The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-10-10
SKOwHEGAN. Oct. 9Th.

wv
To the Editor of the Press ~
The semi annual session of the State Board
of Agriculture and the Farmers Convention
opened here this afternoon under very unfavor-
able auspices. Rain is falling in torrents and
the attendance is comparatively small in con-
sequence. Quite number of the members of
the Board are on hand, including the President
q. A. Gilbert of Androscoggin county, and the
Secretary, S. L. Goodaler of Saco. Several
delegates from farmers clubs, farmers i'm the
vicinity and Others are in attendance On the
afternoon train a company of cadets from the
State College of Agriculture at Orono, accom-
panied by part of the college faculty, came
over to take part in the proceedings.
After some business matters were attended to
reports on the condition of the crops in the diff
ferent counties in the State were given by the
members from each county.
Six counties were reported up to time of adj
journment. These were from different portions
OF the State, and give about an average result
for the whole State, which may be given con-
densed as follows: Hay, more than an average
crop and secured in good condition. Wheat, 25
per cent. over the average for the past 10 years,
and of fine quality, free from insects Pota-
toes, about so per cent. loss on account of rot
Fruit, an average in some sections very
heavy crop of apples. Beans, q good crop but
much injured in harvesting Oh account of rainy
weather. Corn, better than for IS years; in
some cases large southern varieties have been
ripened in Maine-a thing almost unheard of
before. Oats and barley fair; vegetables never
better
The Farmers Convention opened in the eve
ming session with a class exercise by the stu
dents of the College of Agriculture, under the
charge OF President Allen. The exercises wore
from Warning Elements of Agriculture which
is used by the students as text book, and re-
ferred to the elements of the soil; cell forma-
ton ct plants; plant organs; manures, &c.
Hon. c. j. Morris of Portland, was then in
troduced and delivered a lecture upon 'Life's
Callings. give you brief extract:
We have but an imperfect idea of life's call
ings. Our Creator has bestowed various gifts
upon his creatures. We are apt to underrate
the various eallings. They are each dependent
upon the other. Ii young man is called to
TILL the soil do not divert him to a religious
pursuit. There is a diversity of gifts to man
and we are each adapted to some calling
The great difficulty we have to contend with
- tnat some professions are over-crowded with
those whom nature intended for auother. Too
many young men who would make good far
mers are droning in some pulpit or practcine
at the bar, while sometimes we find a man in
the held who was specially called to grace the
bar or the pulpit. 49, ra-F5 =
He referred to the industries and enterprises
OF the State, and showed that they were brouubt
to their present condition by energy, fore
thought and wise labor and action. But in ag-
riculture, to great extent, we have followed
IN the Old ruts and overlooked the facil ties for
progression Our young men are expected to
take agriculture the natural way as they would
the mumps and the measles. His legislative
experience had shown that it would have been
impossible to have obtained an appropriation
Tor our Agricultural College if it had depended
wholly upon the votes of the members from
the agricultural districts.
Agriculture has not taken a nromipent nos;
ton IN Maine for several reasons. one is because
OF the overshadowing influence of the lumber-
lag interests; another is the opinion that our
son and climate cannot compete with that of
ot1er states This is an evil of much magni-
tude ana has done much to injure the pros
perity or our State. He here gave an elabor-
ate tabular statement of statistics compiled
from official returns, showing by comparison
that Maine stands well with the other States
IN the average production of the agricultural
staples OF the country. Another reason is that
agrlculturists do not respect themselves as do
the members of the other Professions Because
man isl farmer is no reason he should be an
lgnoromus. They cannot, of all others, afford
to be Ignorant. They should not ignore the cul-
tiyation of the sentiments of beauty Neither
need he occupy an inferior position in social or
political life. If true to themselves they NAV
become the aristocracy of the land
The lecture brought out some discussion and
remarks. President Allen of the State College,
said one siuse why our calling has not assum-
ed the position due to it is because men here in
fuence according to their intelligence. Intelli-
gence demands culture-brain power, which is
caused only by an educated brain. 1t has too
long been considered that special education and
learning is not necessary for the farmer. Intel
lgence, culture and an educated mind is just as
necessary for the farmer as for the other pro-
fessiOns
Mr. Morris lectures was well received and
was listened to attentivel by full house. @