Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-05-24
cRop BULLETIN roR Way.

CROP BULLETIN FOR NAY.
AUGUSTA, MAY ~, ls9?.
The letters of Inquiry revived frou
every section Of Maine. and from resi
dents In other states, calling for cople'
of the bulletins Issued are the strongest
possible proof of their usefulness, an,
demand for their continuance. To max
thsm of service In strengthening an,
encouraging agriculture, the Information
given must be reliable, and u IL will
great pleasure that attention IL 80 con
fidently called To the replies revived
coming, ss they do, from all parts o
the state and from those Who have :,
Kindly Pledged assistance. In this wa,
the monthly record of the growing sea.
sou of lsgl, lust opening, may te made al
inestimablc value to the agricultural and
business interests Of the state. The I'm.
portaut subject Of pastures Was thought
worthy Of special attention this month
aud the following questions seut out;
1. How many acre. of average past
ure land In your vicinity will IL take "a
pasture q cow
2. Have the pastures In your vicinity
beeu improved within the last decade
n 90 10 what extent aud In what Way
!. What IA. been the method pur-
sued BY those farmers whose pastures
have not heen lmproyedt
4. viii II pay 10 improve the average
pasture. ot your ,icinliy - they Will
f-ci double the stock they have been
carrying
5. What crop. will be used aud Ia
what extent to supplement the pastures
In your ,iclnliyt
TO these were added others of im-
portAnce at this season Of the year.
g. In What condition IL the most oi
the stock thi. spring, have the young
animal. been tep, growing through the
wintert
.. What proportion 10 the dairymen
In your vicinity turn their COWS out Tor
water al through the wintert
:. What will ~ the acreage of grain
aud hocd crops, AZ compared With last
year,
.. lf,herc 1. any noticeable Increase
or decrease, state In What particular
cropst
10. What especial efforts Will L.
made, the comlug srason, 10 Improve
the roads la your vicinity
n. Ia how many ot your schools viii
the .clencc. relating Ia agriculiur, h.
taught, either directly or Indirectly, the
coming ssasonf
IL. How does the selling price OF the
farm products usually -old In your VI
ylniiy compare with same, last year at
this timef
The hearty response received irom ="
many |. proof positive that the friends
Of agriculture are ready aud willing to
assist In any steps looking Ia the AL
,anccment of the best Interests of the
state. Nearly two hundred rcplie. hs'e
teen received aud from these the follow
Ing conclusions drawn;
4. That from three a. seven acres ar.
necessary to pastur, q COW, the average
being about -four and half.
2. Only in very few sections !. any
Improvement In pasture. noted, as ia.
result OF cutting ba.hc. or adding old
feld.. while many report loss, by al
lowing the young gro~th to euerosch up
on the clcarings.
]. To supplement the pasture. some
praciic. feeding the field. In the fall
Others a grain ration throughout the
wear, hay fed one, day AZ the barns,
aud few report an Attemp, al r--secd-
ing and icriiliIing With bone aud ashes.
4. In rocky section. the majority es-
press doubt. whether attempted I'M
would pay, while In other
sections many report Increased growth
following a top dressing of bone. IL !.
evident that no system of cultivation of
pasture. has yet been generally attempt
ei. That here l. one of the most lm-
portant problem. calllng for patient To-
ve.tigation there l. no question. In
future bull.,in. an effort will be made
Ia compass in some measure its solution.
S. corn fodder aud Hungarian grass
ar, auite generally reported ne the crops
grown to supplement the pastures.
n 4. very evident from the replies re-
cclyc,i 20 the.e iiye questions that one of
the most pcfplcNing problems ot the day
4. that relating Ia pastures. Made up,
as they are 80 largely, of rocky aud, so
called, waste land, the available fertility
IA. become exhausted aud q large per
cent are becoming mo.sed over or grown
dp 10 bushes. The Low price Of stock !.
stated a. one of the discoursging feat
ur,.. While the want Of more extended
co-operatiye work In dslrying is mani
fest In almost every county, asa possible
help to IA. building up Of the carrying
capacity of the farm.
3. stock ID reported In good eondi-
tion, aud la nearly every county Young
stock IA. bccn kept growing during the
winter.
:. A very large proportion water
their stock In the yards, hut " is
fact that the practice OF iea'.
ing the animal. exposed To wind and
storm 4. very generally condemned, thus
Indicating the advance made over o'd-
time practices.
:. An increased acreage In grain, es-
peclally mixed grain, ]. Indicated, tue
belief being quite generally expressed
that this can b. grown at less Than th.
present market rntes. Til. is one ot
the specially encouraging features of
the .es.on, aud will We believe be- at
tended with profit. liccd crops viii ce
about the same "a last year, WITH a
possible falling Of in potatoes.
.. An Increase In yellow corn, oats,
pease aud barley. IL promised.
10. Only ordinary methods In road
building are reported, the road machine
doing the bulk Of the work In many
towns. 4 few sections report increased
aud others the making
IL the highway tax 4 money tax. with .
road supervisor To expend the same. III
a a - sll. a.. m nm
problem for the state To consider.
n. The replies ,o this question are tc
A large extent None" In a few Isolated
sections some steps have been taken, aud
In other. II L. reported that "the grange
has appointed committee to confer
With the supervisors or school CON-
mittse and see what can te accomplished.
The necessity for Immediate action IL
urged from every locality and 40 strong
Iy that II seems as though the immediate
future would open the way for relief.
n would be surprising To aote the oppo-
.liIon made by supervisors and teachers,
wer, II not for the fact that habit holds
like q yise. and only the few can break
its bonds. The study % botany. natural
physiology aud chemistry, n
applied 10 living things, IL strongly
urged by many of our correspondents,
the time given To these being taken from
studies which are secondary In Import.
ancs, so FAR a.. the great proportion OF
pupils are concerned.
IL. Farm produce il Ia some section.
reported about the same as last year
ave potatoes. but taken ss a whole the
selling value Of hay and pork IL greater
..- =, .,..r h.ltter and ey0s about