Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-08-15

No port issued by a State depart
mcnt receives more careful reading
tIIn that of th, commissioner of agri-
culture. In view nf tn" great farming
interests Of the state this is not at all
AiI;ul3t. Wcr.. il otherwise there would
!I,. every reason for surprise. These re-
iorts are very carefully prepared and
contain much which is Of great interest
to the ngricuturist. Commissioner
Gilman spar, $ no effort to make his am
uuHI of value ana in the one which *
just out has SURPASSED his previous at
tempt. Tia, T. l.nIt just issued is Tor the
year 1903 aui in 1t Atr. Gilman says:
/ "Il presenting his report it gives ne
pleasure To stat" that the past year has
been generally prosperous for the agri-
culture. of Maine. and the outlook for
agricultural advancement and pros
Ir.Iity III thi, Stat" was never brighter
ttl;rI it is today. The farmers are TAX
ng new interest in their work. The
crops that hay" been raised have
hrnulht r.mmoiutiVc prices and the
market has been good. The acreage of
tii,tGr land is being increased and
9itrn more attention, and the farms
ur., h,iug made NOR. productive. Tn.
/ fl,, rural mail Il livery ana the farm
t.l.,,h.,u.. which have ra.,ched 50 m3rv
,f IN. f,r,n honcs duriu.s th.. u,st vtlr
have. .,,l,Ird much to tho d"sirihility of
1 Ann lif- ANA III. snci1hility Of every
| ccinn.uitv. Where I'LL the farmers Of Il
S.prtinn have combined in establishing
! the t"l"l,hon" it HIS been meagrp ex-
| JruSr. AMI TIA" h..nclitS that are derived
from it. socially ANA financially, are
H. yuna estimation. one of the cspocinl-
| ~ attractive features Of the telephone
| system i'm Il farming community. is tn"
S"cIhhIlity that the farmers nay" among
themselves Win prac'l'Hlly llo "NlrfiS''
With the daily paper l"ft at the door
and the tclrphnn" for communication
| with the nriyhhtrhoOd and the town or
city tlt,. barrier of isolation has been
!. moved ANA tho rural people lr. be-
| iug brought in close touch with tho
| 4. ra,. ,...,lt.r..
| .,,.... ,..,... ,,.,,, ,.,,.;,,,. .,.,...,o,-,.
| ,.
III some sections Thu effects Of drought.
frost and continued cold have not been
| 0vrrtom" HlGi thu income of the farm
has not cquallrd that of former years.
! hat "" helltN" thJt on the whole the
! products ~ IA" .arm nave not fallen
| ~ low the verge" ana with IN" good
prices which haze been maintained tn"
returns rvCriN.I have been quite SatS-
factory Tn, hay crop. which was 50
seriously threatened hy the carly
drought, coNrrrd. to an almost re-
markHblc extent under the favorable
conditions lat, i'm the season. Th'
corn crop mi many places was practical
| ly failure. hut the farmers of Maine
Hrc not discouraged. Although for tn,
pnSt two seasons the crop has not beer
| , corlr,lntr sur,.ss we still believe i'm
lc"rn culture. We cannot afford t.
abandon the great sweet corn industry;
lalsn. With Increased dairying sil0s must
inrrtIsr. ana it has been demonstrated
that corn is prominently the crop for
the siln that no crop can take its plac
for any length of time for that purpose.
II is our opinion that corn in averag"
years Is 4 sAf", rrnfitabi" crop for
| Mum" farmers 70 fAlSr.
| "Whilp the ample crop throughout the
state hardly reached an average the
yield in many sections WAS much
lprnatcr than in former wears, and Il
lIargcr income viii be derived from tho
lapplt. crop Of 1903 than VAS anticipated
lhv the most S;,uglIine ap,l" producers
We believe Il careful cstimat,. of the ap-
lplcs exported would not fall short Of
one million barrels. This crop has bcen
lrccciving more attention than formerly
the orchard acreage has been largely
Increased during the uaSt wear. and
fruit growers ara giving their tr"ns bet
Ter care. An increased urr cent ut the
lorcl1r,is are under cultivation. The
Farmers have found that it is quite as
profit hi" to fer iizc aud spray the or
ciarl as any If their hood crops.
"Tb,. notato cron or the state was the
largest for wears. Potatoes. are bring
ing = good price and Indications war
Ir1nt us in making the assertion that
1.-The amount received by the producers
lthis wear will hp far above the average
An increased interest in this crop has
lhcen noted during the past year. Not
lonly has the crop in Aroostonk county
he,n cuch ,s ia oyokon now interest