Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-18
ADDRESS At STATE FAIR.

l A . "a II It
The principal feature of the opening on
Tuesday, was the address by the President of
the Maine State Agricultural Society, the
Hon. Rufus Prince of Turner. The address
was delivered before a large audience assem-
bled in the Presd ent's Tent. Mr.. Prince on
coming forward, said
Again we are assembled at our annual
Festival. We trust not only to feast our
| sight upon the noble animals and various pro.
auctions of the soil, the beautiful handiwork
| of our wives and daughters, the various pro-
| ducts Of the mechanical industries of our
State, but we trust also our minds by social
| intercourse with others III discussing the mis-
takes OF the past and In laying plans for the
| future.
| Festival occasions should be spent in
maner that may not only be pleasant, but
| profitable, not in pecuniary point OF view,
| bat our minds should be stored with useful
| knowledge, making Il reservoir capable II ot.
| ing drawn upon at will, a reservoir that VIII
| tend to make man what the Al-rlse creator
| intended he should be instead OF mere AMI
NAL.
| The lawyer editor, physician. in fact near
| ly every class of business men have thelr an
| nual or periodical meetings which have no
doubt been the means of contributing largely
to advance their social interests, and why
should not the farmer profit by their expert
ence? Not but what the agrculturist has had
| more or less gatherings that were calculated to
advance his interests, but they have not been
so immensely attended and encouraged as
| they should be; for these gatherings if right
| ly conducted cannot but have the most bene-
fetal results, and if not conducted as they
should he, we should all attend them and lend
| hoty han IN
than stand back and cri,icise Others.
Improvement and progression seems 10 be
the order Of the day in every branch 0f our
industrial pursuits. and the farmers to be sue
cessful should avail himself OF all the new
and useful improvements of the implements
of husbandry necessary for his occupation,
also study TO ascertain what crops are best
adapted TO not only his farm but his location
and what will best remunerate him in proper
| lion to the outlay.
The almost universal use of steam has made
so great a revolution in the general order Of
things not only in the ease and rapidly Of
transportation but in the various mechanical
pursuits, that the experience OF the past can
be but poor guide for Us in the future.
Many of the different products Of the soil
being so quickly transported from one eX
IRENE of our country to another, that line
Of action that might have been profitable to
our fathers would now soon involve us in
ruin. Hence we should always be on the
alert to see that progress does not outstrip US.
1t may be profitable to bring corn from
Illinois, flour from California and beef from
Texas as we are doing to-day, but at the same
time most ruinous to transport apples from
New York and Michigan TO Maine, when they
should be one of our standard crops anu
exported TO every quarter Of the globe.
Market gardening and fruit growing when
managed by skilful bands especially when
near our large cities and towns, yield large
returns; still in many sections the demand
far exceed the supply, especially in early
fruits and vegetables. and we are ROW I'M
porting instead of exporting these articles
as we should, and in this connection the
question has often occurred to US, would il
not be better for the independent farmers OF
Maine who are now deposi,ing their surplus
earnings in the nearest Savings Bank to use
it in assisting to improve some neighboring
waterpower many of which may be found In
nearly every town in the State. thereby BRING
to his own door population of consumers
that W ould make market for many of the
products of the farm and garden. that couit
not ever with our present facilities for trans
portation be proftably transported grea
distance? If by this course we could buil'
d I'D thriving villages in our midst and occa
G SlOnaliy lay the louHuatoH iOt Lo"S4!' ~"
renee or Lewiston, would not our energetic
) sons be induced to stay at home instead o
d leaving the old homestead alone or to th'
! feeble labor of advancing decrepitude:
An advanced position has already beer
1 taken in several of the New England Statei
in manufactures greatly to the benefit OF the
agriculturist, and we trust Maine will not fol-
low far in the rear, but that the time is not
far distant when we shall hear of the thriving
manufacturing cities OF Rumford, Brunswick
Wateryile, Fairfield and others in the western
and central portions of our State, and as the
forest fades before the lumberman's axe on
your own Penobscot, may the hum of machin-
ery respond to the song Of the husbandman.