The Portland daily press., 1875-11-08
State Board Of Agriculture.

. CALAIS, NOV. D, 1919.
The announcement of the fact that agricul-
ture underlies every other industry, and on it
they all rest for support, has become common
and stale: and yet it is oftenest repeated in the
addresses or writings of politicians and public
men; but when an opportunity occurs for
practical recognition of the fact it is frequent
ly neglected even by such men. No farmer &C.
cupies place on the State Centennial Commits
sion, and, therefore, it was not strange that
the interests of agriculture should be forgotten
or neglected in making arrangements for an
exhibition of state products. At the session of
the Board of Agriculture a year ago, COM
mittee was appointed to take some steps to-
wards securing respectable representation OF
our agricultural productions, and an applica-
ton was subsequently sent to Philadelphia for
sufficient space. Some correspondence has
passed with the State Commission, and the re-
suit will be that specimens of the grasses and
cereals, if nothing more, will be forwarded to
the exhibition.
The forenoon and evening of the second and
last days session was almost entirely given up
to the topic of "Orcharding," very important
matter to those engaged in it or desiring to be;
but not of much interest to them even, or the
general public, unless some positive and valu-
able information is communicated. Granting
the value and necessity even of such public
convocatous of farmers, the question still
arises, why might not Secretary or Commits
sioner of Agriculture read all these statements,
methods and receipts from some standard work
on fruit trees, and thereby save the time, travel
and expense Of score of gentlemen who come
together and relate them? Intelligent farmers
who have access to books are better pleased
with some progressive action ON the part of
board of supervision and investigation, than
with listening to compilations which they can
make for themselves. While it is plain that
slime upon line and precept upon precept," are
continually needed in this very direction, it is
only suggested that the book or the news.
paper will furnish medium quite as satisfac-
tory and less expensive.
The paper entitled "What Next?' from Mr..
Bracket of Belfast your reporter did not hear.
Through the politeness of friend he was
taken to the farm of Charles T. Todd ESQ.,, of
st. Stephen, N. B., gentleman literally edu-
Gated, largely engaged in numbering and mer-
camille affairs, and withal a most enterprispg
duu SuCCCsSlul ldImtTs 1T UWUS several lHTHS
in the vicinity, one of them probably the larg-
est in the state Mr.. T. kindly left his bust
ness to exhibit his splendid stock of thorough.
breds, composed of Short Horns, Ayrshire
Hereford and Devon-two COWS he had re-
Gently purchased at the sale ordered by the
Provincial Government; one of them, seven
years old, weighing nearly seventeen hundred
pounds, came from the well known stock of
Hon. George Brown of Ontario, and was for
merly held by him at $500 gold. On Friday
morning Mr.. T. took the whole Board some two
miles out to his farm in his carriages, and re-
turned them to the station at st. Stephen.
The exercises of the after noon consisted of
the reading of paper on "Raising Steers"
from Mr.. Aver, of Freedom, and one on "Mut-
ton RAISING from Mr.. WATSON of Surry.
Mr.. Aver showed the value of blood in stock
by giving the size and weight of some animals
in his own vicinity. One pair four years old,
measuring eight feet, sold for $34O. Six steers
owned in Thorndike by Coffin and White,
average more than eight feet-their aggregate
weight exceeds six and fourth tons-the
best pair, only three years old, are eight feet
and two inches, and weigh 1890 lbs. A pair in
Winterport owned by j.. w. Low, two years
old, are six feet ten inches and will bring more
than 5000. Mr. Palmer of Thorndike sold a
pair two years and one month old. for $210
Mr. WATSON believes that large territory
IN the state can be profitably devoted to the
raising of sheep for mutton, rather than wool;
thus producing wholesome and profitable
article of food and at the same time enrlchlng
the soil. He was quite severe in denouncins
meadow hay as food for sheep, having had
some unfortunate experiences in early life.
Mr. Barrows of Fryeburg remarked that it
would be well to remember the word meadow
was not confined in other States or countries to
land producing the natural grasses; and that
all the hay cut on such land was not limited to
the coarse and fiat leaved varieties. A mix
ture of the finer grasses was frequently found
| on land that could not be cultivated, or was
| flowed by water which could be more profit
| ably consumed by sheep than any other stock
| E. B. Harvey Esq confirmed the statement by
giving his early experience in Vermont. Mr..
| HAYDEN of Madison said tina. for thirty year:
he had kept sheep proftably on meadow hay
taking care to cut it early and cut it thoroughly
Mr. Bearce and others followed with similar