Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-12-14

SUNSHINE FOR MAINE DAlRvMEN.
Conditions confront the Maine iArmcr
to-day, unusual In his vocation. During
the last I've years horses have gone ai.
most entirely out Of fashion - far - re-
manerative prices 60. Tue breeding Of
ordinary horses b now . losing game,
and II b question whether these useful
animals ever gain their once strong posi-
tion. Electricity and bicycles seem to
be tripping them up. Sheep, which have
been In the background for several
years, are nov holding up their heads
and bleatiug loudly for their old position
and corral. We have no doubt but that
these useful, double bearing animals will
occupy prominent positiou in Maine
agriculture, now that the prices Of their
products have doubled.
Pork has been ruled ous Of our stles
by low prices and western competition.
The puzzled Maine farmer is having his
resources cut OF on every side. "Neccs-
sity Is the mother OF invention" Is ~
true now - when the adage a. ,okea
Thousands Of years ago BY that noted
Grecian.
Our farmers hsve been obliged to
study the situation and adopt new rules
for gaining a livelihood. Horses, A. we
have seen, as we'll as hogs, had gone
back on them and they have been CON-
PEELED TO adopt dAirying.
Scientific labor, conducted wisely,
with the production OF the COW, just
On lkes u combine that neither western
competition nor our production at home
Can disturb. This ides, now just being
thoroughly adopted by Maine farmers,
is making some states richer than others.
New York has more wealth In agri-
culture than any other state in the
Union. IL has IS cows TO the square
mile; Vermont, which 10 way up In
farming, aS. The state Of Maine only
has fve; yet in the last three years they
have added one. making SIX to the
square mile, and to-day the question
coofrouts the dxirymAD, ''Shall we nox
stop increasing our number and 60 back
10 Sheep"
There are some farmers distant from
milk centres that by their make up are
much better adapted to sheep thsn to
COWS. But to those who have been
studying dsirying and fitted their build
ings and Increased their herds, good
Judgment dictates going on. Most GER
txiuly II sheep husbandry has boom "A
it will there will be less dairy products
made which will certainly enhance their
value. We look forward to the time
when Maine can boast OF 10 co~s 10 the
square mile. Wealth would be our por-
lion II In time 25 TO IS valuable cows
we're TO grace our hillsides and Quench
their thirst from our gravel bottom
streams and cool living springs which In
their purity add the essential dAyoss and
keeping qualities th.t place the New
England dairy products on the ridgepole
Of the markets Of the world.
The farmer who follows persistently
along any speciality, and studies its To-
tricAcies, and important fActors, chang
Ing only to improve, Il the winner 10 the
long run. Changing from horses to
sheep, from sheep to cows, cows to
swine, is like the rolling stone "that
gathers no moss" Stick 10 dairying.
Mske the State Of Maine the great rich
dairy state Of the union which nature
has so lsvishly rendered Us. We have
the sweet grasses, the uneven surfaces OF
our farms, which generate gushing
springs OF pure water, 80 essential TO this
particular department.
The West Is shut out with its alkaline
streams. The South can never be q COM
petitor In the production Of dairy
products, but must always remain our
customers. There is certainly sunshine
ahead Of the persistent Maine dairyman.
Turf, Farm and Home.