The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-10-10

Raisin9EFruit-Crop sssiEia
SIS yi--s ,ae14 paa LEWISTON, Oct. 8, 1867
To the Editor Of the Press:-leysi e5,-t3 haaag
Yesterday the 18th Annual Cattle Show and
Fair of the Androscoggin Agricultural Society
opened in this city. 1t is probably the last ex-
hibition which the society will give, as there
are strong indications that it is about to depart
this life. Doubtless there are sundry reasons
for this unfortunate decay and approaching
dissolution. ris. I'D la sga ali I'D c.sauoa
1t is hard creating a permanent agricultural
enthusiasm in this State where so many Of the
young men abandon the farm at the earliest
possible moment. Again, it is difficult secur-
ing enthusiastic cooperation among farmers,
who are usually so little dependent upon one
another, while they are very slow to put dol
lar into the common purse, unless they can see
two coming straightway back into the private
purse. This. makes their operations lifeless,
niggardiy, often Improbable iLslHMixsM
Thus, two years ago the .Androscoggin Soci-
ETY. might have bought the grounds where they
have held their exhibitions nearly from the
first, for $1,000. An urgent effort was made by
two or three men to organize a joint stock
company with shares at $25 each; but only a
few farmers would subscribe to the stock, and
so the scheme fell through. This year the
same grounds were sold for $15, O36 Dii'94i@
But there is one other thing which tells
against the Androscoggin Society, and that is
the establishment Of agricultural societies in
many of the towns of the county. So the
county society becomes largely dependent up
on Lewiston and Auburn, whose business is
principally manufacturing i9f e1H bgDua
Hence it comes that the 10th exhibition of
the Androscoggin Society is sorry one. 1t is
indeed good in quality stock, fruit and manu-
featured articles-but limited in quantity.
Nevertheless the attendance is quite respecta-
Bile. Yesterday was specially devoted to stock
to-day it is fruit manufactured articles and
trials of speed. The latter are not SO animated
as upon previous occasions 9i@ sNo'HA
i Charles e. Garcelon, of Webster, exhibited
asheep, five years old, the mother Of thirteen
lambs,--two pairs of twins and three sets Of
triplets. 1t is not, however, to be imagined
from this that sheep raising fourishes in this
county. The truth is that Maine cannot sue
cessfully compete with the West and with
South America in raising wool whose trans
portation costs SO little. But it is presumable
that when development of manufacturing re-
sources has given Maine a large population,
her farmers will then find it profitable raising
sheep, first for mutton, next for wool, feeding
largely with turnips, which is the method so
successfully adopted by the English farmers
Mutton is more nutritious than beet, while
the favor of certain kinds, such as cotswolds
and South-downs, is decidedly agreeable
j. r. Pulsifer of Poland, exhibited herd Of
ten cows. After supplying family of ten to
fifteen persons with all the milk, butter and
cheese required, these cows yielded, for the
year ending Sept. 80, 1867, 4577 gallons of milk
which was sold in Portland.
The display of stock throughout was good,
but small, showing great Improvement in quail
ity since the first exhibition of the Society, to
whose influence this improvement is doubtless
in port attributable he's'inios tIii SAT g1h q
To-day the display of fruit, though not large,
is very fine--apples, pears, grapes. Hence
forth this county must give more attention to
the raising of fruit and garden vegetables, for
that is what the market demands. And upon
the organization of another society, in case the
present dies, some new elements will be intro
duced, and horticulture and fruit growing will
receive special attention. =,
The crops throughout the county are un-.
equal, that is, some are good, others almost a
failure. Corn and hay are good, potatoes fair
oats and barley almost total failure Very
littlewheat is attempted Some apple trees,
especially the, younger ones have borne album
dainty, but most of the trees are old and the
apple crop, as a whole, is light. j.. r. Pulsifer
of Poland has gathered from one tree nine
barrels of interchangeable Baldwins. IS But that
is the decided exception. 5at,-7s,f I
Business is dull, and money tight, This
county should have twice its present banking
capital-$4OOy 600 BARLOW.