Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-12-19

untaxable. Three-dfthS OF the tax OF
the State of Maine is paid by the farm
ers. The farm does not represent three
fifths of our property. Farmers, discus!
these questions, send your representative
men to Congress and the Legislature un
til there is no longer exaction, but al
equitable revenue from all sources OF
wealth and property, SO that proper
tionate contribution for the expenses OF
Government shall be secured.
Members of the National Grange were
very enthusiastic over the advantages OF
Agricultural Experimental Stations, and
were highly entertained by an interest.
ing address by Prof. E. Lewis Sturte-
want, Director of the New York Agricul.
tural Experimental Station. He is ma.
tive of Winthrop Maine. The bulletins
Station are full of interest and valuable
instruction to farmers. l regret ex-
ceedingly that the almost unanimous
wish Of the farmers of Maine, so ear.
nestly expressed by the resolutions of
several Agricultural Societies, and the
State and local oranges, and by the petit
ton of hundreds of farmers, for law
establishing the Maine Fertilizing Con.
troll and Agricultural Experimental Sta
ton, was disregarded by the last Legis-
lature. The presumption is that farmers
know what they need, and would moi
ask for an immeritorious appropriation
when they would have to pay over one
half the tax to meet such public ex-
penditure. 1t is fact that Experiment
al Stations are supported all over Eu-
rope, and more recently in this country,
with marked success. 1t is the institu-
ton where the brain power of the agri-
culturist eliminates and developes,
and establishes those results by science
which adds knowledge and dignity to
the most honorable of all pursuits. A
distinguished agriculturist has truly
said: at is the brain guiding the hand
that gives rank to any labor which man
performs" An Experimental Station is
in the interest of scientific agriculturicul
research and the intelligent farmers of
Maine, need that advantage. Our State
has done well for education, charitable
institutions and the militia. 1t pays all
its public officers reasonable salary.
The farmers pay more than half the tax
for all this outlay, and it is not an un-
reasonable demand, when they ask for
small appropriation for their own pro-
lection and for an interest on which all
other pursuits so largely depend for an
existence. Let us never give up the
fight until we have mn Experimental Sta
ton established in the State of Maine,
and trust it may be an annex to and
connected with our State Agricultural
College.
particularly desire to urge upon the
farmers and Patrons of Maine the i'm.
pOrtance of an Agricultural Expert
mental Station. 1t should serve the in.
terests of the public, therefore it should
be supported from the public funds.
In order that there can be a
scientific agriculture the laws of
science must be employed; but if the
farmer is satisfied with results obtained
by an accident and not by scientific
study and research he will favor the
abandonment of all sientific enquiries.
The plan should be to cover the broad
field of agriculture; and particularly to
devote the most attention to those sub
jects where there is the least general
knowledge. The experiments that are
made by the average farmer are exceed
ingly unreliable, for he has not sufi-
cient knowledge of scientific data and
formula which enter into, and from the
basis of such investigation. The very
best and most thoroughly scientific and
practical farmers admit the difficulty of
obtaining accurate results from their in
vestigations. 1t becomes apparent that
the interests of correct agricultural re.
search demands that the labor of investi-
CATION should be entrusted to the most
ot,i1ifxy c,rrr0nr1oA hxyo oil ho
necessary aids of science. We are well
aware that there has been a determined
effort in this country to develop the
greatest speed in the horse, and it is
possible in the near future the horse NAV
be found that can trOt mile i'm two min
utes. Is it not of far more importance to
the farmer to raise hundred bushels of
corn to the acre? A reliable scientific
farmer informed me that he raised on
an average seventy-five bushels an acre,
and at the same time by accident he
raised on one acre ninety-nine and one
half bushels. How he did it is what the
farmer desires to know, and the hid
den mystery in the accident is what sci
ence alone can unravel. 1t is q scientific
result to know how to get the largest and
the most suitable quantity of Fertilizer
into the plant food. The potato sends
its tuberous roots down deep into the soil
for its nourishment, while the corn sends
its at the surface. If no knowledge ex-
listed in regard to the fact fertilizers
might be so placed in either case as to be
Of no possible benefit. This subject
opens wide field for discussion, and !
desire simply to call your attention
to its importance. 1t is an impor-
tant fact that the more the powers of
the mind are brought to bear upon any
pursuit the more that vocation is elevated.
and whatever additional profitable re-
suits are obtained from mental appliances
that much is added as a pecuniary re-
ward to the aggregate of value. This
is particularly true of all industrial pur-
suits. Physical labor heretofore even in
civilized life has never commanded
much more than q generous livelihood.
The application of study, thought and
investigation which distinguishes the
learned professions, or is associated with
skilled mechanical labor, bring about re.
suits which command the highest reward
of wages, and these pursuits are always
remunerative. The logic would seem te
be that in order to make the profession
of farming remunerafive like other voca-
tons, the power of the mental faculties
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