Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-01-04

0N~csoo w taaS NOon>St tOkCtACA tu
gard to matters which shali be 'sfor tn
good Of the order and Of mankind"
Another year with its hopes and Il,
fears, It's doubts and disappointments
It's successes and Its failures, has rolles
Into the vortex Of forever" since las
we met in this beautiful and commodiou,
hall.
IL has been year Of varied expert
ences. To some IL has brought Joy ant
elsdness, to others sorrow and grief
To some prosperity, to others adversely
Yet the Fathers hand has been over ui
all aud we should approach the closing
OF the year with thankful hearts and with
cheerful courage for the days to come
AGRICULTURE.
As farmers We must admit that, Ia
looking back over the year Just closing
and conditions have no,
been wholly favorable to agricultural
operations. Yet, while the farms have
not yielded 80 large an income As In more
favorable years, We have on the whole
no reason to repine, and no Maine farm
er should lose heart o. become dis
coura9ed on account Of "hard times.-
la fact, the farmers Of Maine know
very little OF hard times or OF the poverty
md want which stsres thousands In the
face In our more populous centres, as the
cold, and, TO them, cherries season OF
winter approaches.
While hank accounts NAV not have 10.
creased materially, and while In many
cases debts may not have diminished,
yet II IL an encouraging fact that iu
every farm home In Maine three good
meals will be spread upon the board
each day during the coming winter, and
bright and cheerful fires will be KEEP,
burning on every hearth.
No grief stricken mother will shlver
over her scsnty fire, no child 90 supper
less To bed. Throughout all the farm
homes Of our beloved state wholesome
food and comfortable clothing will be
for all their inmates, and no
gsunt wolf OF want will prowl around
any farmers door.
While we would thus at all times take
the most cheerful view of our condition
possible and be prepared with hopeful
courage TO attack the problems Of the
future, yet IL behooves ne, Ia times OF
agricultural depression, 10 look matters
Ia the face and see II any OF
this temporary lack Of prosperity Ia due
TO want Of foresight or Of proper effort
or precaution on our part, and II change
iu our methods and practices will tend to
bring about an improved condition OF
affairs 10 the future.
The market price OF our farm products
Is q matter which In most cases We have
very little to do with fixing, and over
which we can have comparatively little
control. This being the case, II should
be the study OF every farmer TO reduce
the cost OF production to the lowest
possible figure, for the difference be
tween the cost Of production and the
selling price is the margin Of profit which
the producer realizes. We live Ia an age
of intense activity and Of sharp and re
morseless competition. 10 order for the
Maine farmer TO hold his own under such
he must be alert and ever
abreast OF the times. He must study
carefully the principles that underlie his
calling and be ever ready to avail him.
self Of every agency which he can call
to his aid.
submit to you as practical men and
women the question whether Maine
farmers are not expending too much
money for feeds and fertilizers, instead
of trying 10 raise more Of the former and
save more Of the latter upon their own
farms.
The amount Of money expended for
these two items Ia something immense,
aud with many farmers represents little
less than the total Income OF the farm.
Could one-hslf, even, OF this sum bs
saved by home production Ii would
mean wealth TO the farmers Of Maine.
The experience Of the ages has laugh,
US that, aside from exceptional localities,
every system Of successful agriculture
must rest upon the solid and substantial
basis Of stock husbandry.
Virgin soils, 80 called, may for series
of years withstand the drain OF pro-
duciug crops TO be sold from the farm,
but the limit is reached at last, nature
calls halt and fertilization must be re.
sorted TO. The purchase Of commercial
fertilizers as partial ait may be allow.
able In business point OF view, but rs q
reliance for crop production will In the
end prove disastrous.
A resort to some system Of stock hus.
bzndry Is the only resource and the only
means Of agricultural salvation.
The broad and fertile fields Of Aroos-
took may continue TO raise vast quaint.
ties Of potatoes for the starch factories
and for the markets, the farms OF central
and southern Maine may produce profit.
able crops Of sweet corn for the canning
factories, and all over the rugged hills
OF our state extensive orchards may bt
white with their wealth Of bloom 10
spring time and loaded with rich and
abundant fruit 10 autumn, yet this car
only be successfully done In the future
by combining with these several indus.
tries some kind Of stock husbandry from
which to draw the elements OF fertiliza.
ton for our farms.
For years the immense cattle ranges 0l
the West have rendered beef raising as 9
business In Maine practically impossible
but as those large tracts are year BY
year being divided and subdiyided into
smaller holdings upon which consumers
as we'll a. producers are coming 10 re-
side, the future prospect Of this old tims
industry In Maine becomes brighter and
more encouraging.
The business Of dairying IL one to
which most Of the agricultural section!
Of Maine are well adapted, and one which
at present seems 70 promise remunerativ'
returns to those who engage In it intelli'
gently. In this, as in other branches o.
agriculture, the farmer who would sue
ceed must be y careful and constant
student. Old time methods o.
conducting the business Of dsirying
meritorious though they may have beef
iu former years, have now passed away
Old time implements and appliance
have been abandoned, and with then
many time honored ideas and practices
in regard to the care and feed OF dair.
animals, and many details Of the manu-
fscture and marketing OF the produc
once thought TO be unsurpassed. h
" no clings to old customs and practice
simply because they wear the stamp o
nse. will surely be distanced 10 the race
and only he viii achieve success wh
studies every branch Of bis business an
keeps himself informed regarding ever
step Of progress.
In this connection would most cheer
fully and emphstically recommend tn
winter course In dairying at the Univei
sity of Maine, where every farmer VII
IL engaged or eontemplates engaging !
the business Of dairying. can obtain ne'
IDEAS and q knowledge Of advance
methods and practices that will be OF IL
caIculsble advantage TO him in h1
chosen avocati0n.
Maine may not be ranked among th
great agricultural states Of the uniol
ret II Il . fact which viii bear repeatin
| that more than two-6fths Of the popul'