Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-04
AGRICULTURE.
Annual Report Of Secretary
McKeen Now Ready.
A Volume Of Unusual Interest to the
Farmers Of Maine.
A Synopsis Of Some Of the important Features
in the Book.

efdl months carrier imam usual. i mere
is hardly subject of any interest to
the farmers that is not taken up and
through a careful study ana practice
of the instructions there can be no
doubt that the farmers would be great
ly benefited. and may be able to carry
on their business with Il greater profit
for the amount of labor that is now
expended.
Among the most valuable papers
given in the report are those by the
following: "Tillage and Green Manur-
ing" Hon. George T. Powell: or
charlng for Maine Farmers" F. III.
Rollins; The Breeding and Develop
ment Of the Maine Jersey" why
We Should Keep Cows. and How to
Make Them Pay" +. +. Light; "Prin-
ciples and Practice Of Bee Keeping, "
l.. f. Abbott; Beef Growing in
Maine" Hon. John NJ. Deering Those
papers were given ut the farmers in
stitutes ana are of the greatest value
to the farmers both as instructions in
carrying on the work of the farm and
in gaining new ideas for the work and
contain much information that could
be gained only by long and careful re
search in 4 library with which one was
familiar. The proceedings and papers
delivered at the meeting of the State
dairy meeting We're taken up in detail
and arranged in such n manner that
one is not obliged to go all through the
book to find what he wishes but can
be readily referred to.
Among other things is included the
annual meeting of the State board of
agriculture and the report of the secre-
tary. b. Walker McKeen, who has done
such efficient work, is taken up in de
tail. In his report Secretary McKeen
says:
The general upward trend of prices
for all farm products has stimulated
to larger production. and there has
been a larger demand than ever before
for the educational work of the board
Farmers are. in n measure. needing
the words of the board in its efforts to
induce them To make their farms more
and are also, as far as
can judge. inclined to extend the
amount and variety Of their home pro
duced stock folders.
The crops Of our State for 1899 We're
as a rule. very satisfactory. This was
particularly true Of corn. potatoes and
the grains. The fruit crop was again
light, except in rare Instances. where
good care Of the orchard during 1898
had given it that vitality necessary to
produce a crop the following year.
Where this was the case. there was, |
believe, in every instance. a Satisfac-
tory crop Of fruit. which brought good
-, 81 hlt
conditions governing successful or
charding in our State have entirely
changed since the advent of the cater
pillar and the fungOus diseases; that
it remains for the specialist, and the
specialist alone, to create conditions
which bring the paying crops.
THE severe and long continued
drought in many sections of the state
materially reduced the amount of the
hay crop, but so far as have been able
to learn, it has more than the average
feeding value. and with careful hand
ling, will enable the farmers who are
taking full advantage of supplement
tary crops to carry not far from the
usual amount of stock through the
winter.
Much effort has been put into en-
couraging our farmers to increase the
number and value of their live stock
ana think this work has been fairly
effective"
In summing up the crop productions
for the year. Secretary Mckeen makes
the following report: quantity OF
apples, 80 per cent; quality. - per
cent: winter varieties, 20 per cent;
Weld Of potatoes, 160 bushels; yellow
corn, A. bushels: sweet corn, $50
bounds: 100 per cent. Of young stock
win be- winterpd; condition Of grass
fields. - per cent"
II am again able to report an encour-
ing increase in the number and value
IL our live stock. The report Of the
state assessors for 1899 shows an IN
crease in the number Of neat stock
raised each year. there being 2S.S"t
three-vear-olds. 80 745 two-year-olds
ana r. 454 yearlings. After allowing q
good percentage for those three year
olds ana two-ycar-olds sold, this still
shows n very gratifying increase, and
would appear to prove that the efforts
of the board to induce farmers To raise
more calves each year had not been
unaYaiing.
There is an increase in the value OF
all live stock from 1898 to 1899 in every
county but two. Hancock and Knox;
the total increase being S4S3.145. Tpt
number of cows is 1888. an increase
of 63S9 from 1898. with an increased
value amounting to 1927,
Secretary McKeen indicates the care
ful work he is doing in protecting the
farmers against impure seeds, Whef
he shows the work he has done in put
ting to a stop the practice OF selling
goods in n manner that does not com
ply with the laws.
An announcement of his work II
nublishing the bulletins is made Whei
he states that the list of correspond
ents will be revised and enlarged.
| Regarding the various agriculture
societies in the State, he says that al
though some of the societies failed I
hold their annual exhibits. last year
vet those that did do so had work or
i superior order. The business Of tn
4 eocieties is shown by the followin
i fipures: Number Of horses and colt
! exhibited. 1.522: number Of neat cattl
. exhibited. 6.531; number OF sheep eXhl
lbited 1.63S: number of swine exhibited
60. number of poultry Ccoops) exhl
hitad | $50. amount of premiums an
90 a