The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-04-06

OF Iowa. % Cenlbb Ol NtDi dShd, ID
cents; of Kansas, IS cents, and of
Texas. "A cents; while the average
price throughout the country was
but Gil cents.
In Other words, the Maine farmer
raised more bushels of corn TO the
acre and got more cents for every
bushel than did the farmers OF IL
inois, Iowa. Kansas. Nebraska and
Texas, all states which have ben
held up as agricultural Eldorados
The Maine farmer cultivated less
land. got more from it and his land
had a larger productive value than
his competitors in the five states
named. and many others.
Maine did not raise enough winter
wheat to be tabulated but she did
raise more than a quarter of a mil
lion dollars worth of spring wheat
in 1909. The average product per
acre was 25.5 bushels, as against
ia bushels in Illinois, 40 bushels
in Iowa. 1873 bushels in Nebraska,
LA bushels in Kansas, and 81 bush
els in Texas. The average in the
United States was los bushels.
The wheat raised in Maine was
worth $2S11 per acre in 1909, while in
Illinois the crop was worth but
$3.50; in Iowa, but $15.77; in Ne
braska. $16.74; in Kansas. $13.S5, and
in Texas. $t074, while the average
for the country was but $l5.62 On
October /, 1909, the crop was worth
$115 a bushel in Maine, SO cents in
Illinois. 50 cents in Iowa, So cents in
Nebraska 80 cents in Kansas and
$1.09 in Texas, while the average for
the entire country was only 94.G
cents.
Maine once raised wheat in
large quantities. but the farmers
gave it up when the vast wheat fields
of the West were planted. In 1898,
when Maine paid bounty on wheat,
l,019Sl6 bushels were raised in the
State. At the price which obtained
in Maine in 1909, the crop would have
been worth $1,172,78840 There is no
reason why as large an amount can
not be raised again, with profit
Jonathan Bonn of Hodgdon said:
There is no good reason why Aroos-
took county cannot become as ia
nous for her wheat as she has been
for her potatoes The wheat grown
there has no superior and it can be
grown. ground and sold as cheaply as
any that can be imported
Maine raised oats in 1909 to the
value of $2,G6l 900 The crop aver
aged 80 bushels to the acre as
against an average of 1856 bushels
in Illinois, 270 bushels in Iowa, 30
bushels in Nebraska 2S.2 bushels in
Kansas and 1871 bushels in Texas.
while the average for the entire
country was 81 bushels less than the
average for Maine.
Let us see what this crop was
worth to the Maine farmers who
raised it. In Maine it was worth
$2l.46 an acre; in Illinois was worth
1891; in Iowa, 1915; in Nebraska,
$S.75; in Kansas, $1213; and in
Texas. $11.59; while the average for
the entire country was $12.29. The
average farm price per bushels was
SO cents in Maine, 81 cents in IL
linois, "a cents in Iowa 80 cents in
Nebraska, 43 cents in Kansas and 80
cents in Texas, while the average for
the entire country was 41.0 cents.
The Maine hay crop was worth $l9,-
551, 900 on December /, 1909, or $13.9
per acre. The Illinois crop was
worth $14.35 an acre; the Iowa crop,
$1l.64; the Nebraska crop, $500 an
acre, the Kansas crop, $50 an acre.
and the Texas crop was worth $11.30
an acre. while the average for the
entire country was S15.07. The aver
age price at the farm on October /.
1909, was $l400 a ton in Maine; $3.50
a ton in Illinois; $3.50 a ton in Iowa
$40 a ton in Nebraska $3.50 a ton
in Kansas and $li.10 ton In Texas,
while the average for the country was
$l0.03. Maine hay lands averaged TO
yield ,95 OF ton of hay to the acre
in 1909. as against 1.45 tons in IL
linois, LA tons in Iowa, $50 tons in
Nebraska, l.45 tons in Kansas and 80
Of ton in Texas.
Thus, though the inducement to
raise hay in Maine was greater than
in the other states enumerated. the
yield was less, indicating that Maine
farmers gave their attention to other
crops rather than that Maine cannot
produce more than .95 of ton of hay
to the acre. Her record in other
crops shows that she can.
Maine leads the country in number
of bushels Of potatoes raised to the
acre, with an average of 225 bushels,
while the average for the whole eoun-
try is but l0GS some 47.4 per cent
less than Names average. Maine
stands third in total number of bush
els raised and in value of product
thought ninth in the number of acres
planted. Maine potatoes were worth
$105.75 an acre on December |, while
the Pennsylvania crop was worth
but 5000, the Michigan crop but
$36.75 and the Idaho crop but $4,000.
The average for the country was
$3.50
Potato prices were the lowest in
Maine last year that they have ever
since record has been kept, yet the
average acre i'm Maine was worth ap-
preciably more than the average
acres in other great potato raising
states 1t is doubtful if Maine pota-
toes will sell as cheaply again in many
years The vast acreage planted this
ear indicates that the men most In
crested were not frightened by one
bad year.
Barley is not considered much of
crop in Miiue, yet we raised $ll6,-
0O0 worth in 1903 The Maine farm
ars who planted the grain averaged
reap 2S5 bushels from each acre
while in Illinois the yield was half
Iusba1 locc. in Iowa six and n