Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-22
AGRICULTURE,
Report Of the Conditions
in Our State.
Secretary Gilman Says 1905
Was Very Successful Year.
Many Facts and Figures Of Interest 10
Maine Farmers.


ernor and Council his fourth annual re-
port for the year 1905. The report
makes a volume of about coo pages octa-
vo is illustrated with half-toncs and CON
tains a large amount of interesting mat
ter. included. in which are the agricr,l-
tural laws, the institute papers. the re-
port of tho State dairy conference. the
state dairy instructor, the state cntnmo-
loGist, the state dairy conference and tho
State Pathological Society. In srlmmin.;
up the work of the department for the
year Commissioner Gilman says in part.
We ar" Gratfied to be able to state that
n good degree of success has attended tn"
efforts of the farmers Of Maine during
the year 1907, and the work Of this &C.
partmnnt in their behalf
The United States secretary of aGricul-
turc, in his report for the past year
states: Another year of unsurpassed
prosperity to the farmers of this country
has been added to the most remarkable
series of similar years that has come 10
the farmers or any country in the annals
of the worlds agriculture. Production
has been uncuallcd: its value has reached
the highest figure vet attained. Farm
crops have never before been harvested
ut such Il high general level of production
| and valuc''
The farmers Of Maine have enjoyed q
fair share of this prosperity. Maine Is
undoubtedly destined to he the agrfrultur
n section Of the east her soil ami her
climate are in her favor The farmers
are becoming awakened to the Possibilities
Of our agriculture. There never has
~. 4,
when the agricultural people were 81
thoroughly alive to the Development of
our agricultural resources as at present
Many factors are at work along the line
of the development of agriculture in
Maine. The experiment station which
stands ever ready to explain any new
proposition along the line Of tie farm
crS work which may he presented to it.
and to assist the farmer in every way
possible. has done ard is doing gcrat
work in the solving of these all important
agricultural questions. That great or
Ganizati"n. the Grange. whose leading
purpose IS aud always has been the adj
vanCcmont If agriculture and the farm
cr's home has done much to instruct and
encourage the farmers of Maine. The
press of tho St@tc has alawys been loyal
to this great industry.
1t is true that Their" ar obstacles to he
surrounded by the farmer in his path
way to success. The difficulty Of obtain
ing farm labor and the high price ncces
sary to secure it, the close competition
and resulting srIall margins il many
lines Of production. tho continuous labor
and constant care required on tho farm
arr of fIiccprIr, 90 IN,
who have but ljttle interest in or taste
for this line of work Put with \ love for
and a thorough knowledge of the bust
ness. careful study of economy in pro
duction and close attention 70 details. we
believe that the farmer in Main" may re-
ccivc satisfactory returns for his labor.
and that farm life in oIr rural comm,Ini-
tics. with it,; present advantages ana it,;
broad field of opportunities offers many
Inducements.
The methods employed by tho farmers
are changing somewhat to suit tho do
| mands of the time More extensive and
| intensive cultivation is being rracticed.
| More land Is under the pillow than five
| years ago and the farmers are filling
moro intcnsively The question of thor
ough cultivation has been presented by
distinguished speakers who have been
brought into tho state for institute work
| and by our new mon in S'Csl u mannc"
| that the seed has been gown broadcast
over the State. and the farmers are 500
| inc more clearly that in former years
that they can only get til" best results by
| the most thorough cultivation. The
| work done ny teams and hv machinery IL
being increased. The problem Of farm
| labor Is such a serious one that tho
brightest mon are dcvntinC their attcn-
ton to improving tho present farm ma
| chincrv and inventinC now machines, to
meet the now conditions placed upon tho
| farmcr. We trust that in THIS way this
difficult problem will find partial solu-
| ton and that farmers may b" able to in
crease their operations with but small
Increase of manual labor.
| FARM CROPS
| Tho season of 1905 was favorable to thu
pruduction Of nearly all crops. and Gord
prices for farm products have generally
prevailed. on the whole. tho tiler of the
soil has been blessed and his labors have
proved rcmunorative.
| The hay crops of tn" State was above
thc average in quantity and of excellent
quality in most sections. The grain cror
| was largely increased from 1901 While
the average yield of potatoes Fer acre
was not equal to that of the previous
wear, the drought affecting the crop quite
i seriously in some sections. yet with tn
large acreage and the comparative free
dom from rust and rot. the number OF
bushels of potatoes raised in the State
will not he greatly reduced from that Of
tho preccdirg year The phenomenal
nrices which prevailed during the SPRING
II NJ 1901 are not likely to he repeated: still
II rotatoes are selling at fair price. and
H. ,:...;one ara that the farmers will re-