Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-08-14
Oxford County Observations.

and needless to say to those who have
looked upon the hills, valleys, lakes and
streams of this western border county,
the days there spent were continual
delight to the beholding eye. Weather
conditions were then clear, with dry,
cool breezes, affording haymakers the
long delayed opportunity to hurry the
harvest, and the sight Of the speeding
machinery and hustling men showed
how eager were the efforts being put
forth to make every hour count for the
saving of the crop. Grass was then just
in the pink of condition for perfect hay,
and the fields of those farmers who are
keeping stock and following systematic
rotation of crops showed heavy yields OF
splendid quality. While the land adapt
cd to tillage is of much less extent than
some other of Names best crop growing
counties, many slopes and valleys OF her
streams and lakes, and in fact, not few
watersheds are admirably adapted to
stock keeping, and growing the proven
der needed for their support. Orchard
land, also, is in evidence in abundance,
with convincing proof of its adaptability
for what will be source of revenue to a
much increased extent in the future.
The stops made for chats with farmers
along our route were necessarily few and
brief, but the thrift and progressive evil
dences Of prosperity were numerous,
and in fact, quite general. Morey Farm
on Pigeon Hill, close to the line cross
ing into Oxford County, speaks strongly
for the possibilities to be reached in
Jersey breeding, where study and selec-
ton of the animals to constitute the herd
are followed with intelligence and per-
sistence for a recognized end sought.
This farm, under the management of Mr..
Tucker, is steadily being brought to a
higher standard of excellence, made
more fully possible by the independent
means of its owners, Messrs. Morey
Brothers.
An experiment of importance in res
tOratiOn of pasture is being carried on at
this farm that promises good results.
Exhausted portions of pasture fields that
had become moss-covered and almost
entirely unproductive, were plowed, fine
ly pulverized, treated with chemical fer
tilizers and seeded without separating
from the other pastured area. Two years
VI tuto tiC0tihOub 10 sOOu AOouteo
in renewing these barren spots. An acre
plot of alfalfa, sowed July first on light
soil that fails to retain grass stand but
two or three years, was showing per-
feet stand of plants of six inches in
height. This plot showed absolutely no
weeds, and within another month should
give crop of close to ton of ideal hay.
This experiment indicates that alfalfa
may possibly become valuable as a
means of supplying late summer sup
ply of high quality hay when by reason
of previous inability to get grain crops
sown, as in the case Of the present year.
Perfect preparation of the soil and use
of quick acting fertilizer in this expert
ment on the Morey Farm at present in
dicates that two cuttings of alfalfa may
probably be expected from this plot this
season before being cut by frost, which,
if possible, will provide fodder of much
greater value than the late sOwn crops of
barley, oats and millet that we have OBJ
served sown at the same time. Late
sown oats or barley seldom return much
for labor expended, even in fodder, and
should right methods of handling afford
more and better fodder from alfalfa, be-
sides augmenting the nitrogen content
of the soil, it may be worth trying, even
should it fail to fully withstand the
severity of our winter climate.
A stop at the village of Norway gave
unmistakable evidence that the farms
and other industries of that section were
furnishing good degree of prosperity
to town that appears model country
community, the same being true of it's
near neighbor, South Paris. Illustration
of what the Norway section of Oxford
county can accomplish in the farming
industry may be seen at any of dozens
of farms viewed. A farm representative
of the productive power and energetic
handling of farm property in that local
ity was visited, owned by j. A. Roberts,
well known to many of our Patron read
ers. Seldom is there to be seen better
illustration of the possibilities of increas-
ing the value of q farm through good
farm practice and preservation of grow
ing timber, which promises to easily
exceed the value of the titled area within
the space of a generation. Tho scenic
beauty of the locality surrounding Lake
Pennesseewassee, which is overlooked
by the farms surrounding this sheet of
water, is indescribable, and needs the
pen of poet to do it justice. Summer
people have become cOnversant with the
attractions of this section of Maine, and
the future will without doubt find the
country homes and additional resorts
filled with appreciative guests to ex-
change wealth for natural charms and
the health that goes with them.
The pure-bred stock seen at the farms
of several noted Oxford county breeders,
including S. NJ. King and Benjamin
Tucker, gave evidence that the breeders
of the county mainly believe in animals
that will produce practical results in the
dairy when given merely good farm
grown feed and ordinary attention with
out frills. HOthOuse stabling is avoided,
and provision for pure air and exercise
is not neglected by the majority of the
farmers visited.
A striking feature of our visit, extend
ing through two entire days of driving
over the highways of the county, was
the marked scarcity of good farm horses,
and entire absence of colts observed
growing up on the farms. Not single
foal of the present year was seen, and
only one of last years breeding. A pair
of we'll matched blacks, scaling 1900
pounds, and admirably apapted to farm
use on one farm visited, were considered
worth from 800 to $500. The owner
had refused 5000 for them. There is al
most unlimited land, perfectly adapted
to both pasturage and growth of fodder
for horses, and yet the farms are wholly
dependent on Western grown horses for
their supply.
This brief visit to Oxford county has
again increased our respect for the Pine
Tree State, since there are both farms
and farmers to prove what is self evident
without such proof to an experienced
eye, namely, that large areas of land
are still available that when given the
handling now proving 80 successful on
many farms will make that western
county widely known for profitable hus-
bandry and unsurpassed scenery.-The
Maine Farmer.
Wetting Silage a Success.
Two years ago filled my silo in the
ordinary way and about inches of the
surface spoiled. On the sides and cor
ners at least twice as much rotted. The
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