Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-08-16

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AFTER TWO BAD YEARs-A GOOD
CROP OF GOOD HAY-APPLEs AND
CORN LOOKING wELL-swEET CORN
FOR CANNING.
Succeeding two consecutive unfavor-
able seasons and winter of unprecedent-
ed severity, the spring of 1904, in Maine,
was somewhat cold and very wet. Re-
ports to the Agricultural Department
from its corps of regular correspondents
indicate that the acreage of hoed crops
was reduced II per cent by this excess
i've rainfall. The grass fields came
through the winter in condition 10
per cent above the average, and the
growth has been continuous: so that
now there is being harvested one of the
best crops of hay in the history of the
state. There may have been years OF
larger yields, but never has the quality
been equalled over so large areas. In
the Upper Saco Valley intervale region
it has been a source of much pleasure to
look over the large, level areas of clean
clover, timothy and red top. As the
grass is harvested, it shows weight
that indicates more than the average
amount of feeding value. In this re-
spect it differs much from that cut last
year. While the quality was good as
far as cleanness from weeds was con-
cerned, it was very light, and in the
feeding much more than the usual bulk
had TO be used to get the apparent usual
amount of food value. So marked and
extensive was this condition that II be
came a common expression among feed
ers that the hay resembled second crop
rowen.
More than the average acreage has
been Sown to oats and seeded to grass.
and, rs far as can be observed, the catch
of grass is fine. One of the great needs
among the Maine farmers is source
from which to obtain clean grain, like
oats, for seed. Unless he goes to much
trouble and expense, he must take his
oats from the bin of the dealer, and
thereby get the seeds of weeds innumer-
able, but especially those of wild mus
tard. Many fields of oats are now show
ing the brilliant light and dark yellow
of the blossoms of the two varieties,
both of which have become altogether
too common. All the seed for the ten
acres of oats at "rhe Pines" was care
fully wiunowed and screened, thus get
ting rid of the smaller and lighter oats,
and insuring more even stand and
ripening of the grain, and excluding, in
large measure, the weed seeds.
Fruit trees wintered well, coming into
the spring season in condition per
cent above the average. The bloom was
heavy, and was not injured in any way,
so that now the trees in the cultivated
orchard and in pasture and by roadsides
alike are full of fruit, giving promise OF
a large yield. There is also an apparent
freedom from insect pests, so that, un-
less future climatic conditions favor the
growth of rust spores, the professional
fruit grower will have TO practice more
than the usual care in sorting and grad
ing his fruit To secure fair prices. Ii
occurs To me that friend who has
brought orcharding to so much of
science that he secures good crop
every year. has said 10 me that he can
grow apples at profit at 81 barrel,
and as they are not likely 10 go below
that price in the market he can secure
by superior quality of his fruit, he is
quite sure of a fair return for his fruit.
The acreage in potatoes is not far
from the average, but they were planted
very unevenly because of the excessive
rainfall. They are, however, above the
average in condition. This is particu-
larly true of some of the early varieties,
planted on somewhat dry land. do
not remember ever to have seen more
promising conditions than now prevail
on many of these pieces. Field corn
came up evenly and has just grown from
the start. The farmer who plants what
is known in sweet corn districts as ''yel-
low corn smiles all over his face as he
views his cornfield to-day. Every in
dication now is that the silo and the
corn crib will be full this fall.
Western Maine and portions OF New
Hampshire have become the home of
sweet corn for canning. So true is this
that il is presumed that if the truth
were known the area over which Maine
(?l sweet corn is grown is not even east
of the Mississippi River. Two years of
an almost total failure of the crop had
so disheartened the growers that 1t was
quite uncertain in early spring whether
or not many of the factories would be
able To run. The packers, who hereto
fore have encouraged late planting,
took in the situation, and sent circulars
all through the districts, urging early
planting. The present prospect is that,
while the acreage is somewhat reduced,
with an average season from now out
there will be more than the usual yield.
Some pieces were late planted but came
up quickly, and have grown continuous
ly, and, as far as | can observe, the
planters, learning from the failures OF
the two last seasons, have prepared and
fertiliZed their sweet corn land better
than usual, and are taking better care of
the crop. As the average price for the
corn cut from the cob at the factory will
exceed S35 an acre, and there is left in
the cobs aud slaves the food value OF at
least two tons of hay an acre, 1t is good
crop to grow on any farm with good
corn soil.
AS il is a pleasure 10 record liberal
dealing, | want to note the course pur-
sued by our packers last season. 1t Is
customary for them to furnish the seed,
the price of which is taken out OF that
paid for the corn in the fall. They
sometimes furnish the phosphate on the
same conditions. When the July frosts
came. and many who had nearly all
their working capital invested in their
fields of sweet corn became discouraged,
they went among their planters, in some
cases buying the prospective crop at
prices sufficient to cancel their bills; in
other cases cancelling or carrying over
their phosphate bills, while in no case
was a planter whose crop was failure
asked to pay for his seed. believe
this course had much to do in securing
them an acreage this season, and hope
the results of this and successive seasons
will prove advantageous to them, as
am very sure they will to the planters
B. Walker McKeen, Fryeburg, in I'll
bune Farmer.
A New Orleans dispatch says that
Texas firm has been approached 6y