Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-08-15
Don't be Scared.

| DuriuS tntS usually Ory SummoT.um
for long -winded, sensational specials
to the daily press, some of the papers ar
filling their columns with the alarming
| (?) information gained from the Stat,
assessors that the live stock on the farm,
of the State is decreasing in numbers
As showing the trend of the stock in
terests of the State, an interview will
State assessor Pottle is reported in which
that official is adroitly made to colol
some of the changes shown in the re
turns received by the State assessors
which naturally are looked for from
year to year, in rather damaging hue
Mr.. Pottle is reported as saying that q
year ago there were $4,000 horse kin6
in the State, and in the present year this
numbe is found to have been increased
to 140, 900, but with this class of stock
the increase in numbers stops.
Mr. Pottle is then made to say that
''the cattle situation is in a bad cOndi-
tion." In cows there has been falling
off of l, 800; oxen 1000 less than a year
ago, and of young stock 5000 less. In
sheep it has been we'll known that there
has been gradual falling off in numbers
for several years, and this is shown to
still continue to the number of 10000 in
the State the past year.
We who are breeding, growing and
handling this live stock on the farms
know we'll of these changes going on
among us and the causes bringing them
about. We find no cause for alarm in
the slight differences in numbers, as said
to be found by the assessors, that are
sure to appear, one way or the other,
from year to year. The selling of stock
to 90 out of the State is part of our
stock -husbandry business as much as is
the breeding, rearing aud keeping of it.
The precise number of animals disposed
of to 90 out of the reach of the assessors
lists is not circumscribed alike each
year by the beginning and ending of a
twelve-month. The crop of fodder may
be short or plenty enabling the farmers
to carry more stock in the one case or
forcing them to sell in the other. The
price that happens to be prevailing for
beef may make the opportunity to sell
more animals than usual, or it may re-
quire that they be carried over few
months into another year and on to an
other listing. The price on the market
of dairy products, and the demand for
cows influence sales, and of course at the
same time change the numbers to go on
to the assessors returns. Then, looking
at the young stock, a low price for
beeves and high price for veals affect
the number of steers raised. Less steers
are wanted on the farm in season of
low values, while more calves are fatted
and sold on high market.
With sheep the farmers themselves
are much safer judges of what is best
for them to keep, than are the newsmOn-
gers in want of sensational matter. The
of sheep kept on the farms have
been growing less each year for a long
time. Several causes have contributed
to this end. Cows have taken the place
of the flocks. Is there reason for raising
alarm that sheep have given place to
cows, and wool as a cash product to
butter and cream?
These are matters for candid consid-
Grafton rather than sensational laments
under scarey headlines. In view of such
mination what significance is there
in the falling off of fifteen hundred COWS
in any one year from the two hundred
thousand on the farms? There is no
cause for alarm. The live stock of the
State is surely and rapidly improving in
quality and increasing in real value to
the farmers who own it, and this i'm
provement is sure to 60 on though the
may slightly vary up or down in
a passing year. Don't be scared over
specials" to the daily
press. s.-Maine Farmer.