Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-19
THE WORK OF THE YEAR.
Annual Report Of Secretary B. Walker
McKeen.
s.,a geiorc the Maine State Board Of Agri.
culture. Wednesday Afternoon.
ar President; Members of the Boar,

Mfr. President; Members OF the Board
of Agriculture:
In making my report of the work of
,ha Board for the year 1898 l have to
cav that there have been no very
marked changes in any direction. The
cane conditions which confronted the
,or,,ers of Maine one year ago appear
"a exist very generally today, although
tbarA have been various slight changes
in certain directions, and mostly along
lines of Improvement. l believe the
,,rmers of our State are turning their
ot,eutjon more than ever before to the
nroaurtion of many of the articles
which they need for home consump-
lion which have formerly been pur-
chased in tie markets. The tendency
of the markets on nearly all of these
articles is somewhat in an upward di-
rection, and will probably continue so
FIR some time to come. 1t is well,
therefore, that the attention of the
farmers and of this Board should be
turned continually toward solving, as
far as possible, the problem of MAX
ing the farms of Maine self-support
ing. With the varied productions
which grow to advantage from our
Maine soil and the ready demand in
our markets for them all, there may be
a noted gain in cash receipts as well as
a lessening of the expenditures IN
worl; along this line. We have to re-
iterate our statement made one year
ago, that the true elements of success
upon Maine farms are self-supporting
crops and carefully husbanded tertil-
ity. 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 pos
sble price in the markets, together
with the lowest cost of production IN
plant food and labor. Skill pays today
better than anything else, upon our
farms as truly as in the workshop or
mandatory.
The crops of our State for 1898. with
the exception Of apples, We're again
abundant Never before in the history
of our State has such an abundant
and valuable crop of hay been harvest
ed as during the past season. This
hay is. as a rule, being fed advantage
ously to the various classes of farm
animals for which there is a quick de-
mand in our markets at paying prices.
The only regret is that in some sec
tons of our State there is not a suffi-
Gent quantity of live stock for proper
" disposing of this abundance of fod
der. ii is TO be hoped, however, that
these farmers, as far as they possibly
t1,niy h
other fodder crops for another year,
looking for either higher price in the
markets or for q larger amount of live
stock to consume them. 1t appears TO
me that the work of this Board should
be intensified along lines of live stock
production. Successful agriculture In
Maine today 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 to the report from oul
special correspondents from all Sec
tons Of the State the apple crop foi
1898 was 80 per cent. of an average
crop. ! think this report is fairly cor
rect. as l have inquired somewhat ex'
tensively as To the amount of apples
shipped from various stations. IL
was Il peculiar fact, however, that II
many of the larger fruit growing sec
tons of the State the crop was almost
an entire failure, while in other sec
tons where but little fruit had beer
placed upon the market in previous
years, quite large quantities Were
shipped. One dealer in York county
told me that he started out to buy one
carload of apples. thinking that would
be all that he could find. and at tina
time he had already purchased sly
carloads and there were many more II
sight. This abundance of fruit in TIT
northern. southern and coast sections
of our State helped to bring the aver
age up to where it was reported
Aroostook county shipping out yer!
large quantity of apples, all of whicl
sold for high prices. The amount o
money brought upon our Maine farm
for the apple crop of 1898 is no small
sum, and represents quite proper
ton of the available resources of man.
of our farm homes.
Better prices have been maintaine'
for Maine potatoes than for man.
years in the past, and with the larg
pudIlitN WHICH our IdTIllelS nav iiN'
40 sell, this crop has also been mean
of Increasing their revenue, materlail!
NEW AVENUES OF TRADE.
The efforts of Secretary Wilson I
extend the sale of our dairy good
abroad have been continued. ana,
Tar as | am able to judge from Vari
Gus reports. have been a decided sue
cess. Much experimental work Ma
been done, and the results appear
indicate that the butter from many q
the dairies of our country may nnali
find a market abroad. Much interes
appears to have been awakened l
Aroostook county in the production {
wheat to manufacture into flour NV
large. Well equipped Touring mills nav
been started in the county during TN
past year. and the farmers are genei
ally patroniZins them to such an eA
tent that they will be practically mae
pendent of the outside markets 1f
their flour. The wheat crop OF tf
county was hardly up to an averae
in amount or quality, but with Il
new and improved methods OF mani
featuring It has turned out lars