Daily Kennebec journal., 1903-08-10
DAIRY|NG PROSPECT.
Dealt With at Length in Agri-
cultural Report.
Poultry May Be Made Profitable
Investment.
The Financial Condition of Fairs and
Societies.


| is filled from cover to cover with mat
| ter which is of greatest interest to
| farmers, for each article is handled by
an authority on the particular subject |
In opening, the commissioner saws:
| IN presenting my first report as
| commissioner of agriculture of the |
State of Maine l wish to express my |
appreciation of the active co-operation |
| and valuable assistance rendered me |
by the various agricultural organiZa-
tions of the State: The University of |
| Maine and Agricultural Experiment
Station, which have always been ready |
| to assist the department by solving
difficult problems, furnishing informa-
| ton desired, in any line, and supply
| ing speakers, whenever practicable, for
institute work; the Maine Dairymen's
| Association and Pathological Society,
| which have been ready to cooperate
| with us in any work for the promotion
| of agriculture; and the oranges of the
| State, which have been of much as
| SiStance in the farmers institute work,
| opening their halls for these meetings
| and in every way possible contributing
to their success. Every department of
| the State government has also mani
Tested a deep interest in the success of
the agricultural department. and been
| ready to extend helping hand"
He then goes on to set forth that the
department is under obligations to the
| press, both in and out of the State
for the interest it has taken in the
meetings held under the auspices of
the department, and for the notices
which have been given to the publica-
tions which have been sent out from
his office. He also states that he is in
debted to his predecessor for the eX-
cellent equipment of the department
and to others for splendid and appro-
pirate pictures. He then proceeds:
''The publications of the experiment
stations of the different states of the
| United States Department of Agricul
ture are so we'll arranged, and the sub
ject index, by the card system, not
only of these but of the reports of the
Maine Board of Agriculture from it's
| organization, is SO complete, that any
part of the large amount of valuable
information contained in these reports
| and bulletins is readily available.
THE year has been prosperous one
| for the farmers of the State. The eX-
| cessive rain and cool weather during
the growing season were unfavorable
| for some crops, particularly the corn
| crop which in many sections was al
| most failure; the potato crop also
| suffered severely in some localities.
| We believe that the possibilities of
| Maine as an agricultural State are be-
| coming more fully realized; that there
| has been an advancement in methods
| pursued in all lines of farm work;
| that farmers are awakening to the
fact, not only that their occupation
| presents large opportunities for sue
| cess, but that the highest and most re-
munerative type of farming requires a
| wider range of knowledge a more gen.
| eral intelligence, than is required in
| any other profession; and in many in
| stances they are endeavoring to make
| use of all the means at their COM
| mand to extend their knowledge and
| keep in touch with the best methods of
| the times.
eve are able to report an increase in
the number of cows sheep and swine in
the State, also considerable increase in
the number of oxen. Owing to the high
price of beef, farmers in some sections
are turning their attention to the line of
beef raising more than formerly, and we
pursued with profit, if animals of the
right type were used, economical meth
ods pursued. and the beef matured at an
early age.
THE poultry industry also offers in
ducements to the Maine farmer. 1t is
said that Maine consumes between five
and six million dollars worth of dressed
poultry and eggs annually, and raise
| no prth N.o
believe that with close attention to de
| tails, the profits in this industry would |
compare well with those in other branch
cs of farming, and that a larger propor-
ton of these products should be raised
within our own State.
| clarifying is the leading agricultural
pursuit in the State. AS Maine produces
nearly ten million dollars worth of dairy
products annually this branch of our ag
riculture is of sufficient Importance to de
mand our careful attention. This State |
has all the requisites of a good dairy |
state, and there is no reason why as good |
butter should not be produced here as in |
any state in the Union. If better meth |
DDS in caring for the product of the dairy !
| cow We're adopted, so as to advance the |
price of the butter produced even one
| cent DOunu, CnlS Noulu mean ii very |
large increase to the dairymen of the
State. There are about 60 creameries in
the State and if the quality of the pro-
duct of these creameries could be ad-
vanced, every patron would be largely !
benefited. The most successful dairymen
advocate that the waste products of the
dairy can be utilized in no way so profit |
ably as in connection with the raising of
! pork Pork has been so high during the
entire year that farmers who have given
this branch of husbandry proper atten- |
ton have classed it with the most remun- |
erative branches of farming. Dairying
and pork raising combined tend largely |
to increase the fertility of the farm and |
thereby increase its output. The largest |
profits from dairying are realized only /
when the waste products are utilized in
the raising of pork.
| Farmers institutes have been held |
during the past year in every county, as
the law directs In the majority of cases !
these have been largely attended and |