The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-17
AMONG THE FARMERS.
Upward Trend in the Prices Of
Maine Products.
ARE THE HOMES OF THE FARMERS
HEALTHYs

The State Board of Agriculture Carrying
on an Interesting Debate-Farmers
Talk of the Needs of Improvement
Mr.. Wheeler, However, Quotes Scrip
ture.
The November Bulletin of the Maine
Board of Agriculture has just been is
sued 1t contains the usual comment
on the condition of the crops in various
parts of the State. The Bulletin says:
1t is pleasant to note n somewhat up
ward trend in the prices for most IF the
products from our Maine farms. The
apple crop, although very large, will,
without doubt, be fairly we'll disposed
of before the season is through, notably
choice winter varieties. 1t is but wis
dom, however, on the part of shippers, to
pack only the best of number l fruit.
and put 1t into the market in as good
shape as possible Shippers who will do
this we believe VIII be fairly sure of
remuneTative market
Prices for potatoes are tending upward
quite decidedly. so much SO as to give
considerable encouragement to tho large
potato growers of Aroostook county and
other sections in our State. In most of
the potato growing scott obs OF the State
the potatoes are in admirable condition,
and when placed in the market will
command the highest market prices,
while in some sections the damp wealth
er has caused a rot which will materially
injure the crop, and somewhat diminish
the output of the State. The conditions
of the potato crop have not changed ma
terially from last month. The DISPOSE
ton on the part of the farmers as far
as we have noted, is more to hold than
Tn oh in ot rlrIa md fha
starch factories have used nearly all of
the pota toes of inferior quality i'll Arons-
took county, it is but fair to suppose
that when Maine crop reaches the mar
ket it Will sell at top prices.
The special topic of this months Bull
letin is that Of home sanitation, and
there are many pages of replies from the
farmers giving advice and suggestion as
to ventilation of houses and barns, and
the disposition Of refuse. The Bulletin
says in Introducing the subject:
For a long time we have been con-
WINGED that the sanitary arrangements of
our average farm homes were not what
they should be. In many instances peo-
pie are very careless in relation to the |
disposition of the wastes from house and |
sta bic. Their life in the open air and |
their active labors have caused then, in |
many cases to be particularly free from |
diseases that are usually caused by |
unhealthy surroundings; but with the |
improved living, warmer houses and |
barns and increased luxuries that We |
now have upon our farms, further OBJ |
servation of the ordinary rules of health |
becomes very essential. We, therefore. |
decided to make this bulletin the home |
sanitation number, aud flo invite our |
correspondents to give their ideas upon
different methods which can be used in /
our farm homes. They have responded |
quite freely, and we believe that their |
replies, as arranged by counties, will be |
of especial value.
people, as well as animals, may with
stand unhealthy conditions for many |
years and still suffer no apparent harm, |
while other would succumb to far less |
unfavorable surroundings. For this rea-
son fear that we sometimes overlook |
the fact that the danger sJill exists it |
is very pro bls that II close iDvestiga- |
tions should be made in cases where un-
sanitary conditions had apparently done |
no harm, 1t woIld be proves beyond a |
doubt that man and animals alike were
suffering frOIc their unhealthy surround |
ings. While we do not believe that the |
health of ourselves, as we'll as of our |
farm animals, depends very largely upon |
properly observing certain definite rules
of health. Whenever We find any accu-
mutations of an unwholesome character |
about our houses it is well for us to take
means tc at once remove them. If in our
efforts to keep our animals warm (Which /
condition Is absolutely necessary, we
find we have caused the air in their
quarters to become loaded with sicken-
ing fumes, it is but the part of wisdom
for us to seek to overcome this difficulty.
While the correspondents generally
agree with the above, in the nature of
their replies and suggestions, Mr..
Charles e. Wheeler, of Chesterville, a
mem Der of the board, sends this:
know of an old farmhous where for
years the sink slors soaked under the
house and the people lived to a good old
age. During the past season a case
where theirs was change of ownership
showed that the former owner land by
Line way for years he was mem her of
the board of healthy had allowed the
sink slops to drain off under the build
ings, still no sickness. I recall going In
to snug tie-ups WHARF, the air was loaded |
with sickening fumes, yet the stock
thrived, came out in the spring far bet
tar than the stock found in model barns
whose tie-uDs are filled with the germs
Of tuberculosis. Regarding this su bjeot |
in general I feel like saying to contain
ones as Festus did to Paul, "rhou art
beside myself; much learning doth
make thee mad.