Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-01-31
SECRETARY McxeeNs REPORT.
PORTIONS OF HIS REPORT MADE At TIE
ANNUAL MEETING OF ruE STATE
RoARD or AGRicrLrURE.
Mr.. President; Members of the Board o.


RoARD OF A6RicrLrURE.
Mr.. President; Members Of the Board OF
| Agriculture:
10 making my report OF the work OF
the Board for the year lS9s have 10 say
that there have been no very marked
changes In any direction. The same
conditions which confronted the farmers
OF Maine one year ago appear TO exist
very generally to-day, sathough there
have been various slight changes In
certain directions, and mostly along
lines Of Improvement. 1 believe the
farmers OF our State are turning their
attention more than ever before to the
production Of many OF the articles which
they need for home consumption, which
have formerly been purchased 10 the
markets. The tendency Of the markets
on nearly all OF these articles Is some
what In an upward direction, and will
probably continue so for some time to
come. II IL well, therefore, that the at
tention of the farmers and Of this Board
should be turned continually toward
solving, rs far AZ possible, the problem
Of making the farms Of Maine self-sup-
porting. With the varied productions
which grow 10 advantage from our
Maine soil and the ready demand In our
markets for them all, there may be q
noted gain in cash receipts as well as n
lessening OF the expenditures iu work
along this line. We have 10 resterate our
statement made one year ago, that the
true elements OF success upon Maine
farms are self-supporting crops and care
fully husbsnded fertility. At the same
time we should never let an opportunity
pass for extending the amount and
number Of our cash products, always
striving to put as much OF skill and
thought into these products as possible,
to the end that they may represent the
highest possible price In the markets,
together with the lowest cost OF produc-
ton In plant food and labor. Skill pays
to-day better than anything else, upon
our farms As truly as In the workshop or
msnufactory.
The crops Of our State for ls9s, with
the exception OF apples, we're again
abundant. Never before la the history
OF our State has such an abundant and
valuable crop Of hay been harvested as
during the past season. This hay IL, ss
a rule, being fed sdvsntsgeously 10 the
various classes OF farm animals for
which there is quick demand In our
markets az paying prices. The only re-
gret Ia that in some sections OF our State
there Is not sufficient quantity OF live
stock for properly disposing Of this
abundance Of fodder. Ii Is To be hoped,
however, that these farmers, as far "a
they possibly can, viii carry over their
hay and other fodder crops for another
wear, looking for either higher price
In the markets or for larger amount OF
| live stock 20 consume them. IL appears
10 me that the work Of this Board should
be intensified along lines OF live stock
production. Successful agriculture In
Maine to-day depends upon some sys-
TEN Of live stock husbandry. As the
number and value OF our farm animals
increase, so must the prosperity OF our
farms Increase.
According 10 the report from our
special correspondents from all sections
OF the State the apple crop for lsss was
IS per cent Of an average crop. l think
this report Is fsirly correct, as | have
| inquired somew hat extensively as 10 the
amount Of apples shipped from various
stations. IL WAS q peculiar fact, how
ever, that In many of the larger fruit
growing sections Of the State the crop
was almost sn entire failure, while IN
other sections where but little fruit had
been plscei upon the market 10 previous
years, quite large quantities were ship
ped. one dealer In York county told
me that he started out TO buy ore car
LOAF Of apples, thinking that would bs
all that he could find, and st that time
he had already purchased six carloads
/ and there were many more in sight. This
abundance Of fruit in the no,hern, south
ern and coast sections OF our State help
ed % bring the average up TO where II
wss reported, Aroostook county ship
ping out very large quantity OF apples
all OF which sold for high prices. The
amount Of money brought upon our
Maine farms for the apple crop OF 1885
l. no small sum, and represents quite =
proportion of the available resources oi
many OF our farm homes.
Better prices have been maintained for
Msine potatoes than for many years 10
the past, and with the lsrge quantity
which our farmers have had 10 sell, this
crop has also been a means OF increasing
their revenue, materially.
NEw AVENUES or TRADE.
/ The efforts of secretary Wilson 10 ex.
tend the sale OF our dairy goods abroad
have been continued, and, as far ss am
able 10 Judge from various reports, have
been a decided success. Much expert
mental work has been done, and the
results appear 20 indicate thst the butter
from many OF the dairies OF our country
NAV finally find msrket abroad. Mucf
interest appears to have been awakened
In Aroostook county in the production
of whest 10 manufacture into -four. Two
large, well equipped houring mills nave
been started in the county during ths
past year, and the farmers are gener
ally pstrouizing them TO such su exteu'
that they will be practically independent
OF the outside markets for their Hour
The wheat crop of the county was hard
ly up 10 an average iu amount or quaiity
hut with the new and improved method;
Of manufacturing it has turned out
large qusntity Of valuable -four.
remember TO have been somewha
severely criticised several years ago 10
prophesying that the time would sool
come when we should 6nd Aroostool
four upon our markets, but oeliev'
that IL Ia growing nearer every day, ant
ths, Aroostook county Is capable o
growing wheat IN sufficient quantities .
bread the entire State.
lam quite sure there Is . Legitimate
work for this Board along lines OF oe
yeloping markets for the products o