The Portland daily press., 1882-03-10
SWEET CORN.
THE ADJOURNED CONVENTION OF
FARMERS.
They Ask for $3.50 per 100 Pounds.

| The adjourned meeting of the farmers wa
held in Reception Hall yesterday. There wa
a large attendance from all parts of the state
at least one hundred being present. Among
those who took part were Lewis Mcclellan
| Gorham, W. e. Skillin of North Yarmouth, j
| 81. Hammond of North Berwick, Capt. f.
Jordan, George A. Marsh of Brunswick, ID
M Whitman of Biddeford, Silas Maxim
Paris, Robert Martin of Auburn, "A. R. Smile.
| of the Somerset county Grange, W. W. Harris
| Fl. W. Pearson, G. A. Merrill and W. N
| Prince of Cumberland, Thomas Reynolds
| Canton, John L. Taylor of Freeport, Moses q
Dow of Deering, Joseph w. Reed and Chas
Rogers of Windham, Hon. James M. Stone
| Kennebunk, Jerry Green, j. E. Barker ant
| Watson Chute of Naples. F. A. Danforth
Norway, Lewis Perkins of Poland, Elias San
born of the Buxton Grange, E. f. Morrill,
! Pennington, Peter Lane of Leeds, A. A
Trickey of Westbrook, S. P. Maxim OF TIT
Paris Grange, Cyrus Means and Elliot Fer
nald of Saco, Samuel Skillin of North Var
mouth and others.
The meeting was called to order by Lewi
call for the present meeting.
Mr.. Mcclellan in a few words stated the de
STABILITY of having the packers represented a
the meeting and of hearing their side OF TIT
question.
Mr.. Samuel Skillin of North Yarmouth sale
that the meeting was called for the express
purpose of meeting the packers and until they
were present nothing could be done.
Moses G. Dow stated that he had talk with
members of the Portland Packing Company
and with j. Winslow Jones in regard to this
matter. Mr.. Jones thought that for the
packers to come here to argue the matter
would involve to much talk. Mr.. Jones sug-
gested that committee of the farmers be ap-
pointed to confer with the packers. Mr.
Davis had stated to him that it took 26 ounce
of corn to fill the cans. Some years ago the
packers sold the cans for So dozen. Now
they bring only 81 to $1.15 dozen. He also
stated that none of the packers would be at
the meeting and advised the appointment OF
committee as suggested by Mr.. Jones. Mr..
Davis had stated to him that if the farmers
proposed to advance the price of corn he
should do nothing towards repairing the fallen
buildings at Stroudwater If the packers can
not afford to pay fair price we had better
stop raising it, He thought that the packers
were not making much money.
Mr.. Witham of Biddeford regretted the
want of back bone among the farmers. IT we
don't raise sweet corn we shan't starve He
described the process of "taking toll' at a
factory where he carried corn and thought
that the same thing took place elsewhere. He
advised the raising of yellow corn if sweet
corn can not be made to pay. 1t is good
plan to look at the clothes farmers wear and
then at those the packers wear and see which
are the better.
Mr.. Taylor of Freeport stated that they had
factory in his town at which no corn was
stolen and at which every dollar due was paid.
He thought that if the present prices cannot
be raised the farmers will have to stop raisi ng
sweet corn. He thought that two and one
half cent pound was none too little.
Mr.. Mcclellan stated that a committee from
the packers was waiting in the Aldermen's
room to meet committee from the farmers.
This met with general favor and the chairman
appointed Messrs. Smiley of Skowhegan, Per-
kins of Poland and Hammond of North Ber-
wick.
A suggestion was made that the committee
demand q cents pound.
MIR. f. A. Danforth of Norway thought that
it would be mistake to limit the committee.
Robert Martin of Auburn agreed with the
preceding speaker.
Mr.. Seaman of Gorham stated that he had
made nearly $40 an acre on his corn. He
stated his method by which he made this
amount of money. He used 600 pounds OF
phosphate an acre, and planted feet apart
and 81 feet between the hills, making about
$500 hills to the acre.
Mr.. Sanborn of Buxton said that he had
formerly made 800 an acre and now found it
difficult to make $50 an acre, and briefly
stated his experience in the matter. He
thought that it would not pay him to raise
corn at the present price.
Mr. Chase of Portland said that he proposed
to plant no more sweet corn at the present
prices. He thought that some of the large
growers had better inducements than the
smaller ones, the packers paying them larger
prices.
Mr. Peter Lane called for some figures in
relation to the cost of planting corn.
Mr. Prince, of Cumberland, furnished the
following figures in relation to the cost of rails
ing one half acre of corn, in his experience: