Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-25

The pamphlet recently printed under
the direction Of the Secretary of State, be-
ing Part lst of the Statistics of Maine as
authorized by the legislature of 1888. is a
valuable document to be spread before the
people Of this and other States. The facts
which it presents are highly creditable to
the State. encouraging to orr people, and
will enable others to see, understand and
appreciate the resources of Maine and the
advantages which it affords as a place of
residence 1t is well known that no other
State in the Union has healthier climate
than Maine, but the capabilities of the
State for affording the means of subss.
tence to those who dwell in it are not so
well understood. We have been too care
less or too modest to spread abroad the
merits of our State, hence the State has
suffered in reputation, also in loss of popu-
lation and lack in improvement of its
resources.
From the pamphlet before US we gather
enough to show that Maine compares well
with other States in most of the leading
industries. About one-half of our terrific
ry is unimproved but wherever the soil is
we'll titled it makes good returns to the
farmer. The following comparisons with
other New England States is instructive
Between 1860 to 1880 only four fthe New
England States (Maine. New Hampshire,
Vermont and Massachusetts, made any
increase In the value of their orchard
products. Names increase largely ex-
ceeded either of the other States, amount
ing to S6l0,259. The increase in New
Hampshire was $4l4.357; Vermont. S429,-
249; Massachusetts. S79.7s4. The de-
crease in Rhode Island was 1924 .940. and
in Connecticut, $50 500. The percentage
of increase in Maine was IL 80; in New
Hampshire. 74.2s; Vermont, 202.7
Massachusetts. S.62. The decrease in
Rhode Island was 29s per cent, and in
Connecticut, 1888 per cent.
The increase in the value of dairy
products tor the same period was, in
Maine l,7S4.05S pounds; in Vermont.
1871. 226 pounds. In New Hampshire
there was decrease of 1854. sos pounds
IN Massachusetts of s,lo6.9ll pounds; in
Rhode Island of l29.o0i pounds; and In
Connecticut of 2.494.1S3 pounds. The
percentage of increase in Maine was 49,
23 in Vermont. ll.07. The percentage
of decrease in New Hampshire was 1884 /;
in Massachusetts. 22,7S; in Rhode Island.
1912; and In Connecticut, 2l.65.
The increase in the value of live stock
$l.o6l,S4s In Vermont the increase
amounted to $344, 206; in Massachusetts.
$2l9, go; Rhode Island, S2l2,0 There
was decrease in New Hampshire for the
same period, amounting to Sl,ll2,56S,
and in Connecticut the decrease amounted
to $35l.7s3. The percentage of increase
in Maine was 6s7; in Vermont, 2.l2;
Massachusetts, l,72; Rhode Island, 1888.
The percentage of decrease in New
Hampshire was 1918, and in Connecticut
S.ll.
The total land surface in Maine Is 49,
800 acres, of which amount $40. per
cent or little more than one-third, is in.
cluded in the farms of the State.
Between 1860 and 1880 the number Of
farms in each Of the several New Eng.
land States increased as follows: Maine,
s,6i1; New Hampshire, 1850; Vermont
1896; Massachusetts,. a,So5; Rhode
Island. $40; Connecticut, 5.4lS. The
acreage embraced in the farms increased
in only two of the States, as follows: In
Maine, s24.907; Vermont. COSTA In
New Hampshire the total number of acres
embraced in the farms of the State showed
decrease between 1860 and 1880 of 49,