Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-10-17


out the State
! Mr.. Go>dalc OF York county. has not
heoul OF any special damage in The
Sontheru portion; bul in some OF The
northern towns they have been quite nu-
merouS. They seem TO operate in sec
tons Ono man stopped their passage
to his fields 10y building a brush fence,
which stopped them. Referred 10 the
abundance OF fish on the shores, and their
probable connection with the abundance
OF grasshoppers which are carried into
the sea by the winds, and formed food for
the fish.
THE LESSONS or THE YEAR.
.AaerRooa Session The exercises OF
tue Farmers Convention, rs such. open
ed with addresses of welcome by VIM. K.
HerSey and John +. Robinson OF Lincoln,
which were responded to by A. l.. Simp'
son of Bangor and i. A. Gilbert of An.
droscoggiu. after which the presentation
Of papers and discussions thereon com.
menced.
Mr.. Calvin Chamberlain. the member
from the Maine State Society, read a pa
per upon Our Farm Experience, and the
/ Lessons OF the Year" lie referred TO our
severe drought and grasshopper plague.
The great question is how shall we get u
hay crop the coming year from our new
grounds where the catch has failed, and
the old fields where the grass plants have
died out. The cost of grass seed is Sc
rious leak in the farmers purse. Thinks
Alsike clover is the best plant With which
to seed ground. Ii can be done for SLIGO
per acre. Referred to potato and fodder
com crops.
The destruction OF trees aud forests has
been going on at devastating rae. We
need all We have. and cur barren hill tops
should be planted and the low grounds
cleared up, Our farm crops have been
injured more by injurious insects than by
all other causes combined, and their
great numbers are caused by a too gIcat
and sudden cutting away Of our forests.
The question was then taken up Tor
discussion.
Mr. Scammon thought that if a man
has found out hil ignorance, he has made
quite an advance We are all. as vet,
babes in agricultural knowledge. Many
Of us farmers have reason 10 think this
wear that the clements OF nature have
combined against ~. but misfortunes
should only stir ~ 10 greater eXertion
aud effort to overcome the obstacles in
our paths. There Mc some lessons we
have learned; let Us profit 10y them. Are
we not ourselves often 10 blame Tor some
OF the results which we soc this year p
Are we not accountable somewhat? Have
We not pursued = wrong system We
have been following 4 starving prOce s.
reaping year aite: year without returning
what we take of the soil. What we need
is thorough cullivation-a return to the
soil equal 10 what has been taken away
We attempt to cultivate too much land,
That is where the trouble is. We do our
cultivation by halves. Cultivation and
manure are the walchword, Cultivate
little and do il we'll is the motto.
Mr.. WATSON of Hancock county, says
the farmers OF Maine are under cloud
th. season. Oar hay crop has been cut
of; this lessons our stock. which stops
the source of manure which j, the toun-
dation OF all Under these drawbacks
are we in helpless condition. No. EY-
CRY effect has it, cause, and the cause OF
our condition is 10 be easily seen. IT i
through the nstrumentaiitieS OF human
agencies tina, our drawbacks and obsta.
cle> As seen this year are brought upon
US He referred to English agriculture,
and to the fact that the soil of that island
is continually growing better instead OF
deteroratiug under continued cultivation.
Ii shows that proper system is followed
and that the soil is fed instead OF starved;
Tor where 30 years ago they raised 3
bushels OF wheat per acre they today
grow - bushels The question Is how
shall we provide ior our next years hay
crop. great trouble i; hat we have
no faith in farming We work only part
OF the time al farming, and the remainder
OF the time ut something else. and the
farm suffers correspondingIy.
In reply to a question By Mr.. Hersey.
Mr.. Scammon said that his soil. which
was highly MANFRED and gave Il heavy
crop OF hay this year, was in a very dry
situation.
Mr.. l.. l.. Lucas of Somerset county,
thought the question was. "What is the
remedy for those fields where the grass
plants ale entirely killed out ?" lie be.
leyed farmers were not responsible for
the present condition ol things.
Mr. Buck of Orland, in Hancock coun.
ty, said there axe several farmers in his
town who never complain OF drought. ---
Their fields are all properly underdrained
and thoroughly cultivated Mother earth
takes this position: feed me, and | will
feed You. lie wishes our farmers were
obliged TO cut their farms up into smaller
lots, and cultivate less aud better Sheep
culture is what we need to bring in our
run ont fields We can't afford TO plow
and manure 50 much for 80 light crops.
NJ. S,vou 81 Oxford countv coil no