Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-15

to the country. Once again men are
seeing that the country offers superior
advantages for homes, pleasures and
success. He who would have adventures
in contentment, let him live in the open,
work under the open sky and find sleep
lulled by the signing wind, the falling
rain and the weary body. This is the
home, the life, the inspiration, offered
those who seek Maine farms.
There are in the United States more
than five million farms. Only 65 in each
one hundred of these farms are occu-
pied by the owners. In Maine IS in each
100 of the more than $4,000 farms are
occupied by the owners. One-third of
the whole State is devoted to farming.
In 1900 the State valuation was 1885,
699.e45, and the State valuation made
this year shows an increase of $751;
97S,341. or 17.3 per cent. Of this total
valuation one-third is invested in
farms.' In one year the farm products
reached value of $37 ,OOO,O 900.
1.-THE orchards of Maine are famous,
Ter dairy products unrivalled, her live
stock of greater value than that of
Montana or Colorado. Compare Maine
with any state you please. Take the
great state of Illinois. Maine produced
in 1893 on SLOT acres, 1864 ,092 bushels
OF potatoes, valued at $685. an av-
erage of 1876 bushels per acre. Illinois
in 1903, on 143,367 acres produced TO-
322,5GS bushels of potatoes, valued at
$7,432,249, an average of y bushels per
acre.
"Maine's barley crop in 1903 averaged
29.S bushels, valued at $24.A per acre.
The average yield of wheat in Illinois
in 1903 was S.4 bushels per acre, valued
at $6.2S.
There is no better place in the whole
country for successful farming than
here in Maine, no place where more
money can be made from the acre.
Maine has the soil. the climate, the
market and all the favorable conditions,
with an absence of the unfavorable
conditions which are such menace to
agriculture in some sections of our
country. What is needed on thousands
of our farms. however, is keener re-
aiiZa ton of this advantage and more
intelligence and energy in the applica-
ton of modern methods. The farms
were never worth so much as they are
today.
"There is steady tendency upward in
farm values. How quickly one notices all
these things travelling through the State.
How much better farm buildings look
than they used to: how much better farm
ing tools are used; how much better is
the condition of the stock in the barns
and pastures There are telephones.
PIANOS and luXuries in almost every
house There were never fewer mort
CAGES on Maine farm property than to-
day, while the banks now look on farm
mortgages as much more desirable prop
erty than few years ago. The farmers
of Maine never had so much money in the
banks as at the present time, were never
giving their families so many of the COM
forts and Injuries of life. were never be-
fore doing so much for the education of
their children and. in short, never before
enjoyed such prosperity.
"Dixmont stands among the first of
Maine towns in agriculture, her enterprise
and intelligence invested in her broad
acres. her orchards her sugar groves and
her dairy have brought homes rich in re-
finement and wealth. If you are looking
for abandoned farms. if you seek worn
out lands. come out over the hills or
through the valleys. Here you find every
house with an owner, every farm with
rich lands and abundant harvests. All
this is the story of achieving courage
and persistence.
again, Maine has q future as a center
of manufacturing. When you think of
her two million and half horse power
and that not more than one-twentieth of
it is used. you can see her possibilities.
"The United States census of 1900 shows
a capital of sl2191S.S26 invested in real
and personal property at the 6So2 manu-
featuring establishments reporting for the
state of Maine During the past six years
more than s20.o0O,OOo has been expended
building new and making repairs on mills
and manufacturing plants in Maine. The
gross value at the factory of the manu-
featured products for 1900 was SET .361, 4S5.
"Our cotton mills represent an invest
ment of s13,391 .722, give employment to
12O71 people and pay out in wages yearly
s4051, Ill. In our wooden mills we find in
vested 50, 49,. 564 with 1919 hands employed
and a yearly pay roll of s1,3l4.1Ss.
"Onr railroads have in their employ S479
men and Fay out in wages yearly $780,
432.
''Cur shipyards give employment to 5000
men.
"Our shoe factories give employment to
twice as many more.
During 1901. Maine produced granite to
the value Of s2.es9, &c., lime in excess OF
$40. .G00 and slate up to s177.342. The
-. 900 workmen in Maine factories receive
$50. 90 annually.
New cities are being created. old cities
are growing. Everywhere there are indi-
cations of advance Maine, long neglected
and held in check by policy of restric-
ton and conservatism. is coming to the
notice of investors. A new industrial spir-
it is abroad.
THE part Maine has had in developing
the Great West has never been fully stat
ed. Sometimes people ask why 1t is Maine
has not grown more rapidly The answer
must consider many causes, but among
them her part in the Civil War and her
contribution of men to found and build
great states of the republic.
"Since the time when Maine gave
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