Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-10-30
Future of the New England Farm
(Symposium in Boston Sunday Globe)

Future of the New England Farm
| (Symposium In Boston Sunday Globe.)
| FUTURE NOT TO BE FEARED.
| have no fears for the future Of the
New England farm. The business
methods and the increased facilities fol
doing farm work by machinery have
added materially to the possibilities OF
the New England farmer, and he has
better chance now than ever before to
make substantial profit out of agri'
culture. The great western farms are
being cut up into smaller areas, and
they will be run in the future more like
our farms; so We will have better
chance to compete with them.
New England beef is selling for much
more than it did five years ago, and the
farmers can give their attention to this
branch of agriculture with profit
Horses are worth double what they were
| FIVE years ago, which goes to show that
the west is not supplying the great dc.
mand for them. Here, too, is chance
for the New England farmer.
Farm help will be largely overcome
by machinery in few years. This
difficulty in getting men to work the
farms has been great drawback in this
part of the country, but with the advent
of the improved machinery, this trouble
will be obviated and the farms can be
worked more cheaply by the men who
own them. | am milking my cows by
steam to-day and find that this alone is
a great saving in help.
To top il all, there is always a market
at our doors for rhe crops we raise, and
a great many of the New England farms
are now producing double what they
were few years ago, and they are not
up to the limit of what they can produce.
NJ, indeed, the future should have no
terrors for the New England farmers.
w. G. JEwETr.
1T WILL INCREASE IN VALUE.
The future of New England farms
depends upon the skill applied to their
management in the adaptation of crops
to soil and climatic conditions, and in
producing such crops as are in demand
in the local market. This includes the
cultivation of only such land as can be
worked by machinery and by adoption
of intensive systems of agriculture.
cultivated land will increase in value
and the farmers profits will depend up
on the energy and skill he is able to
apply. The land not adapted to this
system of farming will become perma-
nent pasture or devoted to the growth
of wood and lumber.
Speaking in general way, the farms
will be devoted to the production of
winter apples, the production of small
fruits and vegetables and choice dairy
and poultry products for supplying
local markets in manufacturing cities
and villages, and the rapid developing
summer boarding and summer home
business.
Large areas of land will be devoted
to the growth of wood and lumber,
yielding as large per cent upon the in
vestment as any other class of property.
The summer boarding business will
find place upon many farms, yielding
a good return for the work of the farmer
and his family, and good home market
for products of the farm.
The farm labor question will be par
TALLY solved by the employment OF for
eigneIs, who will be provided with
cheap but comfortable homes upon the
farm and supplied with products of the
farm as a portion of their wages.
On the whole there is reason to expect
the farms of New England to increase in
value and profitable production in pro-
portion to the general development of
business interest and the energy and
skill applied to their management.
N. j. BACHELDER.