Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-06
DAILY Hfnnebre sonrnal.
New Hampshire's Losses in Population.

The following paper was read before :
farmers meeting in Bedford, N. H., re-
Gently. by Oliver Dodge, and we find it in
the New Hampshire Telegraph
Agriculture and horticulture are the two
great leading interests of this State, and
this is equally true of the whole country.
The census report indicates that New
Hampshire has decreasedin population,
especially in the upper tier of farming
towns. This fact can be demonstrated to
any one who will travel through some
portions of the State by the deserted farm
buildings and general decay that meet
him on every hand. 1t is also true that
there has been a great decrease in some of
the leading agricultural products of the
State, while others have increased stead
lily for the last thirty years from 1910 to
1870. So that the State valuation is to-
dav greater that in 1910, or rather the
farm valuation, and that increase in the
valuation of farms is chiefly found in the
lower tier of towns. Why is it that one
section of the State should increase in ag
ricultural wealth and the other decrease !?
Perhaps the report of the satistician will
give some light on this question. There
has been large decrease in the produc-
ton of wheat, rye, corn, buckwheat, and
barley, and small decrease in potatoes
and oats, while hay, orchard products,
and Kindergarten products have steadily
and largely increased. Why have these
products increased TO such an extent? Is
it not for the reason that they pay the far
mer larger profit Is it not fair to in
fer that farmers, like other people, will do
that which pays them best? do the people
of this State realize that the value of or
chard products in 1910 amounted to only
S247 900, and have advanced to 81 800.
600, in 1870, and steadily increasingP The
same may be said of neutrality-suspicious. ant
hay. Why is it the farmers Of the upper
portion of our State complain that farm
ing is unproductive, and their sons ant
daughters are leaving the old homestead
Can not solution to this question be
found from the fact that they are still
growing crops that do not pay, and never
can ?
New Hampshire, from its position, and
the rugged character of most of its sur
face, can never grow grain to compete
with the great west. But she can in the
productions of the orchard, dairy and mar
ket-garden. BY adopting this system of
crops, the farmer will be enabled to re-
turn to his land the fertilizing properties
necessary to keep up its productions.
What encouragement can the greater por-
ton of the farmers in this State give their
sons to remain at home; have you proved
TO them that farming pays, by your exam
pie? Have Yen planted out fruit trees, and
adorned your yards and highways with
beautiful shade trees ? Have you by
word or act encouraged your daughters to
plant out Towering shrubs or grow fine
beds of snowy ANNALS, or what is of equal
Importance, have you select lot of news
papers, magazines and horticultural books
for them to read If you have not done
all this, then you have no right to COM
plain at your sons leaving the old place
Give up the plan your grandfather pur-
sued, and adopt the more enlightened one
ofgrowing such crops as your land will
grow at a profit. Don't cut the wood
and timber from rocky, barren hills, but
rather encourage it to grow as the Al
mighty intended it should, as a shelter for
your fruit trees and farm buildings. The
attention that the people in this section of
the State are giving to the market garden,
truit-growing, and the production of milk,
is an encouraging omen of still greater
success. Farmers near our railroads find
that there is no necessity for going to Jer-
sey or Delaware to grow strawberries or
grapes when they can get as many from
an acre here, and more than double the
profit. Hundreds of acres in towns re-
mote from railroads might be made to pay
large profits by growing apples, pears,
grapes and even the small fruits, hardly a
village that has a supply of vines, and
the demand viii increase rather than di-
minish. There is no fear of oyercrowd-
ing the market as some have predicted.
Farmers of Hillsborough county, you have
struck the key note to success; depend on
the dairy and the products Of your orch
ards and market gardens attend the far
mers' club and gain what information you
can read agricultural books and strive to
put in practice some of the ideas found
there: keep farm book account, and see
whether you are getting poor; beautify
your homes and make them attractive to
your children, and we shall hear no more
complaints of hard times, unproductive
farm and depopulated towns.