Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-12-11
Bountiful Crops In New England
A SEEMINGLY POOR PROMISE FOLLOW
ED BY LARGE YIELD.

The growing season in Northern New
England has passed and the harvests
have been gathered. In many respects
the season of 1906 will pass into history
as exceptional. In early spring the
prospects for all crops were very poor.
InceSsant rains delayed planting and
sowing until very late, and even after
the seed was in the ground it germinat,
ed very slowly. looked over our sweet
corn fields on July l and found it hard
to find stalks six inches high. The
same condition prevailed in potatoes
aud grain. But at about that time the
weather changed for the better and all
vegetation began to grow. From then
on the continuous heat forced everything
ahead, and the harvests began earlier
than for many previous seasons.
With the harvest there came an abund-
ance, taking all crops into consideration,
hardly ever before equalled. Sweet corn
gave a yield which fully satisfied every
grower. The potato fields have turned
out an abundance, the only trouble now
being to get cars to ship them. Grain
bins are full, and there will be less call
for Western feed than usual. The hay
mows will feed large amount OF stock,
which, as a rule, returns a good profit.
Along with this abundance there is
prevalence of good prices. A good ami.
NAL of any kind brings good money, and
there is q steady demand.
Twenty-eight cents a pound for but
ter fat is the latest return from the
creameries, and that puts good margin
of profit into the pocket Of the pro-
gressive dairyman.
FARM LABOR VS.. MACHINERY.
have often noted the cry for more
farm labor from agricultural writer's.
This is a condition not peculiar to any
state or locality, but is practically uni
versal. 1t is condition that comes
with prosperity. With wheels turning,
spindles humming, the products of the
soil, the mine, the factory and the manu-
factory continually on the move, our
capable young men and women are get
ting busy at work that pays. In this
way there comes scarcity of farm labor
and an increased demand for farm PROD.
ucts. 1t is condition of the times, and
| do not sympathize with those who de-
cry it or see evil in it. Stop the march
of progress, close the doors OF factory
and school, then will come an abundance
of cheap labor, with lessened demand
for all finished products of the farm,
and the world will have dropped back a
good long period of time. j..
Let us rather encourage advancement
in every direction and prepare ourselves
to cope with the new problems which it
brings. Less manual labor and more
machines is the watchwOrd. This course
brings a demand for the skill OF the
farmer bOy-yeS, and girl, too-who
have fitted themselves for the intelligent
mastering of natures forces. This
course turns the faces of our youth to-
ward the soil and tends to rehabilitate
and increase our New England farms
and beautify our homes.
The horse planters, the riding culti-
vators, hay leaders, harvesters and pota-
to diggers are to-day with us, doing the
work that formerly was being done 6y
the tired and overworked farmers boy
and the cheap farm labOrer. AS We i'm
prove our methods, as We appreciate
our advantages, educationally and COM
mercially, these machines will become
more common, until the necessity for
cheap farm labor shall have become
practically thing of the past.
Let us therefore encourage every IN
dustry that employs labor and puts
money out among the people and so plan
our farm operations that We may keep
fully abreast of the times. :.
Agriculture is the foundation OF all
wealth, all prosperity. 1t must there
fore have intelligence for its motive
power and high ideals for it's full fru-
ition.-B. Walker McKeen in Tribune
Farmer.