The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-03-17
FARMERS WEEK
At the University OF Maine.

Monday evening, March 7th, when ad-
dresses were made by Hon. A. w. Gil
man. Commissioner of Agriculture: C. s.
Stetson, Master of the State Grange. E.
P. Mayo of Turf, Farm and Home. and
President Fellows Of the University of
Maine. Following is an abstract of the
latter's address:
"What is the new agriculture? The
| new agriculture is an improvement on
the old, just as every other modern de-
velopment is an improvement on what
has gone before.
THE government of modern times ia
the government of intellect and not of
the club or the gun. 1t is government
of peace, not war.
1.-The new industry differs from the old
just as the railroad and the automobile
differ from the cart with wheels cut from
logs:
"The new agriculture is the difference
between scratching the ground with a
crooked stick and the use of the most
highly specialized implements that are at
present available. The development of
civilization means the increasing of peo-
pies wants and furnishing the means of
satisfying them. The new agriculture is
part of the new civilization. 1t means
the increasing demands for the products
of agriculture as we'll as the increasing
wants of the agriculturists. 1t may be
crudely represented by the difference be-
tween the hunting of hens eggs by the
small boys of the farmers family when
they We're found in the haymow, under
the barn, behind old boxes and every
thing else; good, bad and Indifferent eggs
all put together and kept in tin pail in
the pantry until some convenient day
when the farmer went to town. This
method of caring for eggs may be COM
pared with the present method of mark
ing all fresh laid eggs with the date laid,
packing in neat box and delivering to
the customer Immediately.
1.-The new agriculture means the best
product, by the best means, delivered to
the consumer in the best form. Maine,
in making use of the new agriculture in
State Sl6,O00,00 year. Not only this
crop, but others may be greatly increas-
ed and the State and all citizens profit
thereby.
"a few statistics may give an idea of
the possibilities of Maine agriculture.
Maine has 6,300,00 acres suitable for
farming, only 2,400, 900 are cultivated at
all; Illinois cultivates IA times as great
proportion:
''In 1908 Maine raised 10000 acres
Of potatoes, 26, 100, 900 bushels worth
SIG, 100000 This crop exceeds the total
crop of any other State except New
York, in bushels, and New York had near
ly four times the acreage. The value of
the crop in Maine exceeds the value of
that in every other State except Penn
sylvania and New York. Pennsylvania
had two and third times the acreage
In spite of this, and that the potatoes
were valued at Sac per bushel, the to-
tai value of the crop was only $50, 900
more than that of Maine.
Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michi-
gan, New York, Iowa and Illinois, each
exceeded Maine. in acreage, but only one
exceeded in bushels.
Denmark went from the lowest to
the highest as an agricultural country.
on half her territory and ships to Eng
land alone s4s, 900, 600 worth of butter,
S21, 900, 900 worth of bacon and SIS, OOO,-
900 of other agricultural products.
what will the new agriculture do for
Maine? Denmark has risen because she
has more people better educated in agri-
culture. This is the new agriculture.
Don't we want it in Maine?'
A feature of the program March 9th
was the observance of the 25th anniver
sary of the establishing of the Maine ex-
pertinent station. Gov. Fernald was I'M
able to be present and was represented
by his secretary, Kendall M. Dunbar,
who made brief address. An address
was also made by DR.. Whitman H. Jor-
dan, who was the first director of the
Maine station. His subject was "Con-
ditions that Limit Agricultural Eff
ciency." DR.. James M. Bartlett, A. w.
Gilman, State commissioner of agricul-
ture, and Chas. D. Woods also spoke. A
reception by the ladies of the domestic
science department was held in the IL
brary. Guests were received by Prof
Laura Comstock, Mrs. George Emery
Fellows, Miss A. F, Chase and Mrs
Victor r. Gardner, assisted by number
of young lady students. Lectures were
given by Prof. V. R. Gardner on orchard
business, by Prof. H. G. Bell on the corn
crop, by State Dairy Inspector DR.. L. S.
Merrill and others on farm cooperation.
Prof. H. C. Bell spoke on small grain
growing and Prof. VI. R. Palmer gave a
talk with demonstrations on pruning.
Prof. W. A. Brown talked on egg pro-
duction and Prof. James E. Rice Of Cor
nell university on the Importance of
Constitutional Vigor in the Breeding of
Poultry" The sections were then COM
bined for an illustrated lecture, Con
Meeting Public School Agriculture with
the Business of Farming" by Prof. D.
]. Crosby of Washington from the gov
eminent Office of experiment stations.
Payson Smith, State superintendent of
schools, discussed the topic and talk on
''The Public School System and the Col
lege of Agriculture" was given by Prof.
G. E. Simmons.
Prof. Bell spoke in the afternoon on
seed selection on the farm and showed
how pruning and grating was done on
trees of the college farm. A demonstra-
ton of the Babcock test was given in the
dairy building and in the stock judging
pavilion Prof. Brown began course en-
scoring and judging poultry, demonstra-
ting with birds from the college houses.
In the woman's section Prof. Laura
Comstock took her class into the model
laundry of Agricultural hall and discuss
ed the family washing, removal of stains
and washing woolens. Miss Chase dem
onstrated the freless cooker. In the af-
terroon Prof. Comstock and Miss Chase
demonstrated the cookingi of cereals,
bread and rolls and making cooling bev-
erapeS At night a concert was given il,