The Republican journal., 1869-11-04
FARMERS CONVENTION AT BANGOR.

An had been previously advertised i'll the papers,
highly interesting and profitable meeting was held
at Bangor, Oct. 90 2l and 22 being joint conYen-
ton Of the Board of Agriculture AMI the Faculty of
the Agricultural College at OronO, provided by
recent net Of our legislature. Much we desired to
he present and to get at first hand inspiration
from ot the affairs Of the occasion but having been
prevented by pressing engagements, We must be
content TO receive and to give to our readers such
eoid meats from the second table after the guests
have departed, as the press has kindly passed
around 10 the late folks particularly the Bangor
Nhig from whose reports, chiefly, we CLEAN these
items
lst day. Hon Samuel asson, President of the
Board Of Agriculture, presiled and after stating
ihe objects of the meeting, &c, introduced Prof
aoodae who then delivered lecture on the Con
ditions OF successful experimenting and of progress
in agricultural science Ii is by experiments in all
the arts aud sciences that knowledge and all true
progress come. The great and blessed discoveries
especially i'll chemistry, chiefly the results of
manifold careful experiments; and 80 with agri-
culture, most OF the progress it has made in the
past As Il VIII III the future has come from much,
though not SO far, very careful experimenting. III
the more certain sciences, when the conditions are
fewer and more easily compounded experiments
have given more certain results than in agriculture
which is q more complex and difficult science.
Hence The Importance that here experiments should
0ot only be many, but carefully conducted and
Doted the character Of the soil the quality Of the
seed the influence 0f the seasons, Of climate in
general, &C. should be carefully observed and re-
corded. II is here that the benefits Of the Agricu-
turai College come IN, il being the province and
She duty of this 10 DO the experimenting and make
It's discoveries known for the benefit Of all.
The subject being open for discussion many re-
married that while experiments We're the great
thing ew practical farmers have either the time or
Vie menns to do il with that and minuteness
the lecturer had intimated. Hon. Seth Seaman
said much may be done iii general WAY with good
results. He had experimental a good deal with
plaster and found this On stif clayey soils il had
proved Of great seryice-2 to bushels to the acre
at nteTfa AIS Of or years sandy soils II failed
to show much benefit. Mr. s F. Perley Of Ma
pies, eoncurred IN the remarks of Mr. Seaman |
Mr. IL Hamlin referred To the opposition to fancy
hrmers,' as they are called; yet they often make
discoveries of the greatest value which the more
practical man never docs Just such fancy Sailors
as sltch and Fulton have revolutouized and immor- |
taiized the commerce and navigation of the world |
In the afternoon paper by Mr. Chamberlain. of
The Maine State Society was read on the influence of
Forests upon climate which paper asks the legis-
tatuFe to exempt !rom taxation plots Of land plant
ed with forest trees, for certain term Of years. as
also abating highway taxes for wind screens plant
al by the waysde. Rev. Mr.. Battles, Of Bangor |
said he thought health not large in proportion
as forests We're, but attributed much of the sick
ness of certain school i'll this city to the dense
shade around the scno0l house. and Ind endcayorcd
30 have the committee apply the axe to the root of
the evil
I'd day. Among much business of great interest
10 agriculture this day the reading of valua-
hlc paper or commercial fertilizers" by 5. L. |
doodale, the Secretary OF the Board of Agriculture
and which is TO form portion of his report In |
this paper IL was stated that all mAnural agents are
more or less valuable rs aitording some of the ee-
tnents needed i'll plant growth three OF the great
est 0f these elements are potash phosphorc acid
ajid soluble nitrogen; stable manure contains but
small proportion these, tbreefourths of its bulk
teing water or vegetable fibre, and the soil itself
contains but u small quota of them. Hence it is in
commercial manures that we must seek 10 find
t0ose clements Wood ashes will furnish potash
bones, phosphoriC acid $50 that the farmer has ut
home those elements in fair quantities but he can
siford To buy them only when ii win pay him fair
per cent to do 80. Soluble phosphoric acid in this
country should be held nj about 20 cents per pound
Guano s the form IN which ammonia or nitrogen
Is bought, to be found also in fish manures, porgy
chum, &c.
The amount Of commercial manures used in
Maine has greatly increased in the last 90 years the
Qusty has also improved though farmers are lia-
bic TO he, and often deceived by limitations and
worthless articles of those mauures. Mr g. showed
that recent analysis of all the leading commercial
manures in this country has been made, showing
their composition aud relative value
In the afternoon the students of the Agricultural
College had exercise in the application of Natur-
al Philosophy to agricultural operations, nnd ac-
quilted themselves in way t. show both ability on
their part and thorough instruction By the teachers
81 day. AT the last session of the legislature an
oct wss passed requiring each agricultural society
TO expend one fourth of the State aid to it in form
ing Farmers clubs and for addresses to lose their
state aid for that year if the net is not complied
wth Many Of the societies having failed in this
the meeting directed the Secretary to notify the So
eieties Of the necessity OF complying with the re-
quremcnts before the first Wednesday in Decem-
Der. 1860
ihis was the potato day of the convention, and
hr Z. A. Gilbert, of Androscoggin County, read
paper on It's cultivation. The Jacksons and Oro-
noes he said had not been profitable with him.
MI bureigh, Of Fairfield, cuts his potatoes, puts
one piece In u hill Is inches apart, lnanures high
with barn-yard manure and phosphate; 200 or more
bushels 10 the acre
Mr. Wasson, Of Ellsworth, thought we were but
little IN advance of many years ago in the cultva-
ton Of the potato, hoped we should learn some
thing here; fer this to hay the great crop of
Maine.
MI Mower, of Bangor, said this root requires
large amount OF potash. He had not found it a
very exhaustive crop to the SOIL as some had con-
lended.
MIR. Hamlin plants upon greensward manure
turned In harrows and plants upon the surface
Don't believe the old tubers help the new ones
grow any, and so cuts the seed. Applies manure
Of part gypsum, / part ar-sacked lime and
psrts ashes, in drills, TO 10 inches apart in the
drills. 400 bushels to the acre
MIR. Pereval, Of Vassalboro, thought change of
seed was very essential, from clay to sandy soil,
and vice versa--changes his seed once in five years
Two TO four stalks in hill at best cuts seed, two
pieces in hill, Is inches apart likes neither large
nor small, but middling size; don't hill much-op-