Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-19
ABANDONED FARMS
In Maine To be Catalogued BY Secre-
'tary Mckeen.
President Harris eiths State College Addresses
Beard Topics Discussed.

meeting of the State toard Of agriculture
began Thursday about Q o'clock. Presi
dent Gilman was suffering from severe
cold and called Vice President Gardner to
the chair. Later b. F. Briggs was called
to preside. The motion in regard to
members of the boari visiting the
fairs in their own country, wal
taken from the table snd the following
was substituted for it "Voted to instruct
each member of the board of agriculture to
visit each of the incorporate fairs 10 his
county if dates and distances PERMIT, and
said member make such memoranda
of the methods and general features
of said fair as i: may occur to him,
send the same to the secretary of the board,
who shall Incorporate as much as he shall
deem of interest, into his annual report.
Actual expenses of said member shall be
paid by the board. This question was dis
cussed by Messrs. Vinton, Smith, Moore
and Moody, who offered the substitute, also
by Sheffield, Richardson and Winslow.
This matter was discussed again in the af-
ternoon.
There was recess Of 10 minutes to greet
resident Harris of the Maine State Collie &c.
President Harris then made an address,
which while concise fairly bristled with
sharp points and excellent suggestio He
is pleasing speaker but his remarks lacked
nothing in vigor. His subject was tie re-
lation of the board to the State college and
the experiment station.
Among the valuable suggestions which
President Harris address contained was
on in relation to the advantages to be de-
rived from associated dairying. He pointed
out wherein it would bring the price up, q
benefit in which all would share. He
thought there should be some arrangement
whereby Maine potatoes should receive
their due in the markets of the country.
The consumers are willing to pay more
for the celebrated Maine potato
than for the average product Of
other sections and there should be some
method whereby the customer may be as
sured that he gets the genuine article. He
suggested means for bringing this condition
about. Another suggestion which was af-
forwards discussed at considerable length,
was that the experiment station be called
upon to analyze feeds a. II has fertilizers in
the past. 1t is believed that there il con-
siderable adulteration OF feeds sold in this
State and that there might be great saving
to the farmers by having these feed tests.
lie wished there might be some such law as
in Massachusetts, and New York for pro-
viding farmers clubs with travelling" IL
braries under the supervision of the State
librarian.
Discussions upon the suggestions of Pres.
Harris were opened by A. w. Gilman who
was followed by Prof. Balentine, Smith of
Washington, Moore of KenDebec, Flint Of
Somerset. Moody of Waldo, Vinton of
Cumberland, Porter of Aroostook, Richard
son Of Penobscot, Winslow of Lincoln,
Briggs of Androscogsin, Hunter Of Frank
lin. DR.. G. M. Twitcheil, w. P. Anterior
of Hallowell, s. L. Boardman Of Augusta
and Secretary McKeen.
All the remarks were interesting. Mr..
Boardman replied to some who spoke at
considerable length concerning the need of
harmony between the State College and the
board, and said he thought that after the
advantages which had been derived in the
psst years from the harmony with which
the board and college had worked together.
the need of a continuation of those rela-
tons was apparent enough.
Secretary McKeen spoke for few min
utes just prior to adjournment. He alluded
to the high reputation which the State Col
lege and experiment station bore through
out the country with those capable of judg-
log. He said he found this to be so from
intercourse he had at the Worlds Fair with
the men prominent in this kind of scientific
work. He earnestly advocated measures to
centralize the shipping of our farm pro-
ducts. He thought central shipping stations
should be established. He cited the bene-
fits arising in Vermont from this method OF
disposing of dairy products. He thought
that inspection of feeds by the experiment
station would be a. Legitimate work for II
as the testing of fertilizers and would be
productive of much good. He believed the
farmers in this State suffered considerably
from the adulteration Of these food pro-
ducts.
Afternoon Session.
At the afternoon session the committee
on State stipend made majority and minor
ity reports and the majority report was 90
cepted. The minority report was II rec
ommend that the board direct all agricultu'
raj societies receiving State bounty, to
award and pay premiums amounting to one
sixth of such bounty received by the soci
ETY., for dairy products and appliances, anf
one-sixth for fruit exhibited and one-sixtf
for field and garden products. This VA
s;uurS ~, r. ;,l. The ai0Rity