The Republican journal., 1911-07-27
Summer Extension Work at the Col
lege Of Agriculture.

The lecture and demonstration work
carried on by the College of Agriculture
during the summer vacation will begin in
earnest about August 1st Already a
great deal of INTEREST," being manifested
and large number of meetings arranged
for, all phases of farm work being fairly
we'll represented in the requests for
demonstrations. The season promises to
be very active one and indicates the
approval placed by the farmers of the
State on the efforts and desires of the
college to be of real service to Maine
agriculture. Very significant of the in
creased interest in live stock improve
ment are the very many requests for
| demonstrations in live stock Judging.
Years ago considerable of this sort of
work was done and then came a period
! when such demonstrations were almost
unheard of, and now again it is coming
into favor. This factor is, in the opinion
of the writer, very hopeful sign, for it
/ iIIulCdltS du lICItdStQ llllSleSl III lut
types of ANIMALS and their relation to
the economics of the animal and dairy
husbandry business. Prof. Campbell and
other members of the Animal Industry
department of the college expect to be
very busy from now until the beginning
of the college year, September Goth.
What has been said of the Animal Indus
try department can be SAID equally as
we'll of the other apartments farm
crops, farm management, poultry hus-
bandry, and horticulture. 1t cannot be
denied that the demonstration idea is
growing in popularity and value. Re-
spending to this demand the college is
trying in so far as it can with the funds
at its disposal to meet the wishes of the
people. During the past few years, in
addition to the lectures and demon
strations, cooperative demonstrations or
experiments have been carried on with
several hundred people in the State each
year. The present year these demon
strations are being conducted with corn,
oats, and alfalfa. In number they are as
follows corn us, oats 80, alfalfa 25.
On the college farm several hundred
demonstration plots are being carried,
the seed for a large portion of them hav-
ing been sent in by the farmers and
oranges Of the State. Out of all this
work vast amount of good will come in
the improvement of the various kinds Of
seed used in the State. These different
kind of demonstration work are all good;
they each serve a purpose and logi-
cally lead up to the demonstra ton farm
where part of the whole farm devotes
itself to the demonstration of modern
agricultural methods. Such work has
been tried by other States under the
leadership of the College of Agriculture
and the results have been far reaching in
their effect upon increased and profitable
crop production. The plan generally
followed is to establish an agreement be-
tween the college and farmers whose
farms are centrally located and easy of
access to a large number OF people,
whereby the..farm or certain parts of it,
is to be known as demonstration farm.
Representatives of the college agree to
visit the farm at certain intervals for
the purpose of advising with the owner,
of methods, of expenses, of results, both
in yield and in financial returns In ad-
dition to this, one or more field days or
demonstration meetings are to be held
on the farm each year. This plan of
demonstration work the college is now
ready to undertake, whether it be along
the line of animal and dairy husbandry
of poultry keeping, OF crop raising and
seed improvement, of fruit growing, or
of farm management. 1t may be inter-
estlng to know that last winter two
farms in Maine were offered for this pur-
pose by their owners with the stipula-
ton that the whole farm operations
should be directed by the college for a
period of ten years. These offers the
| SOllCSC was obiiSCu W ucCliIle 1OI tue
reason that at that time it was not in a
position to undertake the work. Any
farmer interested in this proposition
should write the college in the near flu
ture as the plans are now being made for
next years work Full plans will be
sent on application.
Any grange, agricultural society, club,
or individuals desiring lectures or demon
strations on any phase of farm work
should write Leon S. Merrill, Director of
Extension Work, at once, so that sat-
isfactory dates can be arranged. Last
year the college gave 100 of these de-
monstrations. This year it is hoped to
give at least $50. The demonstrations
are given without expense, except trans
portation to and from the railroad station
and entertainment during the day.
In Memoriam of William D. Elliott.
Across the river dim and gray
He comes again-the boatman pale,
And bears our dearest friends away
Within his SILENT snowy SAIL