Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-17

| crying need ON the ddirS siue' He say d
| is more cows, better cows. and the
J use Of more pure bred sires." Prof
| Campbell declares that the number OF
hogs kept on Maine farms is alto
gether too small.
| Separate articles are also given in
the report upon MAINE schools by
| pavson smith and upon Maine by
| Thomas J. Lyons, commissioner of
Industrial and labor statistics.
kennebsc County.
Agricultural statistics for Kennebec
| county are given by Former Com
missioner Gilman as follows:
Number of farms, 5104; assessed val
| uation, s6.234,511; average number OF
acres titled per farm, "a: average
number acres under pillow per farm
| S.4
Grazing Iand-Excellent grazing land
affords ample opportunity for the live
stock in the county. Owing to the
| high value of farm lands in this coun-
tv grazing land is worth considerable
| for farming purposes.
Selling value of farm lands-Durine
tho past few wears there has been
decided increase in the value Of farm
| lands in Kennebec county. Good TIL
age land located within two miles OF
n village or city is valued at $50 to
stOO rer acre. Land similar to this at
a distance of five miles is valued at
| $50 to $50 per acre. This value varies
according 20 the kind of SOIL its pro-
ductiveness. nearness to market ana
kind of buildings located on the farm
Potatoes-Total acreage, 979l. Aver
age Weld per acre, It's bushels. Totai
Weld, 1.T49,169 bushels. There has
been a decided increase in the acreage
of potatoes raised in this county. The
soil seems particularly well adapted
to this crop and there is an excellent
home market besides good transporta-
ton to outside markets.
Field corn-Total acreage, Sbbl
Average yield per acre, As bushels.
Total yield. 151,967 bushels. Within
the past few years more attention has
been paid to the growing of this crop.
Many of the silos are being filled with
a type of field corn that will mature
in the county.
Sweet Corn-Total number of acres,
4444 Average yield per acre, 2llo
pounds. Total yield. 9.319,2i6 pounds.
IL will be seen that the acreage OF
sweet corn is slightly larger than that
of field corn. The climatic conditions
are favorable to the sweet corn crop
and there is sufficient number of
canning factories to furnish good
market.
Oats-Total number of acres. 1603S.
Average yield per acre. 33 bushels.
Total yield, 400 bushels. This is
the most important grain crop grown
in the county and is used for seeding
down. About 40 per cent. of the oats
raised are cut for fodder and the re-
mainder thrashed.
Hay-Total number of acres. 133, S29.
Average yield per acre, IS tons. Total
Weld, 1885 tons. The yield of hay
per acre could undoubtedly be in
creased if a shorter rotation was prac-
tieed as hay has been cut on many of
these fields for a series of six to 10
years.
Fruit-There are many fine orchards
in Kennebec county. Although some
of these orchards have been neglected
there seems to be at the present time
an increased interest IN fruit raising
| and more attention and better care
are being given the trees. Some oil
the farmers living near the cities are
doing considerable with small fruits.
They find no difficulty in disposing OF
all they can raise at good prices.
Miscellaneous crops-Total acreage,
6137. Value per acre. S27s8. Total
value s176,l 3s45.
Market gardening-This is undoubt
edly the most important branch of
miscellaneous crops in the county. AS
there are four cities in different parts
Of the county an excellent market is
afforded for garden crops
Barley-More barley is being raised
each year and is usci rs a soii;ng
crop by many Of the dairymen.
Winter rye-Winter rye is raised to
soma extent for cover crop and for
soiling purposes early in the sprirg.
Cattle-kennebec county offers as
good opportunities to the dairymen as
any other county in the State Nu-
merous creameries are found and the
cities afford good market for milk
More interest is being shown in pure
bred stock and many of the dairymen
have purchased pure bred sires and
are grading up their herds There has
been a decrease in the number of oxen
and beef animals kept.
Horses-There has been an increase
in the number of draft horses used In
the county and this demand has been
met by buying horses direct from the
West at high prices. More horses
could profitably be raised upon the
farms of kenrebcc county.
Swine--Although there are no men
making a speciality of swine raising.
nearly every farmer has from four to
SIX hogs. There is an excellent home
market for this product.
SherD-Not many sheep are kept.
Poultry-A few farmers are making
Il specially of poultry raising. More
interest has been taken in the poultry
business in the last year than former
ly. An exceptionally good market Is
| afforded by the cities in the county
arm help-The farms of Kcnneoec
county afford opportunity for 22l farm
laborers. Wages paid are good, rang
ing from $26 to s32 per month.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. markets for al
KIN IS OF farm products are afforded
| the farmers of this county. -Four
cities located in different parts of the
L l..