Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-12-27
A Dairy Farm In Maine.
THE WORK OF BENJAMIN TUCKER, OF
OXFORD COUNTY, WITH A HERD OF
HoLsTEINs.

For many years, in fact, ever since
have known anything Of public agricul.
ture in Maine, l have been acquainted
with Benjamin Tucker Of Norway, and
have known of his fine dairy work. AL.
most by instinct, he has been able to
bring together one Of Names finest
herds of Holsteins, to make his name as
q breeder known over large area, to
increase the productiveness OF his farm
beyond even his own most sanguine
expectations, to build for himself .
home of unequallsd attractiveness and
beauty and to leave reputation for use
fulness and general manly qualities that
forms mans grandest monument.
Mr.. Tucker is now eighty years OF age,
but is hale and hearty, and as earnestly
interested in all that can count for
progress in his work, in his town and in
the state as any man of half his years.
The writer saw him recently in attend
auce upon state meeting and noted the
influence he still exerts. Mr.. Tucker
was born in Buckfield, but came TO Nor.
way while still young. He at once locat-
ed on the farm where he now resides.
The son, William NJ, now ably assists
the father in the general management of
the farm, and has entire charge of the
flock of five hundred Rhode Island Reds,
which helps materially to swell the re-
ceipts of the farm. Mr.. Tucker counts
himself, indeed, fortunate that bis pre-
cept and example have laid the founda-
ton for the work of a second generation
upon the farm of his own creating.
The farm contains 236 acres, all IN one
block. The present house was built In
1S4S. About sixty acres are in cultiva-
ton, and the hay crop is the heaviest
single crop. The average yield for some
years has been hundred tons, but this
year in the abundant yield that came to
Maine, it exceeded that amount con-
siderably. An old orchard was removed
and a new one was set to take its place
few years ago, and this season it has
yielded the largest crop and the largest
apples for years, the amount to sell be-
lug little more than four hundred bar
rels.
Eight acres of corn furnished much
grain and large amount of silage. Mr..
Tucker could not bring himself TO plant
sweet corn at the prices that have pre-
vailed, but may do so now that the price
has been so materially raised. The
usual rotation followed is corn, oats and
peas, and then grass for two or three
seasons. This rapid rotation enables
him to grow an abundance and variety
of fodder crops and to take full ad-
vantage of the benefits of tillage. No
attempt is made to raise potatoes as
market crop, as all the land is needed
for the production of fodder plants.
As before stated, this is distinctively
a dairy farm. The herd now consists of
thirty pure breds, twenty Of which are
in the cow-tsst association. These cows
have averaged by actual official cslcula-
tions twelve thousand pounds OF milk in
year. One cow gave eight thousand
pounds in five months. These cows are
tested each year and there has been no
reacti on for the last fifteen years. Mr..
Tucker has maintained milk route in
Norway village for thirty-three years,
and every day of that time 1t has been
covered by his farm teams. He intends
10 stick to this phase of his business.
There is always some surplus milk. and
this is separated at the farm, the cream
sent to the creamery and the skim milk
fed to calves and pigs. For grains, he
is now using ssccharine, cornmeal and
Buffalo gluten, having discarded cotton
seed meal. In this herd the widening
of the ration by advice of the official
tester increased the milk flow percep-
tibly and improved the physical con.
ditiou of the animals. An attempt will
be made to lessen the cost of the grain
ration by increasing the amount, variety
and slatsbility Of home grown rough
ages.-B. Walker McKeen in Tribune
Far mer.