Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-01-18
RUSSELL & WESTON, 1872 Water st. Augusta, Maine.

and to further take into consideration
the necessity and advisahi!ity of contin-
uing the office "f secretary OF the Board
Of Agriculture. seeming 10 menace the
rights ana powers Of the board, the sec
rotary again c1ilt Il the committee to Au-
gusta. where they remained until the
matter was finally disposed of. without
being called before that special commit
tee, which reid only secret sessions and
gave thSm np opportunity for 4 hearing,
ana cur ONLY opportunity for defence VI
toe riSh,s "a Tie hoard Was to the MEM
berS Of III" legislature by personal APP
peal. afttr IN was reported 10 provide
Tor tie rrlian rt tie "cretalE by the
Legislature.
\ meeting NJ TIE cprIai.tee was he'd
1t the ELM House. Auburn on oct. -, for
the purpose of arranging matters fer tn
dairy mtetins. Mr.. James l.. Lowell;
memGef-elcrt Tor that county. was called
in consultation at this meeting, ana for
NAL plans were made II was the opinion
Of the committee that ii would be we'll 40
secure an expert to judge the butter ana
cheese 1T the dairy conference from else
where than Boston. ana the secretary
was instructed To do 50. Vt was also
voted thai the secretary extend an invita-
ton To the state Ddirymen'S Association
To furnish the programme for two Ses-
sipns Of the meeting. Mr. Lowell was in
Structed to arrange Tor music at the
evening sessions. ana to make the neces-
sary. arrangements for reduced rates at
hotels.
After the reports had been received
various matters OF interest We're dis
cussed EN- President Light introduc-
"a the question Of having more than
one meeting Of the board in year. AT
present With only the yearly meetings
here is not much chance for the mem
bers to get in close touch with one an
other. With another meeting they
could be better informed on matters
and could do better work. The eXecu-
tive committee can meet whenever nee
esSary, but it is thought that this does
not supply The need of another meet
ing of the whole board during the year.
He suggested that the time for hold
ing this second meeting should be dur
ing the State fair at Lewiston. The
matter was received favorably and it
is probable that the meeting Will be
held.
Prof. Wood then suggested that some
action should be taken in regard to
credentials. He said that at the meet
ings Of the past few years there had
been much the same trouble with Gre
dentials as there was at the present
meeting. He thought that commit
tee should be appointed or some other
means taken To look up the various
agricultural societies Of the State ana
see WE2t ones are eligible to appoint
delegates for the election of members
uf the board. He also suggested that
the secretary of the board should send
to the various secretaries of the SO
cicticS VIE the election Of a member
of the board is about to take plac"
digest Of the Laws regarding the mat
trr and list Of tn" societies eligible
to vote This would. he thought clear
M some Of The confusion that exists
~ thc present in the election If the
members.
Toe matter Of using snow rollers for
breaking roads in the winter was then
brought up. Secretary McKeen said
that they were used in his town and
hat it cost during the big storm. last
YEAR. Just 81 a mile to break out the
100 miles Of highway in the town. The
object Of the rollers. he said. was to 90
on top of the snow rather than II
break through it, When a cut was
made in the snow on the road ii filled
III with every storm ana had to b.
shovellad out each time. No morn
ehayeIIing was done with the roller
than was absolutely necessary. WheN
TIE drifts Were too deep for the horses
enough shovelling was done to allow
them To get through. The rollers WerA
uf various sizes and the number VI
horses required to haul them depended
on the depth of the snow. Six Were
usually enough. although occasionally
10 would he required. The rollers We're
built If hard wood or Southern pine
ana We're very heavy. They We're uSu-
ally six feet in diameter and long
enough to make good wide road
They are built in TWO sections The
roads remained in good condition until
the snow is almost all gone and it re
mains in the roads as long as it does in
the fields When there are drifts in
the road horses do not slump Very bad
~ IN the spring.
The cues. ion Of the island sheep in
dusty was then discussed There are
islands off Rocklard where sheep are
allowed to remain all winter without
artificial shelter and without food be
ing given II them. There are scrub
bushe, and evergreens on the islands
ana these afford the animals prCtec-
ton from the cold. They pick up their
/ =
Wen. There are also islands off the
coast of Washington where there are
! several hundreds of sheep left on the
| islands the year round to shift for
! themselves There are bushes there as
on the ether islands mentioned and
| these seem to afford the sheep all the
| protection they need. None have been
| lost on account of the weather. but
sometimes a few are lost by being
washed into the sea. This practice Of
/ handling the sheep has been very
| profitable The wool is thicker and
! finer than that of sheep kept in the
barns. Those who know the most
about it say that the sheep are Wen
off and that there is no cruelty in leav-
ing them on the islands in this way.
The society with the long name has
however. been after the farmers who
have been doing this thing and have
made dire threats Of prosecutions if
the practice was not stopped. This
has frightened many. Indeed. some be
lieved that the board was in league