Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-11-26
The Progress of Farming in Maine

the lfNlIns anu IN tafs NlfafHtN US -
The whole basiDoss Of tbo state, 80 that di'
reetly or indirectly the lumber business was
the basis OF the industry OF the Pcople,
whe,h,r farmers, mechanics or merchants.
In some sections and TO some extent with
the whole people of the State, the same Is
true today. bat not - intimately a. Tor.
merly. There j. not now felt that closc ~
lauon between farming and numbering as
formerly. nor that ncccssty for lumbcrirg to
furnish market ios farm products. The
agriculture Of Name has ouigroWu, in some
portions OF the State, IL, dependence uPon
lumbsuug. and s npidly doing 50 in all.
Instead Of selling grain and bay from the
farms. a. formerly, aud thus cxhaus,ing tue
farms at the same time the timber Is being
removed. farmers now make an eaort 10
consume the grain and hay products uron
their farms, In the raising OF horse, and cat
lie and shcsp. They have BEEN encouraged
TO do this by the high pnee Of cattle for the
sAamblo.. aud by the means Afforded Tor
keeping up Ihe fertility Of the soil,
IL an interesting but somewhat diihcalt
matter Of inquiry as to Wha, extent this de-
pArtmeut Of farming can Be carried. and
yield the higbes, profit; and the bcs' con-
ditions under which the raising Of stock
shall BE- conducted. as a reliable general
rule. We have no idea that az pr'sent there
i any danger of ovcrdorng this branch. m
Anv form. provided that the bes, breeds Be
grown and the best tim, be selected ior their
sale. and the right cultivation of the soil be
maintained. Bot it i apparent that there
must b. with agriculture, as great human
pursuit, out oi which home comforts AMI
acquisitions. education, civilization, and
every human advantage and Joy are TO be
gathered. some comprehensive principle Of
prVduction-some leading aim--nme grand
result OF production which agriculture j. %
hand over to the world og commerce in cz.
change, for a supply II &; uecds, and tJr is
satisfaction. What shall this be-
The farmer near the city with taste 'or
the cultivation ol VARIOUS crops of fruits and
vegetables, Of poultry and egg, OF milk
and meat. and with Yankee facility i0r
trading, may keep himself active and do
profitable business in the production Of a
grcai variety of crops, ard may DO some
thing in almost every department Of the
great art ot farming, according % his taste
and hi. Judgment, and the demands Of bis
local market. But even IN this case il would
DOUBTLESS b. in b,tier accordance with the
law Of production and the law Of trade, to
have division of labor. and the dairy man
attend mainly to one department, and %
on. such a DIVISION became a necessity
with the great farming population scattered
over the State. many Of them remote from
market. Their frst care must De 70 encour-
age 10 as near neishb0rhJod y possible fOr
their sslf,upport, al the mechanical trades
which their locality requires. Wherever
there are consumers enough Tor the nam
tcnance OF an establishment Of sgpply, for
boot. and shoes, hats, carriages, shovel', or
any article Of consumption, is should Be al
once -, ia motion and sustained twill
b. both a convenience and profit The
farmers can readily obtain what they r.
quirc. and they have the benefit Of the local
marke, thus created Tor iLeir products, some
Of which they could never dispose Of IN a
distant market.
But beyond this point, imporiau; as !, Is,
and oyerlookeda a. 1t too often i. the ques-
tion presses itself as 20 what shall BE- the
Ieading production cut OF which farmers, rs
ela.s. are u dispose Of as their surplus
productions, and in which they are % 6nd
the money prof, Of their business Prae.
tically aud positively this Is now to b. found
in the raising Of stock We have no doub;
IL is rightly found there. Il may be seri-
ously questioned, however, when - much
depends upon IL. whether the prcssn, mode
OF disposing Of - many young cattle, does
not tend to exhaust, in undue proportion,
the fertility OF the soil. beyond that Of jls-
: .'-- o-lv Of thoroughly h,ted cattle,
...- ..n the soil. and AZ The
dues the greatest return.
Jund Cor pound. cause les ex.
l.... ... ~ the soil than young, lean cattle.
a.. ,,sy one knows that they are worth
o. rs. The rule, then, ought to be tha,
,...e should Be fully fatted before they are
.Old. Another poi0; Is, ga. the breed Of
cattle should b sought which comes the
earliest to maturity, and which takes on h'
easiest, ano which Is found practically to b
the best for the market.
In the introduction aud propagation Of
choice breeds Of cattle. the farmers OF Maine
have made great PrOgess within few
They were never more active in this than at
the present time, and never bad greater oP-
pOrtunities for making selections. The cat
tie shows all over the State prove this.
In the selection OF breeds reference must
b. bad to the use- required by the grower,
and hence all cannot select the same breed,
however choice the specimens may Be. Some
wish 10 raise beef directly for the market
Others wish for large working oxen; Others
still desire stock for the dairy. II forum