The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-02-07
Agricultural resources Of Maine.


Having received from our esteemed Senator,
Mr.. Fessenden, the valuable reports of the CEN
sus department on agriculture and Manufac-
lures for 1850, we cannot better repay our OBJ
legations than by furnishing to the readers of
the Press abstracts of SO much of those re-
ports as relates to Maine. This State having
the longest sea line of any of the Atlantic
States, has always been distinguished for its
commercial Importance, being the first in the
amount of new tonnage it has contributed to
the commercial marine of the country, and
the third in the amount of tonnage owned
Now, it appears by the last census report, that
she holds no mean rank in an agricultural
point OF view. Let us remember that in ex-
tent Of territory she is the oath, and in popu-
lation the 22d State Of the Union, and that on
belt of land lying along her whole sea-board,
nearly twenty miles in width, the soil is gen.
orally hard and sterile; yet in the interior, in
the valleys of her numerous rivers traversing
the State in all directions, the soil is rich and
productive, while the hill sides and fertile un-
dulations furnish ample fields for tillage and
pasturage, and adorn the territory with varied
scenery of transcendent beauty, and oftenA of
wild magniicence. These portions of the
country afford ample opportunity for an ex-
tensive and remunerating cultivation of the
soil.
II appears by the report that the quantity
of land in improved farms is 2,7O4,133 acres,
and unimproved in farms, 3,023,535, being
nearly one-ffth part of the whole State; the
cash value of which is set down at SIS, 6Se ,525.
The whole number oil farms into which this
Is divided is 55,675, of which 23,S3S are be-
tween 20 and so acres, and 1851 between so
and 100 acres, thus by small subdivisions CIV
ing the fairest room for thorough cultivation.
The average number of acres in the farms was
1O3; the increase in the number of them from
1850 was 1898, with an increase in the num-
Der OF acres improved of 664,537. This shows
decidedly healthy progress in this vital
branch of industry. -s1t
We find similar increase in the important
article of KUe stock, of nearly six millions of
dollars; the valuation in 1850 being S15,437.-
533. In sheepwe stand next to Vermont, in
New England, and the 10Th in the Union, hay-
ing 452, 472; in working oxen we are the 18th
State, having 1892. Mich cows, 147,314,
horses, 6O,639, swine and other cattle make I'D
the large and valuable aggregate. In the guam
tity of wool produced we are the 18th State,
furnishing of this valuable staple 1896, 900
pounds.
In the production of maple sugar, we stand
as the l4th State, yielding of the sugar 306,-
.4z IDS, and of maple syrup 32,679 gallons, be-
ing very large gain over the product of 1850:
N cheese we are the 9th State, producing L.
f99,oo2 lbs, and in butter the 13tb contribut-
ing 11,es7,7s1 lbs. In barley we are fine 5tb
State, raising so2, 1os bushels in oats and bucI
wheat the 10th, growing of the former o 600 900
bushels, of the latter 239,519 bushels. noas 80
beans, 246,915 bushels; rye, 12a,2s7 bnsha,D.
wheat, 233yS76 bushels, and Indian corr, :
546,071 bushels.
But our greatest agricultural staples are Inn,
and potatoes; of the former the quantity pro-
duced was $500 tons, the States of Illinois.
New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, only, ex-
ceeding us; in that article there was an in
crease over 1850 of nearly 100000 tons, and
the value of which, estimating it at the mod
crate price of $40 per ton, amounts to the large
sum OF nearly ten millions of dollars.