The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-01-14
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ing report was wholly excluded. The meet
iugs were held In the Methodist vestry un-
der the auspices Of the Board of Agricul-
| ture. We stated then what we have since
heard expressed by many that 1t was one Of
the best meetings ever held In this county.
While the attendance was good, hundreds
| Of farmers who ought ~ have be.n there,
remalped at home, thinking perhaps that
nothing can be- learned. Those who did
attend felt thst the day hsd been we'll spent
and that on their farms, and In feeding
| their stock much Information had been re-
ceived. The meetings were arranged by
the member of the board from this County,
A. r. Smiley, ESQ.,, who presided during
| the..dsys sessions. The morning hour was
given up to discussion of "Creameriez;,
and their Work" led by the Sec'y of the
Board, Hon. z. A. Gilbert, of North Greene,
a man who, by wears of study and experl
eDce, IL better prepared to speak upon this
question than any one else IN Maine
Creameries, he said are especially adapted
TO our present condition, and because oil
this the Board gives its assistance. What
ever interests the farmer Is OF the greatest
importance to us all. In individual butter
and cheese making IL becon es difficult
matter, not only to secure uniform arti-
Gle, but also to mai ket 1t at profitable
prices. Not town to-day, unless 1t has
creamery. can supply twenty-five tubs alike
In quality. For this reason our butter has
had no reputation. Dairying in this State
means either fifteen cent butter or cooper
alton. Wisconsin and Iowa sell butter IN
Bosiol at better prices THIN We can secure.
Therefore we must conform to tie market
demands, and secure uniformity. But to
secure profits the expenses of creameres
must be kept low. Every fraction must be
guarded that the farmers may receive all
that Is possible. More money can be real
lied than by individusl effort. For the
greatest profit the farmers must unite and
turn iu their combined cream product so
that expenses of collecting may be reduced
to the lowest possible figure. Creamery
butter Is In demand and that demand is
constantly increasing. Look well then to
the quality of your butter and to the ex-
rense of producing
The afternoon session opened with music
by a Quartette, and this was followed by
most interesting address by Prof. C. H.
Feruald, Of the State College, Orono, on
the subject OF "Grasses of Maine" About
eighty specimens of these grasses hung
about the walls of the room, and added to
the interest of the subject.
Probably no man In Maipe has given
more time and study to the study of the
grasses, grains and insects than the able
u
at OrOnO, and the abstract which we pub
ish, but very poorly and imperfectly out
iues the valuable and instructive address.
1.-THE Grasses of Maine" was the sub
ect of Prof. G. II. Fernalds address, and
all who listened, were not only greatly In
terested and instructed, but also felt that
in the Prof's. services the State College
had secured man who was thoroughly
equipped for his work. We wish We might
pfrfA \ t., 4 Gall fall.
abstract must suffice.
1.-THE grass family is, without doubt, of
far Greater Importance than all other fami-
lies of plants combined; for, including as
1t does, all IT 9 Gel eals, as wheat, oats, rye,
corn, barley, rice as we'll as sugar cane,
sorghum, bamboo and the greater part of
The forage plants, We may pluce this family
In advance OF all others In All economic
point Of view. All our breadstutf comes
directly from this family, and our meats iD-
directly. The grasses are the most univer-
sally difused over the globe of any of the
Towering plants. In actual number they
exceed 600. Estim ties made state that
the grass family comprise One.sxth OF all
the Individual Towering plants OF the globe
Maine has between eighty and ninety spe-
Giles Of grass, but not over dozen of these
are inttn ionally or intelligently cultivated,
and half OF these belong to the cereals.
Invite your attention now to tie eighty
species OF grasses growing In our State.
The Importance of subj. CT will appear
when we recall that In 1879 there WAS cut
10 the State OF NJ zine l ,lO7, 78S tons of hay,
which at $40 per tou gives AS the value OF
the crop, Gil 077'880. This 10 addition to
the grass iu The pastures makes the pro-
duct more valuable than all The farm, mar
ket and forest produces of tho State and
really forms the foundation Of o. riculture
10 Main'.
The greater number OF our farm rs cou-
hne their culture to timothy, red-to red
and AIsike lover, while few SOW orchard
grass. A very large number OF the eighty
varieties are M ,st va liable, some Of which
thrive bost In one kind o; soil, while others
give b. st esilts IL ditfei ent great mis-
take is OF Gu made IN sowing too few XII ds
Of any given piece 4 land, and rs iesu t,
the plants are ~ at cred 80 that weeds and
iLdescribable grasses creep in. Another
Is 10 SOW mixture of grasses witch do
not come to blossom a. the same time.
Many farm rs cover grass seed too deepy.
Only thin brush ng should be given, AS
grass seed buried to the depth Of twn inch
rs will not come up, but instead should he
covered to about ont fourth inch. Pure
seed Is difi1ult to obtain. and none should
be used when more than two years old
When kind Of grass Is observed growing
iuxuriantly IN any p,rtion the field Ell
deavor to find out what tn grass is,
whether or value US forage crop, and II
so, save the seed and cultivate it. A large
amount of vain BILE knowledge scattered
through scientific works IL not available to
the average fatm-r. It:will not do to rely
on comm n names for they differ with DIFF
ferent localities. There ought to lie cross
fertilization Of gras ses, for in this way only
can n. W and valuable varieties be brought
out. The study Of feriil zation Is one OF
the greatest interest hnd Importance, and l
invite your attention to q systematic study
OF the gr; Sses OF MaiDe.
This imperfect abstract but poorly con-
veys the thoughts Of the spt aker. The
imposition OF grasses was given In detail
and the distinguishing qualities. Perhaps
thu most interesting part OF this address
was the careful description OF the Hover
and seed aud the method OF fertilization.
About eighty specimen Of Maine grasse-
were shown carefully arranged on large
sheets OF white paper
The evening session opened with an in
creas ed attendance, and the ioterest which
had been growing through the day WAS still
more marked at this meeting.
DR.. G. M. Twitchell, of the Maine Far
nsfr,a resident of Fairfield, was the first
speaker, and out OF his long experience in
poultry raising, presented the subject IL
most practical manner. P.ultry raising he
3 i'd, had gradually come to be recognized
as one of the chief avenues OF farm reve
nue.. Any man who engages 10 tie busi-
ness systematically, commences with small
focks and gradually grows into the busi-
ness, can realize d net profit of two dollars
per head annually. But there must be an
adaptation for the work, and desire to
master every detail. What il necessary
first ia wal m, dry, sunny buildings. Arti-
fetal heat only weakens and produces dis
ease. Warm pens, well ventilated, pure