Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-11-02
State Board OF Agriculture.
THIRD DAY-THURsDAY.

The discussion of Dairy Farming was continued.
The President, 2. A. Gilbert, said that in those
sections where cheese factories had been establish
ed, farmers were growing more prosperous. The
experiment of associate cheese making has been en-
tirely satisfactory, and is rapidly gaining more
converts. Individual dairymen were receiving at
the present time greater returns from the product
of butter made in families, but when the products
of the dairy are taken into the open market and
sold for the average market prices, the cheese
dsiryman has the advantage in point OF profit. In
order to increase darying in the State 1t must be
made profitable and to be profitable it must be CO.
operative; families must be relieved OF the inces-
SAINT labor of butter and cheese making.
Mr.. Colburn of Kennebec did not think Maine
farmers could compete with the West in rails
pend upon dairying. Good cheese makers say
that the amount of milk required to make one
pound of butter would make two pounds of cheese,
and he believed that was not disputed. Good but
ter sells for from IS to 40 cents per pound, and
cheese from thirteen to sixteen cents At that rate
it was more profitable to make butter. No man
need to sell his butter less than forty cents. II
takes from to II quarts of milk to make pound
of butter.
Mr.. Starret thought it take 9l-2 pounds of milk
which he had seen, he thought there would be
about IL parts Of butter in hundred parts Of
milk.
Mr.. Bracket, of Belfast, expressed great conf
dence in the success OF cheese factories. Ills own
county, Waldo, had 9 in operation, more than any
other county in the State and nearly third Of all.
Yet all were in successful operation and not sim
gle failure had occurred. All but one had fixed the
price at Is cents a pound, and had received that
price and over it. One had sold for IA cents.
An able paper was read by Hon. George B. Bar
rows of Oxford, ON 1.-THE Province of Boards of Ag-
riculture," and at the afternoon session one on
"The Dignity of Labor" was read by Hon. War
rem Percival of Vassalboro'.
In al essay on Farmers Experiments, Mr.. d.
NJ. Durham of Bangor, criticised the action Of the
last legislature in the dealing out of so miserable
pittance to the Agricultural College, which the
State had established; which should be made an
experimental station and literally endowed to this
end, so that valuable experiments which farmers
have not the means to pursue, can be wrought out
here, . record kept, and the results published
throughout the State.
Joseph R. Harrington. Farm Superintendent at
the state College, related the result of experiments
made during the last year in wheat sowing About
the 2Sth Of May they sowed broadcast one-hsf an
acre of land with wheat at the rate of IL bush
els to the acre. A week later the drill machine
arrived, and the same amount Of land was sown
in drills with this machine, along side Of the first
Half as much wheat was used. That sown first
| got the start but in the course Of two months,
there was not much difference. When the wheat
headed out, that sown in drills looked rather the
best to appearances. The grain all ripened ii
about the same time. The wheat sown broadcast