The Portland daily press., 1877-09-07
Farmers Meeting,

Line Farmers meeting last evening com.
menced at late hour (half.past eight in the
Common Council room. It was opened by
Col. Needham, who spoke of the advantages
and disadvantages of a farmers life.
President Loring followed, discussing the
same subject. He paid high tribute to the
farmers Of Maine whom he had met at the fair,
for intelligence and enterprise. He eulogized
the Maine Jerseys, working oxen, horses and
sheep as unt xcelled.
FL. G. Burleigh Of Fairfield followed. He
spoke especially against going too far in horse
trotting, and wished we couI hold fairs withou
offering purses for racing.
Mr.. Loring agreed with him, and said many
men could not Judge of horses speed, He
did not even believe his estimable friend, the
chairman, could tell whether horse was trot.
ting in two-forty.or five minutes. He knew an
old farmer who had brood mare, from which
he raised many excellent horses, but he died in
poverty with his old mare looking out of one
window of the barn and his Morrill, colt out Of
the other, crying for bread. The result Of
trying to raise trotters is many failures fol
want of knowledge and much money wasted.
But trotting at fairs affords amusement, and
helps run fairs proftably, and he thought il
could be made innocent and profitable.
Cbas e. Jose made some entertaining re-
marks. He thought the danger of racing ex
aggerated. He thought horses were taking the
place of oxen.
Mr.. Loriny said the great call on Maine now
was for working oxen, and a yoke of oxen such
as he had seen pulling to day would take $3.50
out of Massachusetts mans pocket as quick
as 1t was shown; it had taken it out of his
pocket to-day. He should as soon think Of
throwing the crockery out of his kitchen win
dow as putting his oxen out of the barn.
Mr.. Burleigh rejoined, and said horses did
not pay farmers five dollars ton for the hay
they ate, while oxen pay ten dollars ton for
it, The OK is ready to go to the slaught er house
in the fall after his summer work, while the
horse must go to the market and be sacrificed
He thought the splendid Knox stock had been
loss rather than gain to Maine.
Mr.. Needham said the reason thst other New
England states have SO small representation
of cattle here is that the railroads have not
transported them SO cheaply as usual. Here
tofore all the railroads outside Of the state have
transported free, this year they have not
Mr.. WATSON said the. Maine Central had
given every possible facility including free
transportation in this state, paying a very
handsome compliment to Payson Tucker, Su-
perntendent. He made some valuable re-
marks on the original topic of the EVENING"
farmers life. He stated that an order was
given to Portland manufacturer today for one
4 hons and ntn n,t f1,,
hbition.
Major Seward Dill of Phillips, said farmers
in his district used oxen to great advantage and
increasingly, and that for every horse sold
there, they sell teu Jokes of oxen. He thinks
Maine oxen stand best at Bridg.on of any
working oxen.
At 1880 the meeting closed.
NOTES AND INCIDENTS.
A lady named Roberts had her pocket piekei
of five dollars and several valuable papers a
the Park.
A gentleman who was foolish epough to try
to buck the tiger at one of the show tents OF
the grounds lost $40. He reported the case tt
officer Very, who promptly recovered it, ant
our friend, satisfied with his experience, tool
the next train for home.
About 20 of the Reform School boys wer
taken to the Park yesterday, and it is needles
to say they enjoyed the sights much
The fine cut of crosse used in the highly ex
citing game of Lacrosse at Presumpscot Parl
was engraved by Mr.. Charles F. Plaisted,
well known engraver, who exhibited specimen
of his work at the Fair. Mr. Plaisted canno
be exce,led in his line and he is always read,
to do work on short notice.
Seventeen car loads of passengers came OF
one train over the Maine Central yesterda,
morning
The receipts for the sale Of seats alone up t,
last night amounts to $15,0OO which is very
satisfactory.
Col. Needham says the blowing match is tn,
largest yet made in New England, and goot
judges pronounce it the largest ever made il
the county.
The amount of money taken yesterday up t.
3 P. M. was $1,000. The number of people o,
the grounds during the day was 10000.