NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 2153 



ties. In 1910, about 1,000,000 apple trees were set. 

 This was probably the largest number ever planted in 

 one year. There are four leading nurseries selling fruit 

 stock, but only two that make a business of budding 

 their own stock on to French seedlings. Many orchard- 

 ists are top-working over their Ben Davis trees to such 

 varieties as Baldwin, Spy, Rhode Island Greening, 

 while Delicious and Opalescent are gaining favor. 



The following varieties of apples originated in the 

 state: Wealthy, from seed obtained in Bangor in I860; 

 Rolfe, in town of Guilford, about 1820; Starkey, in 

 North Vassalboro; Dudley Winter, seedling of Olden- 

 burg, originated at Castle Hill, Aroostook County; 

 Winthrop Greening, Winthrop, about 1800; Quince, at 

 Cornish, about 1850; Parlin, Norridgewock, about 1840; 

 Stowe, Perham, Aroostook County, 1862, and Hayford 

 Sweet, at Maysville, Aroostook County. 



Fine peaches are grown in Oxford and Androscoggin 

 counties, in the southwestern part of the state. 



Fifty years ago large quantities of the finest Black 

 Oxheart cherries were grown and shipped from Hallo- 

 well in Kennebec County, but the orchards have 

 become neglected so that but few old trees remain. 



Plums, pears, sour cherries and grapes are grown 

 throughout the southern half of the state, as far north 

 as latitude 45. 



Small-fruits of all kinds grow wild in lavish abun- 

 dance, especially strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, 

 blueberries and cranberries. For cultivated berries, 

 strawberries easily take the lead and are grown very 

 extensively for local markets and to ship to Boston. 

 The small-fruit industry is a profitable one and is being 

 extended each year. The conditions are ideal, as the 

 fruit comes on the market after fruits from other states 

 have disappeared, thus bringing good prices with a 

 large market demand. In Washington County is a 

 large tract of about 150,000 acres, called the "Blueberry 

 Barrens," which brings in a big revenue to the owners. 

 Several thousand bushels of the berries are sold as 

 fresh fruit, but the large bulk goes to the canning indus- 

 try, yielding an income of several hundred thousand 

 dollars. Cranberries are found to some extent along 

 the coast and also in inland sections. 



Potatoes stand second in crop-production. The 

 starch industry is an important one for Aroostook 

 County, yielding in 1914 about 20,000,000 pounds. 

 Aroostook County far exceeds any other county in the 

 United States in potato-production. There is a larger 

 output from this county than from all the other counties 

 in the state combined. The leading varieties are the 

 Green Mountain and Irish Cobbler, although a large 

 number of other varieties are grown. Under trial 

 tests over 700 bushels have been grown on an acre; six- 

 acre lots have given an average of 460 bushels; ten- 

 acre lots, 350 bushels. Farmers who adopt up-to-date 

 methods average 300 bushels an acre. This can be 

 done in any part of the state. The town of Presque 

 Isle, the garden of Aroostook County, has potato 

 farms valued at $40,000. Contracts are made with 

 growers in the southern states to supply Aroostook- 

 grown potatoes for seed at $1 a bushel for a term of 

 five or ten years. The variety most grown for this pur- 

 pose is the Irish Cobbler. 



The leading vegetables grown, as market-garden 

 produce, include snap beans, beets, cabbage, cucumbers, 

 lettuce, peas, squash, sweet corn and tomatoes. Of the 

 above crops, large quantities of beans, corn, peas and 

 squash are used in the canning industry of the state. 

 Although Cape Elizabeth is the leading market-garden 

 center, there are many other sections largely engaged 

 in this industry, notably the towns around Lewiston 

 and Auburn in Androscoggin County; Saco and Bidde- 

 ford in York County; Augusta and Waterville in Kenne- 

 bec County; Bangor in Penobscot County, and Els- 

 worth and Mt. Desert, in Hancock County. Maine 

 offers great inducement for market-gardening, cheap 



lands are available, fine shipping facilities are offered, 

 both by boat and train, while electric lines are being 

 extended so as to reach and open up large areas not 

 previously available. 



The first regular Maine nursery was probably located 

 in the town of Orrington, then a part of Buckstown, 

 between 1804 and 1812, by Ephraim Goodale. 



Among those who were influential in the development 

 of Maine horticulture may be mentioned the following : 

 Benjamin and Charles Vaughan, pioneer nurserymen; 

 Ezekial Holmes, the "Father of Aroostook;" Z. A. 

 Gilbert; S. L. Goodale, nurseryman at Saco; D. H. 

 Knowlton, authority on fruits; W. M. Munson, pro- 

 fessor of horticulture; Phineas Whittier, the "apple 

 king of Maine;" H. L. Deland, fruit-grower; James 



STATUTE MILC-S 



2487. Maine, showing three agricultural 

 divisions; horticultural part is the shaded 

 area. 



Nutting, fruit-grower; Captain Elijah Low, plum- 

 grower; G. B. Sawyer, one of the pioneers for better 

 fruit in Maine; E. K. Whitney, expert at grafting; 

 Solon Chase, "the Spy king;" Frederick Hobbs, grape 

 specialist. 



Public-service agencies for horticulture 



The first agricultural school in the United States 

 was established in Gardiner, Maine, in 1821, called the 

 "Gardiner Lyceum." This institution flourished until 

 state aid was withdrawn in 1835. 



The land-grant college was established in Orono in 

 1864 as "The State College of Agriculture and Mechanic 

 Arts." The name was changed in 1897 to the "Uni- 

 versity of Maine." There are three members of the 

 horticultural staff. 



The Experiment Station was established in 1885 as 

 a department of the University. The state owns two 

 experimental farms, one situated in the town of Mon- 

 mouth in Kennebec County, used particularly for work 

 with apples, corn, and small grains. The other is 

 situated in the town of Presque Isle, in Aroostook 

 County, used especially for studies with potatoes, small 

 grains and grasses. These are under the supervision of 

 the Experiment Station. The staff of the Experiment 



