The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-12-06
THE FARM LIBRARY.

THE FARM LIBRARY.
| The November number of the Maine
Board of A griculture Bulletin is devot-
ed to the farm library. The Secretary
says: 1--WE firmly believe that the most
urgent need of the farmer of to-day is
| to be raised to higher level of thought,
to learn to value higher his occupation,
and thereby to work for greater results,
to farm for business rather than for
| living. Let us bring to our aid the
library of our home, our grange, our
town, let us take council with the best
thought of the past and of the present,
as recorded in the written pages of
books and papers. If we will do this
the season which shall break upon us at
the close of winters frosts and ice will
find us, like the buds and flowers of
spring, expanding into higher life;
and with broader horizon surrounding
us, we shall do our work better than
ever we have done it in the past" Fol
lowing are remarks from Waldo county
correspondents:
BROOKS. There are no libraries in
this vicinity, and / think the agricul-
tural papers are about as good up-to-
date literature as we can get | think
it would be a good idea if we had
library. but cannot tell the best method
of forming one. Joseph Ellis Mem
ber).
BELMONT / think every farmer
should have good library on the farm,
consisting of books on stock raising,
poultry raising, and general agriculture.
He should also be subscriber to two
or more good agricultural papers, SO as
to keep in touch with the outside world.
He should also discuss farming with his
brother farmers. l.. F. Allenwood.
MONROE. l have found the reports
of the Experiment Station and the
Board OF Agriculture of interest and
value, as well as the publications issued
! by the [. s. Department OF Agrlcul-
ture. A good farm paper is necessity
if ore would keep up with the advanced
/ thought in his calling, and a supply of
general literature is also needed. We
are not only farmers, but men, with an
interest in the affairs of the world, and
we may, if we will, keep in touch with
the word. Any reading matter that
makes the reader more of a man in all,
! or any, of the essential qualities OF man
hood is good. f. c. Dow.
LINCoLNvILLE. All the agricultural
| literature which comes to this section is
read with marked benefit, and | think
the majority of the people take advaIl-
tage of the best farm literature obtain
able. There are no libraries in this inn
mediate vicinity. In forming library
| would let a good proportion of the
literature pertain to agriculture, but do
not think it would be a good plan to
make library all matter of study
Oscar W. Gould.
WINTERPORT We would have each
grange appropriate at least ten ercent.
of its receipts to the formation of a
library, composed of the best agricul-
tural books and literature that could be
! found, including the latest commercial
! price currents of the leading markets,
which should be read at each meeting.
! Our town library was organized by the
! town making an annual appropriation
of $50, and citizens and friends of the
! library donating what they wished. We
! have two rooms, one for the library and
| one for reading room, which the libra
rlan opens every Saturday afternoon.
| We have found the Maine Farmer New
| England Homestead, and the bulletins
sent out by the Board of Agriculture
and the State University very useful.
"A. W. Hardy
MORRILL,. If farmers and farmers
boys could be brought to see the advan-
! tage to them of storing their minds
during these long winter evenings with
/ the experience of successful men in the
various lines of farm husbandry, the
formation of libraries for the diffusion
of agricultural knowledge would be an
easy matter | am inclined to think
that in most communities library
made up of agricultural works wholly
would be little patronized. Almost every
one reads in these times, but the reading
| highest order. The best of literature is
cheaply bought. The magazines,-Cos-
mopolitan, Review of Reviews, Nc
Clure's and Success, may all be had for
1901 for the sum of $500. The Maine
Farmer, New York Weekly Tribune,
i New England Homestead, Green's Fruit
Grower and the Tri-weekly Tribune or
World can be had for about the same
amount, or less. OF course one will
want his local paper also. The farmer
should read the above for general infor-
nation, and in order to succeed agricul-
turally he should secure and read the
bulletins from Orono, the monthly bull
letins from the State Board of Agricul
ture, and the annual report. One of the
mistakes many farmers make is in being
unwilling to try those methods which
have led other men to success. | be-
lieve there is a leaven at work, as the
$4,000 Patrons of Maine meet weekly in
the grange halls, that is doing more for
agriculture than all other educational
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