Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-24

At a late meeting of the Keene, N. H.,
Farmers Club, Mr.. s. Woodward read an
essay on the future of New England. He
assumed that the farming interest Of New
England reached it's maximum during the
ten years ending 1920, and that 1t has
been steadily declining since that period.
In speaking Of the county of Cheshire,
he says
Towns where the manufacturing inter.
est is considerable, ,have increased in
wealth and population, while those more
exclusively agricultural have suffered q
constant though silent depreciation; and
the farm' produce of the county at the
present time would no. support one-half
the population that it did support forty or
fifty years since If the soil does not pro-
duce one-haIf the amount of grass and
cereals now that it did fifty years ago,
what may we expect with the same course
of husbandry will be the amount of pro-
duce fifty years hence? 1t may be argued
that we are fast becoming manufactur-
ing community, and that it is far better to
purchase our food with the articles we
manufacture than to attempt to produce it
from our hard soil. But it is the part Of
wisdom to examine our true situation
| and note all its bearings. Our farming
population, which in every community
is the better part, are yearly abandon
ing their farmss and removing 10 more
promising sections of the country, there
to swell the population that is rapidly
exhausting the fertility of the prairies
and alluvials of the great central valley Of
our wide extended territory. And the
emgrants who throng our cities and vii.
lagos can never supply the loss of our in
telilgent farmers. If our agricultural in
terests continue to decline in the future as
they have in the past, can we reasonably
expect the continued prosperity of our
manufacturing interests? The natural re-
suit will DC that the manufacturer will fol-
low the farmer and leave the home of the
pilgrims to be re-occupied by wild beasts.
AS remedy he proposes that at least
one.half of our entire territory should be
dedicated for all coming time to the ex-
elusive growth of timber to be removed
only by rotation of crops.
We would select tracts for the more de.
slrable varieties of timber, best adapted
to their growth, and for term of wears
protect them from the overgrowth of less
valuable varieties. 1t would not be nec-
essary to devote any land to the growth
OF timber that is feasible for tillage. And
we would reserve none for that purpose
except such as may be turned BY the
plough and in part cultivated by labor
saving implements. The cultivated tracts
should be separated from the wooded dis
tricts by substantial, time enduring stone
walls. Division fences between different
individuals owning contiguous woodlands
would be unnecessary, as no cattle should
ever be allowed to enter those sacred en-
closures except when harnessed to the
service of their masters.
Such plan for dividing up land NAV
appear chimerical as well as impracticable,
as the larger portion of some towns would
be assigned to timber, for but a small part
of their territory is feasible for successful
cultivation. There are thousands of acres
in our interior towns the present value of
which is less than three dollars per acre,
and in its present condition does not paw
even the interest on that small sum. Re.
mote and isolated farms must of necessity
be included with the things that are passed.
But in every town arabic land enough can
be found, if improved to its HIGHEST state
for a far greater number than the present
population. If three-fourths or even one
half OF the territory of any of our hill
towns were covered with fair growth of
timber, the value of the whole territory
would be increased four fold. l would
recommend for timber the planting OF
chestnut and the different varieties Of oak
and walnut