Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-05-11

tended for this department TO HKxRY ID. HAN
Aoxp. Agricultural Editor Oxford Democrat
Paris. Ne.
BOARD BULLETIN FOR APRIL.
AUGUSTA, APRIL IL, 1897.
The second number of the Bulletin
work, and the latest and most approved
methods Of cattle feeding. The subjects
have been quite fully treated, and we
hope our readers may find much Of In
terest in the remarks that follow.
IL Is encouraging 10 note the degree OF
courage and hopefulness for the future
which generally prevails, showing that
In the main the farmers are disposed TO
put their best efforts into their work.
They are not forgetting that all classes
are affected by the prevailing low prices,
and that Ii Is only by putting increased
efforts and more thoughtiulness into
their work that they can hope TO keep
along in successful production.
That there are, occasionally, those
who are more or less discouraged, is not
TO be wondered st when we consider the
conditions OF certain branches offarming,
but all such should remember that there
must be change in methoos, and in
prices. which will materially affect re-
suits sooner or later, and that even with
present conditions there Is far larger
proportion Of farmers doing successful
work than there Is iu any other class.
Quite a number Of questions have been
asked, which We have answered as fully
as we could, and we hope the replies may
be of some benefit 10 our readers. We
wish 10 thank our correspondents for
their psinstsking replies, as well as for
the full remarks with which they have
favored us.
The following list Of questions was
sent out:
/. Give number and value Of farm
stock, as compared with last year, in
per cent:
,. Give amount Of stock fodder on
hand 10 your vicinity, as compared with
last year, In per cent.
3. Are the farms in your vicinity be-
ing made more self-sgpporting, and IL
30, what crops are being grown for that
purpose:
&. viii there be any change in the
varieties Of folders grown in your yicin-
ity:
:. Give amount of fall plowing a.
compared with last year, in per cent:
6. Give crops usually grown for soil
ing, or for supplanting pastures:
SUMMARY FoR OXFORD COUNTY.
Number Of farm stock. 100 per cent.
Value, 93 per cent. Amount OF stock
fodder, - per cent. Farms are being
made more self supporting, by the grow
Ing Of more grass, grain, peas, hungarian
and corn for the silo. No change In
varieties of fodder, but more hungarian
aud corn will be grown. Amount of
fall ploving - per cent. Soiling crops,
oats, hungarian, sweet corn, yellow
corn, and clover.
GENERAL AVERAGE FOR TuE STATE.
Number Of farm stock, 96 per cent.
Value. - per cent. Amount OF stock
folders, - per cent. Large ma jority
report farms being made more self-sup-
porting, snd the crops most generally
grown for this purpose are oats, peas,
clover, mixed grains, hungarian, vege-
tables, and corn for the silo.
No particular change in varieties Of
fodder in any locality, but more hunga-
rian is reported in MANY instances.
Amount of fall plowiug, II per cent.
Soiling crops, hungarian, peas, clover,
rye, millet, barley, bucswheat, rowen,
sweet and yellow corn and oats.
ANDRosCoG6IN COUNTY.
EAST PoLAND.-To make the most Of
our short seasons, We find IL economy 10
have the barn dressing on the ground
and worked into the soil as far as prscti-
cable before the proper springs work
comes on; thus serving the double pur-
pose of forwarding the work and having
the ferjilizing properties Of the dressing
into the soil ready for early
plant growing. This practice affords us
more time 20 thoroughly prepare our
soil 70 receive and germinste the seed,
snd gives IL start in advance OF weeds,
which is of far greater importance than
we were wont 10 suppose. Other things
being equal, the farmer who keeps well
breast OF his springs work resps the
most bountiful and profitable harvest.
Il. +. COBB.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
OrIsFIELp.-I have used the Bordeaux
mixture on NV fruit trees for the last
two wears. LAST year II proved 10 be
paint that did not wash of very readily.
The BluestOne was some that | carried
over from the year before. The color
adhered 10 the leaves 80 that at the time
Of gathering my apples there was oeca-
sionallv a leaf that showed the spraying
on the trees. Now did that poison my
cattle? They fed under the trees some
In the fall. Five cows out of twenty
hSye had m ill-turu after coming into
milk Ia the course of the winter and
spring, shrinking In milk, refusing prov
ender, and losing In flesh. gave them
liberal doses Of salts, and fed potatoes in-
stead Of provender, and kept them hun
yry, which has brought them around all
right. Two yearlings out OF six have
been badly out OF condition for long
time. think they will pull through
and be out among the rocks and hard
hack In due time. A two-yesr-old has
Istely died of pericarditis heart
an altogether different case
from the others. But our veterinarian
saws there is something wrong In my
hay aud presumes il NAV be ergot-
W. W. ANDREWS.
TNo,e.-It can hardly be possible that
there was enough Of the Bluestone on
the grass under your trees to affect your
cattle. The quantity used Is so small
that with the usual amount Of hay eaten,
an animal would not get an appreeiable
amount. Ergot is one Of the principal
diseases Of rye; Ii is sometimes called
cockspur. IL is fungoid, or parasitic
plant. and most common in hot, wet
season. 1t grows In the heads OF rye,
causing them 10 turn black and send Out
long spurs, which are thought TO De
quite poisonous for men or animals ii
eaten In sufficient quantities, and are
supposed to have tendency to cause
largest and best grains selected Tor the
abortion. Emaeiation and deoility'
sometimes resulting in death, are often
oecssioned by it. There Is no remedy
known, when il attacks the grain, hence
-