Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-02-04

and not crop till the roads are too much
weakened and wasted We do not real
jze the capability OF soil to produce grass
Il we have hay and paslurage we must
nave stock TO sousumsit. We should so
against scrub stock every time. Specs
At, in farming may be The advance
guard. cut mixed huSbaudrl is the main
army thAt follows up and completes vic
tory. Let me reeapitulsIc:
First: No one crop is sale enough for
specially, on large scale.
Second Mixed Ilusbandry is the only
sale path for the farmers of blaine.
Third: Pay more attention TO the grass
crop.
Fourth Keep only good stock.
Filth: If you make any specially OF
any crop, let it be the grass crop.
Sixth Make and apply all the fertilizers
possible.
Mr.. Gilbert ON Farm Practice and Nam
Agsmsut.
Mr.. L. A. Gilbert, OF Androscoggin,
then presented an essay on "General
Farm Management"
At the present time there IS n general
depression all over the northern States IN
regard to farming. While we have ne
sympathy with sroakers. we believe thai
average farming in Maine is not paying
so well as formerly. We must conclude
from this that the efforts OF the average
farmer are not VOL put forth. 10 1t too
much to ask tho same per dtcm for the
farmer a. for the operative in our m"nu-
I factories, our mechanics OF even our
farm laborers, Statistics show that the
potato production has doubled since 1850;
the value OF orchard products has doubled
the number of COWS are not ~ laage
as in $780, probably not over three
lourths as many-wo keep no more stock
than formerly, though our acreage OF
grass has largely increased and we
buy largely OF western corn 10 iced our
stock. The farming OF to-day does not
differ essentially from that of twenty =
five years ago. The stand still is not in
our starr, but in ourselves. We should
be men Of to day and farm according to
the advanced light ws have. We nOed
to take new departmental TO the west
but 10 better order OF things. We
are spending our strength against the
current eyeuts. and are determined to
pursue that course which il the most TO
be avoided Because other sections pro.
duco an ar,icls we need, it is no arsu-
ment We should purchase instead Of pro
ducing 1.-THE point l., where Is the mon.
cy coming lroms We are continually
hunted down by sharper, and swindlers;
and shyewd observer once remarked:
1--WE are the most gullible people on
earth" We should patronize home pro-
auctions, and avoid sending money ont
OF the Stale that can be saved in it. by
Aseping our money at homo we keep our
young nen and woman al home TO earn
.. Brain power guides the hand 10 The
best results.
The farm pays US exactly IN proportion
to the character of the efforts pu, forth.
There Is much aimless preaching. but far
more aimleSs farming. We must depart
from simleSS ways or we shall have TO
depart Tor the poor house. When we
decide what system of farming TO pursue
We should then pursue il with the whole
there is OF us-head. heart, and hand.
Our system OF farming must DO esscnti-
ally changed or We shall come to grief
Is farming community You may put
this in italics or capitals; it will bear
either. Our productions should be those
that come least into competitor with
those OF other sections. and our competi
ton with the West need not be so sharp as
al present. We must refine our farming,
make smaller arsas highly fertile.
Western farming is careless and will be
slOveuly for many years 10 come Let
Us labor, not to brighten our poighbor.
from the farms, but to make them letter
farmers
The system OF Associated Dairyng
is now fairly established among US. and
will be popular; let us no, overl COX our
tull As important butter product. Dairy
lands with Us are cheap and dairying
should be more profitable than in other
States.
We send out Of lhs State $500 for
pickles. Pickle growing is very prof.
table. as has been proved in the suburbs
OF Lewiston and Auburn. II We have
entsrpsisin: men why don't they 90 into
the nursery business aud save millions
annually sent out for New York? We
must not our resources on poor lands.
We must work less land and work it bet.
ter, keep less stock and iced it better.
Aitera recess Of five minutes, discus
sion followed on questions presented in
in Mr.. Gilberl's paper.
Mr.. Colburn Of Kennsbec. believed
our capacities for butter making as good,
ii not better than of other States. Wei
do not pillow deep enough; we do not till
well enough. We do not put enough
thought into our farming. The selling
OF hay is ruinous and should be aband.
Oned.
Mr.. W. p. Atherton of Hallowsll. We