The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-03-06
Farmers Institute ut Thorndike.

held at Thorndke on Thursday of last week
The attendance was not large but represented the
progressive and intelligent farmers of the county
These meeting are intended for the mutual benefit
of all concerned, for exchanging ideas and opn-
ions, and discussing the different methods practced
by each farmer. At l0A. N. the train from Burn
ham brought in z. A. Gilbert Esq. secretary of the
Maine Board of Agriculture, 5. l.. IIolhrook mem
Der from Sasadahoc, and Samuel Libbey, of Orono.
The meeting was held in the Grange Hall, over
Harmons store, and called to order by ID. b.
johnson, of Freedom, member of the Board for
Waldo county. Mr. johnson stated the object of
the Institute and called upon Hon. w. Ellis, OF
Belfast, to preside at the meeting. Mr. Ellis took
the chair, thanked his fellow farmers for the honor
conferred and stated that the meeting was opened
for business.
The first paper presented was one on Waldo
County Farming, its present condition. and what IS
needed, by ID. b. johnson, of Freedom He slid
it was a question that interested all. What have
been our past methods and what II to come of
them? During the past decade there have been
great changes In farming in Waldo county waldo
Is as we'll located for farming as any county III the
State. The soil is good and eur market tacilties
excellent. Our county is especially adaptel lor
hay The land on the sea boards not 50 good as IN
the interior. The question our farmers nave III
mind IS how to get the most money out oi their
work. There are two great questions i"l the farm
crs of waldo county 70 rnnsi,Ieripitl ami fertil-
ity Much is wasted in uolli,i lnantlres and from
the kitchen sink when we see Il farmer doing
better than ourselves we should try to initiate his
methods and above all don't dcspise BOOK farming.
Mr., johnson read the waldo county statistics from
the census reports for 1850 IN the numnet Of
farms waldo rankerthe Slh, ovone--iNteent of the
whole, while ill population it is the llh The
county in 1880 ranked the 5h III population, Since
which time we have lost. Where has our popula-
ton gone? Too many nave followed Horace
Greeley's advicc-"Go West" ~ live stock our
county has lost in the last decade observation-disclosures
county rauks the It'll, an increase IN the past de
cade. In hay il is the lth an increase. IN pota-
toes it is the 18th, Il decrease, which lhe speaker
said was due 10 the potato beetle In Wheat Il Is
Bird, an increase IN oitS' ~, decrease. !"
corn the sth, an increase, In barley ION, decrease
In cereals 10th, decrease lnhor4es increase.
There has been a decrease in Oxen COWS, and other
small cattle, with an increase m sheep Ah1 W""l'
and also in dairy products. lie WGcI man1t"ftnF-
ing in the county, tor he said where there were
manufactures, there farming paid me best. i;Ur
one county in the state has fewer manufactures
than Waldo. our water powers are running NJ
waste. In rc-ard to special fertilizers he .G That
last year 9&i0wor.l was received At Tnorniike -ta
ton. ,nich ne estimated was but unc teltn DC Nh.j
| Was used IN the county. Our turner's have been
growing hay to the exclusion OF cereals uud Stock.
I IN 1850 90 13o tons of hay were harvested in waldo
| county, Of which 10000 tons were exported. He
lid not approve OF somuch hay raising anl thought
| more could he realized i'll horn and hoof thau in
| the bale.
/ The next paper WAS Rotation of Crops, by >
/ l.. Ilolhrook, Saganahor. II sail good croi :
| me an good times bad crops hard times. Farming
/ is the wen spring Of oar prosperity. Agriculture
is a. on As Adam but the science of agriculture
modern. our y stem of farming is wrong, but il
| is easier TO ind fault than TO suggest il remedy.
Our system is no system at all. AL. a farmer what
system he follows ana he Will 5pe That he ha- nuuc
/ He advised more attention To- STOCK raising. oar
soil is well adapted to ID; there /. money in ID ;tnd
it is The cheapest and best way 10 build III the
farm. lie Who drives fat cattle i. himself f;,t
is ;la old bat true SAYING Iii regard tu hay raising
he said eigh; -tenIi~ Of ton 10 tho acre is the HNe
age cut llis remedy ,reNiTln- cvli- i I" ">peei
the PioW" Each farmer Who owns Hlty acres
t,,,lI ,.. r... ,.. H., . ,.,. ALL, ~ ~
7i'"I' ""F' il''' 'NNl'H '"hNF"ll -"Nt "'i'N "'i-
der tine plow. He believed in rotation of rlops-
I deem -b1I;N- l'nD;rl chants -h.t1 l
Pl"hI - oI 50 mu'h Naue 10 INC farmer ~ cover
and Why it is not cultivated was wonder t0
Him. ~ la.,. r,ot ,,t,,f, M, I,,t f,al t..t Ill
~ ~
Hcc'''t l" 'Hll'" t'I' son. anu WIEN 'uIi'N "'hIti
it makes the best fertilizer. change IL demanded
i .i ,,, ,..,.i. ,..- III .i ti
~ '"i Pi'"'"'9 i'''i0 7''''i' P''" '''''' '''i'
4 more frequently. Grass lands should net r nHln
IN ,,r,s ,,ora th.,, tl,,an ypa, ...no M PAU \,
w.,
WIN oi"Nef ''n'' proving you 't' ~ 3'""9 Wl'h
less manure. Il is more profitable I'd yai~a .l.l~- ID
f.t ..ttl ,I.,., i, t.,,. ..., .; iI.,..,
- 49, ''i ''' w IN e'''-''' - ''''''''
/ t'l machinery IN farming AMI -ald we cannot ho't
tn, hOy, Of tIairc on thp nachinrIa-- farm.
NH"icI i't9"H WY W. Nh"ul'' il' 'h"it ll'N l'IT
I ami rotate crops is that we eradicate THE prcd-.
,-.,i. ,.1. 49,, ~. ,,,. ,.,.,; I,,,.,,.. I,..tI ,,
/ 49, -
thtIr OWE Judgment rs 10 Wila crops ~ rotate. IN
cleSiu. Mr. IIoluoo4l urged lhe f;u1n.1,, 10 Give
..,
lhWt "'Ithu"h |" 7lotA huaMlhiE' more Y" lcluI-
ity, more to blowing and the rotation Of crops.
Nv, ,.ifi,nrt .,;l ,,,i ,,,,. r,.,,i,, il.
" 7 n
ha' avh OIL he 'll'l nor look I'll II Win toreh"'hnES.
/ ami thought there were GOOD reasons for il There
, ,. l.. ,,.,
"'7 "SS5 ~ N'i N"SN !" i'i Pi'""'7 " ''i ''1A
/ farming population We are producing more than
| Formerly With improved ls.,it7.4.,- ,yr 4r,.a,I
push '-N' nc N''9 SUI ilI9'' - "'" "l '''N " 20
amount Of commrrFlAl tvrtl!H'rS ustt III waldo
rn,piy III IL purchased bp,,I-,. Inv IN, IN NINA, +,
produce 1t ON the lani owing t" ihe tarl lhHi al.
the HAY is 9oli on At the present price nf f-rti.i-