The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-07-21
FARMING IN MAINE.
A NATIVE OF THE STATE THINKS OF
RETURNING, AND ASKS ADVICE ON
VARIOUS POINTS.
From the n. Y. Tribune Farmer.

From the n. Y. Tribune Farmerl.
W. PIP, Graniteville, VT: l have
read your valuable paper two years, !
although not farmer. | am contem-
plating purchasing farm in Eastern |
Maine, my native home, and would
like some advice. | was raised on the
farm. The soil is chiefly dark loan,
with clay about ten or twelve inches
below the surface, with some light soil
on a hill. 1t borders on a salt water
river, making it very convenient for
getting seaweed for dressing. There is
a strip of land adapted to blueberries
and cranberries, which pay very we'll
Oh an average. My idea is to make
poultry farming {, speciality, as it is
light work. What breed would you
advise for eggs chiefly? And do you
think l could raise, i'll separate pens.
hens for market with profit? There
are some large poultry farms in the
vicinity. Do you think Barred Ply
mouth Rocks as good as there are for
market: | am at present employed as
a blacksmith, but don't like the work.
There is too much confinement. | like
to see things growing and hear the
the hens cackling and the rooSters
growing.
REPLY BY Z. c. DOW, BELFAST, ME.
This letter so we'll represents q wide
spread spirit among mechanics and
professional men that shall answer it
at some length, knowing that the
subject is one of interest to vast num-
bers of men who have strong desire
to get back to the soil This is a COM
mendable desire, and | am glad to be
nh Ia t, u;1- hal, nd off fav
suggestions that may be OF value.
Mr.. z. has particular farm in
view, and also an intelligent idea Of
what lie wants to do. Having been
raised on the farm, and having kept up
an interest in farm life as shown by
his being regular reader of The Trib-
une Farmer, he is much better fitted
to make a success of farming than
most men in his position would be.
| believe he is wise in coming to
Maine, because the opportunities for
successful farming, especially poultry
farming, are as good as can be found
anywhere, and farm property can be
bought at reasonable prices.
The particular farm of which Mr.. 2.
speaks has a naturally good soil, and
should be we'll adapted to general farm
ing, and also to poultry if it is not too
low aid wet. If the high ground is
near the buildings it ought to make an
ideal place for hens. If the buildings
can be located on the high ground, so
as to get good drainage and freedom
from dampness, there can be no objec-
ton to allowing the hens to run upon
the lower lands. provided they have
at the same time free access to the
higher ground. But some of our Maine
river loans are well drained naturally,
and such may be the case with this
farm, although should infer from the
fact that the clay subsoil comes within
a foot of the surface that it must be
wet. Possibly artificial drainage can
be had at slight cost: if So there will
be 10 trouble on this point. | lay
especial stress upon this, because damp
ness means disease, and disease means
failure
In selecting a breed for eggs, ex-
cluslveiy, should take the White Leg
horn first. last. and ali the time. Yet,
here i'll Maine, ] would not keep them,
because We have got to consider many
things besides eggs and their cost. You
viii naturally look to some of our
New England markets to take youl
eggs, and you must furnish good sized
eggs with more or less pronounced
brown TINT to the shell The broWr
egg fad has no reasonable excuse fol-
existing, but it does exist, and as long
as II viii add from three to five cents a
dozen to the value of our eggs it will
pay TO cater to the prejudices of the
consumers.
Nv own choice of breeds is the White
Rocks first and White Wyandottes
next. Yet, if you prefer Barred Rocks,
You can succeed with them. Some of
our most successful poultrymen are
keeping them exclusively. To the man
who likes them, and knows how to care
Tor them, they are a profitable breed.
They are good enough. Just at present
the Rhode Island Reds are crowding
the Rocks hard as an all around farm
bird. Any one of these breeds will
give you good returns if we'll cared for
You will find it best to grow your
own pullets after you get started in the
business. You will not usually find it
profitable to keep the hens beyond the
second year Very often the Barred
Rocks prove Improbable after the first
year. When this occurs it is either due
to wrong feeding or bad breeding. To
maintain the flock in profitable con-
dition you will need to grow half as
many pullets each season as you have
hens i'll the flock. This gives as many
cockerels for broilers and roasters as
there are pullets and allows you to sell
half the hens every year. So you see
that while eggs are speciality, you are
really doing quite an extensive business
i'll market poultry.
| would select one of the above men
toned breeds and work along thes e
lines. The business can be made a
specially or it can be conducted as a
branch OF general farming. BY care in
selecting and breeding You might in
time work up a good trade in pure bred
stock If your inclinations led that way,
but | would not advise this course un-
less you felt very strongly drawn
toward it. Poultry fanciers are not all
getting rich, and many flock has been
ruined for farm business by being bred
too much for fancy points of form and
feather.
Yes, you can raise market poultry in
separate pens and make a side issue of
1t, but II you are going into business
for profit then stick to eggs and market
only the surplus stock. But be sure
and put that stock on the market in
good condition.
Do not depend wholly on poultry, but
use the farm for such other things as
can be attended to without neglecting