Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-07-11


- solic1.ed- Addzsss al oonmunices1sls n
tended for this department 70 HxMnY d. Hal
no.Ds Asricahural Ed,aor Oxford Dsnocrs
BOARD BULLETIN For svsss.
HAr MAKING.
AUGUSTA, June 10.
The business OF hay making has
changed fully - much In recent years
~ any or the farm operations. The
moving machine, the horse rake, the
horse fork, the tedder, have all come
into use within our memory. In fact,
our earlier work In the hay field as =
boy, and young man, WAS oil done With
out any OF these aids. The memory OF
the hand scythe and hand rake and
heavy pitehfork Is very vivid with rs.
While none of us can for q moment
wish to return TO these primitive tools,
still II may be well TO remind ourselves
and those 10 whom these improved tools
come as natural consequence, that DIFF.
ferent conditions once existed and that
we are living in an age when, by well
directed efforts, we may accomplish far
more with the same amount Of manual
labor than formerly. The fact will be
pressed houe 10 Us that With this partial
release OF labor, it has been digniied, In
that it Sccomplishes more, and when
accompanied by the requisite skill COM
msnds \ higher price. With these mod
ern implements have eoae modern meth
ods of tiilsge, so much so that our hay
fields OF to-day present an entirely dif-
ferent appearance than they did former
~. This, taken with the improved hay
ing implements, enables the farmer TO
sdop, methods which formerly would
not have been available. Al OF these
methods should tend TO reduction OF
labor, should lessen cost Of production.
During the early part oY last season We
adopted the method OF moving only
after the dew Was OF, leaving the grass
urtil near night, then going over IL thor
oughly with the tedder, thus throwing
the greener portions uppermost. Left 10
this way there was no perceptible black
ening oy the dew, aud rsking and cart
ing could begin by 10 O'Clock the next
morning. This lessened the labor ma
terially, and gave us hay Of superior
quality. OF course this practice should
not prevail except when the weather is
good and the grass fairly heavy. Il Is
a practice which will give better results
in the early part OF the season than
later. The tendency should be, We
think, toward an earlier haying season
SO ss to secure the quality OF hay which
gives the valuable food for the dairy
COW and the growing animal.
soILIN6 CROPS.
The severe drought, reaching as it
does over Q very large area, has had .
tendency % materially lessen the amount
OF the hay crop. This is not alone true
OF Maine. but reaches all through the
New England States and probably far
ther.
riLLAGK As A coxsERvER OF SOIL
MOISTURE
While travelling In several sections OF
the state during the severe drought we
have taken the opportunity 70 carefully
observe the conditions OF the crops on
new and on old fields. We have found
Il universally true that the fields nearer
the plow show far more encouraging In
,icsrious of q fair crop of hay. The
lesson ss thus presented must be appAr-
ent TO all. IL Is that we must have fewer
old fields. The farmer who tills his land
often and thoroughly, although he may
have no more fertillzlng material than
others is always ahead at the harvest.
Keep near the newly applied fertilizer
and near the plow, should be our motto.
A nimble penny Is better than slow
sixpence. Turn your land and your
ca pitxl over often. The average farm
crop requires more moisture than the
usual rain fall affords. This moisture
must be drawn from somewhere, aud
can be secured largely by thorough
tlllAge.
Then, by keeping the upper inch OF
the soil in our hoed crops thoroughly
stirred, the evaporation OF the moisture
from below is prevented and the maxi
mum amount is secured for the growing
crop. Cultivate often while the drought
continues, but let nothing tempt you TO
cultivate deeply. Cultivate after every
rain or shower, keep the surface fue
and level. Keep the potato fields level
as long as possible.
From returns received We make the
averages by counties:
ASpRosoossIN COUNT.
Condition Of grass fields ss compared
With last year, 50 per cent. Condition
Of pastures as compared With last year,
ye per cent. Amount Of young stock
turned TO pasture as compared with last
wear: Colts, 100 per cent, young cattle,
ia per cent; sheep, lo3 per cent. Bios
som Of fruit, a. compared with average;
Apples. IS per cent; plums, 6S per cent;
straw berries, Ito per cent. Early vsrie-
ties of apples have blossomed most
fully. Acreage in potatoes, As compared
with last year, 80 per cent. Acreage In
corn, ss compared With last year, l04
per cent. Amount OF hav on hand, as
with last year, ls0 per cent.
ARoosrooK COUNTY.
Condition Of grass fields, lo6 per cent.
Condition Of pastures, " per cent.
Amount of Young stock turned TO past
ure: Colts, 50 per cent; young cattle,
liz per cent sheep, lis per cent. Bios
som OF fruit trees: Apples, "a per cent ;
plums. 81 per cent; strawberries, 10
per cent; other smsli fruits, l0l per
cent. Varieties Of apples olossoming
most fully, Duchess, st. LAwrence,
Alexander. Acreage Ia potatoes, loS
per cent. Acresgein corn, lO0 per cent.
Amount of hay on hand, la per cent.