Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-22

IN the destruction OF nests. every effori
was made to arouse and instruct tht
people in relation to the danger threaten.
ing them. the necessity of Immediate az
ton in protecting their fruit and shade
trees, and The best methods Of extermi
mating this pest. Cities and towns wers
urged to make appropriations for tn,
work Some of the best men which comic
be secured We're employed to carry On tbis
campaign of education and the interes;
manifested by the people throuchout the
infested district and the work accom-.
plished have been very gratifying. Tn.
department in December published i.
bulletin giving a detailed account of this
work and all items of expenditure.
The state Board of Trade early ex-
pressed a desire TO cooperate with the
department in suppressing this pest
and 1t has done much. through the
local boards and individual members.
to awaken an interest in the matter.
Ih2 destruction of such a vast nl1p,-
Der IF nests must have q material ef
feet in checking the inroads Of this
pest. But the work must still go on.
Any relaxation of effort at this time
snail be unable to cope without vast
expenditures. If the interest can be
maintained, and every citizen will con
tlluc to look carefully after his own
shade and fruit trees we feel conf
dent that it will be possible to keep
under control this deadly foe to our
frult trees and forests. The expert
cnce of Massachusetts warns us that
this must be Il continuous warfare and
that eternal vigilance must be the price
of freedom from its ravages. Every
fruit grower and every citizen of the
state must feel the responsibility that
rests upon him. The infestation is
covering an increasing territory. and
more attention will be needed in the
year to come than in the year which
has passed.
FARMERS INSTITUTES
The work of the farmers institutes
continues to show good results. Dur
ing the past year the department has
been especially fortunate in securing
some very efficient institute workers.
Fifty institutes have been held divid-
cd among the different counties of the
St?te. The same large attendance and
good interest which have characterized
these meetings during the past few
years have continued. The farmers
are becoming more alive to the adj
vantageS to be derived from these
meetings. and there is a steady dcvel-
opment in this line of work. a special
effort is made to have the best
scientific, as well IS practical. agri-
culturistS address the meetings and
discuss all the practical farm questions
with which the average farmer has to
deal. This is a great school of instruc-
ton. The farmer can state his Diff
culti"S and failures directly to an ex-
pert. and listen to his explanation of
the causes Of the failure and his sug-
gestion OF remedies: and he is learning
that he cannot afford to lose this in
Struction. The institutes have been
held largely in connection with the
oranges in the places where they are
located, and these have added much to
their success. Requests for these
meetings continue to be received a t this
office i'll increasing numbers.
The following speakers from out Of
the state have been employed: Prof J.
w. Sanborn, Ciilmanton. y. H.: II. @.
Hadley, Peterboro, n. H: C. ID. Rich
ardsOn. West Brookficld, Mass; II. +.
Cook. Denmark, n. Y; Forest Henry,
Dover. MiGn.; and Henry Van Dresser,
Cobleskill. \. Y. We are also largely
indebted for the success Of these in
stituteS to our Maine speakers.
Among the subjects which have been
discussed are the following: Dairying,
poultry, culture, crop rotation. extern
sive and intensive cultivation, fertil-
izers, swine growing. potato culture.
diseases of domestic animals. insect
pests. clover as soil renovator, sani-
tary barn construction. stock breeding,
alfalfa culture. the development of our
agriculture.
w" present in this report some Of the
addresses given at the farmers insti-
tutes during the past year. which con-
tain much that win be Of interest and
spractical value to every farmer of the
estate.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
The exhibitions held by the various