The Portland daily press., 1892-04-06
FARMERS AT BOWDOINHAM
Weather Signals Proposed Which Can
Be Read for Miles.
GENERAL DISCUSSION OF AGRI-
CULTURAL SUBJECTS.

Proceedings of the Farmers Institute
Mr.. james Daggett Tells How to Raise
Corn-A Novel System of Weather Sig
nails Commended by j. Warren Smith
of the Cambridge, Mass, Signal Station
| Under the auspices of the State Board
of Agriculture and personal direction of
| Secretary McKeen, a Farmers Institute
was held at the town hall in Bowdoin-
ham yesterday. There was particularly
good attendance, considering the bad
condition of the roads.
There is strong interest in the town
in the matter of agricultural weather re-
ports and Mr.. J. Warren Smith, the as
sistant in the United States signal office
at Cambridge, Mass, was in attendance
by special invitation to give information
upon the subject.
Previous to the meeting, by the cour-
tesy of Mr.. w. B. Kendall, Mr.. Smith
and your correspondent were driven to
lofty elevation about p miles from the
village, known as Carr's Hill, where it is
proposed to erect a mast 10 feet high for
the display of agricultural weather sig
nails. This hill commands a very exten-
| sive view of the Kennebec valley, as well
as the ocean on the southwest and the
White Mountains on the north. The sig
nal as proposed by the Bowdoinham
Grange and others interested is some
thing new and very simple: One large
black ball from to 10 feet in diameter
for good weather; second ball for
cloudiness andssshowers; a third ball for
rain or storm and the distance between
this and the other two to convey the idea
of the time when it will reach that sec
ton, varying from to Is feet. These
balls on Carr's Hill can be seen from
every part of the town and wide area of
surrounding country in the valley. The
frost signal is to be announced by pen
nant above the balls. The experiment is
to be tried and if successful Secretary
McKeen hopes to extend the idea through
out the state.
The institute was called to order by
Secre tary McKeen and Vice President
Adams Of the State Board called to pre-
side. This gentleman is citizen OF
Bowdoin and conducts model farm near
Carr's Hill in Bowdoinham.
Among the we'll known farmers in at
tendance were Messrs. A. P. Cobb,
Alexander Bates, Isaac Wilson, M III.
White, John Wilson, E. d. Fisher,
Hiram Keay. John White, Everett Will
liams, A. E. Purington, Capt. Elias
Reed, retired sea captain, but now one
of the best farmers in the town, Chas.
Fred Elliott, of the firm of Elliott
Brothers. the well known horse breeders,
VIM. Rupart, J. F. Buker and others.
BIr. James Daggett of Foxcroft
opened the discussion on the subject of
''Corn-How to Grow it.'' He thought
Maine farmers should raise their own
corn. 1t would be better for them if not
for trade.
Speaking of educational matters he
said that at the present time the oppor-
tunity for education was now within the
reach of every farmers son in Maihe at
the State Agricultural College at Orono.
Great changes were continually going
on in farming. The early hoe methods
were described as compared with those
of the present time. Ten acres with
modern agricultural implements can be
cultivated now as easy as one in the
olden times. Farming was fairly profit
able then. and properly managed, he be-
ieved. it might be made four times
greater now. We want to go into farm
ingmore earnestly.
In the early days the farmers raised
about all they consumed. Then followed
an era in which large numbers got the
idea that it was better to buy corn than
raise it, but he was glad to say that a
change was again taking place and
Maine farmers are rapidly learning that
it is more economical and convenient to
raise their own corn rather than to de-
pend upon the West.
Mr.. Daggett had for some three years
devoted his farm to other crops and
bought Western corn. Of late he had
raised his own corn with the most salts
factory results.
He described his methods and ans
wered questions. He plowed from six
to eight inches deep. His land was very
heavy and clayey. He narrowed his corn
land thoroughly with a spring tooth har-
row. He used phosphate at the same
time he dropped the corn from the plant
er. The cultivator was used freely until
the corn was so high that the whiff1etree
interfered with it. This kept the weeds
down and threw the soil about the corn
in proper way. He used the old fash
ioned yellow corn. 1t was the best he
had found for silo purposes. He cut it
up-husks, stocks and all.
His method of building silo was de-
scribed. The main point was to
have it air tight. There was great
pressure upon it. He had strengthened
his silo with iron rods.
A farmer suggested that if the silo was
built two or three inches larger at the
bottom it greatly relieved the pressure.
Mr. Daggett commenced to use from
his silo in five OF six weeks. He worked
from the bottom and side and lost moth
ing.
q farmer who made his silo from un-
cut fodder said he had experienced diff
Guilty in consequence of mould in feeding
from the side, but this was accounted
for from uncut material.
The cost of an acre of corn as raised by
mr.. IoJ