of Mrs. Putnam. Her hus- 

 band was Amos, oldest son of Aaron Putnam. The young couple 

 kept house for two years on a place across the stream, and then 

 moved onto the farm where she now lives, south of the village. 



The present farm had but three acres cleared and a camp built on 

 it when they moved there. From that date onward they never failed 

 to raise their own bread and potatoes. 



The settlement grew slowly till the war times arose and the troops 

 were quartered in the hamlet. Then came the first market for pota- 

 toes in 1832. The regiment of soldiers, with their families and 

 attendants, were all cash buyers, and paid in gold. During the thir- 

 teen years of the garrison the settlement throve and made a good 

 start. 



