Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-25
ABANDONED FARMS
Ad6,sss Delivered bsforc Capita.
Grange, "Wednesday Evsripg by Maj
C j. House.

Below is given in full the interesting
address on the subjeol of Abandoned
Farms delivered by Mag. c. J. House
before Capital Grange las. evening, We'd
nesisy. Dac. 9th;
Much has been said AMI written of late
en- the mater of abanderei farms 10 New
England; ard several states, notably, Yer
mont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire,
have taken active measures to ascertain the
number, seresge and value of such lacds,
with view to a reoccupsncy of tne same
by inducing immigration from the middle
or western states or by securing desirable
immigrants from some foreign ccuniries.
This same matter has been discussed con
sderably in the State Of Maine through
newspapers, farmers clnbs, oranges ard
other societies. ard | believe that
! Capital Grange has had the subject up
| for discussion on one or TWO evenings
but the matter never assumed tangible
form in Maine until the present year.
During the early part of the summer, Hon.
s W. Matthews, our Commissioner OF In
das;rial and Labor SATISFIES, without any
special instruction from the Legislature,
but simply in the line of bis general work,
decided 10 take the Initial step in this State
For this purpose he prepared circular
letters and blank returns cilling for the
number OF absudoaed farms, their acreage
and assessed valuation, also an estimate of
their market value per acre. note Of
explanation AS & guide TO assessors in max
ing the returns reads as follows :
sBy Abandoned Farms in this inquiry
are mean. those formerly cultivated but
now deserted, and upon which cultivation
is now abaodoned, and the buildings, if any
uroccupied and Permitted TO fall toto decay.
Ia som. cases the grass is still cut on these
farms, but nothing is done in thu way of
enrich ment of the soil and the land is prac-
ticaliy upproductive and left 70 run wild. p"
With these Instructions, the letters and
blacks were sent out to the assessors of
every city town and plantation in the State,
So in number, and 497 returns hive been
received at the Labor office, leaving six
owns ard six plantations not beard from
The number of abandoned farms reported
aggregate 3,3IS, or al average OF about
six and two thirds per town. There are 3i3
returns which report ore or more abandoned
farms while 1874 report none.
The average number eff abandoned farms
per town varies materially in the different
counties. In round numbers It shows up
ss follows; Androscoggin, 6; Aroostook,
2; Cumberland, 5 Franklin, "A; Hancock,
- Kennebec. 3; Knox. 4; Lincoln, 4;
oxford, Is; Penobscot, 4 ; Piscataquis. l | :;
Sagadshcc, IL; Somerset, 81 Waldo. Z;
Washington, S. and York, ". Based Oh
the Number OF farms in each county a
reported by the census of 1880, the per
centage Of abandoned farms to 'he whole
number would be by counties as follows
Androscoggin. GA :; Aroostook. .02G Cum
berland, .023; Franklin, 1874; Hancock,
obs; Kennel bee. .O29; Knox, .022; Linccln,
.040; Oxford, 1922 Penobscot, 037; Piscat
squis. al; Sagadshoc. .09o; Somerset.
062; Waldo, .044; Washington, 0j6 and
York, 06j. while the perc 3ntage in
the State at large would be .052.
Since 1880 the number of farms
in the State has materially increased, par
ticulary so in the coui ties of A.oostook.
Franklin. Lincoln, Washington and York,
so The percentages given in the counties
last named are too high. The fac. Of the
increase in number of farms was brought
out IN the Maine Labor report for 1887 but
as many Of the returns that year were
defective and from many ,oNns wanting
altogether, the figures are not close enough
10 reckon percentage, on and so the hgur' :
of 1880 have been used for that purpose.
The total acreage of these aberd onsd
farms is 2j4 5l3 or seventy-sx and seven
;enths acres per farm, ard they are valued
for taxation at 81, PCS, 100, an average of
81 80 per acre. Divided amoug the several
counties of the State the acreage and
assasseI y,Irr.;o1 il g. fellows,