The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-07-28
ON MAINE FARMS.
Secretary McKeen's Report Contains Some
Gratifying Intelligence.

AUGUSTA, July 26.-The annual report
OF B.. Walker McKeen, secretary OF the
state board of agriculture, for the year
1922, will be issued shortly. 1t will
be the most extensive report ever pub
lished by the department, numbering
over 700 pages. It contains the report of
the annual meeting of the state board of
agriculture, financial statement OF the
agricultural societies, reports OF the
dalrymen's meetings at Auburn and the
State College and reports of farmers in
stitutes.
In reviewing the work of the year, Mr..
McKeen says he finds much matter for
encouragement, the general outlook for
farmers seems to be improving, and not
only is the tendency of the times toward
better returns for agricultural products,
but the farmers themselves never
seemed more hopeful than now. New
outlets are everywhere opening for the
sale of the products of the farm, and the
tide of western emigration and western
speculation has slackened. More money
is being put into circulation in our own
state than ever before, in buildings for
caring for and manufacturing the prod
ucts of our farms. The general manu-
featuring interests in the State are being
rapidly developed and thereby. the
pulses of agriculture are qu1ckened.
The secretary thinks that much OF the
improvements is due to the organized eff
forts of the board and our agricultural
societies, and to them we must look for
the uplifting of public opinion, that bet
terment of farm practice and that gener-
al upward trend of enlightenment and
progress which seem to be the tendency
of the times.
Several new creameries have been
started under very promising conditions.
Many of the old ones have been strength
ened and are extending their business.
The attention of our farmers in several
sections of the state is being turned tow
ard condensed milk as a practical outlet
for part of the milk from their farms.
We look upon the venture with much sat
isfaction, and, if not engaged in too
largely, and the factories are well man
aged, SO as to produce a first class pro
duct, we may expect success. Good
stock, good feed, clean, conf rtable
quarters, good care and kind treatment
are advised to make the output of milk
of superior quality.
The necessity of keeping the pastures
IN first class condition is noted, ana
forage crops and ensilage are mentioned
to supplement and increase their capaci-
ty. A rapid increase in the system of
partial soiling for stock is looked for.
The year just past has been the first
one under our larger appropriation.
Farmers have responded well to the calls
for increased Institutes, and they have
been generally successful. The total
cost of the Institutes is $3,867.S6, an ex-
cess of the appropriation for the year of
$S67S6, which must come out of the APP
preparation for 1892, making the sum
available for the work of the year only
So, 1924. The average cost of the in
stitutes, not including the expenses of
the secretary, is $128.92.
The report contains pretty full alb
stract of the cattle commissioners report.
Two hundred and thirteen pages are de-
voted to the work of the agricultural ex-
pertinent station and 40 to the annual
report of the State Pathological Society.