The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-02-23
For Mutual Improvement

Efforts in Maine to Make the Farms More
Remunerative. Better Cows and Better
Farmers. Special Money Crops on the
Dairy Farms.
| [E. C. Dow of Belfast, in the New York Trib-
| une Farmer.1
The Maine State Dairymen's Associa-
ton is composed almost wholly of men
who are actively engaged in some line of
dairying. either as specially or in con-
nec.ion with other lines OF farm work.
1t is semi-public in its character and the
scope of its work is broad and Designed
to benefit not only the members OF the
association but the State at large: Its
president is w. G. Hunton OF Readfield,
a we'll known dairyman and farmer, who
has been an active grange worker and
institute speaker for some years: DR..
Leon S. Merrill, former State dairy IN
structor, but now in charge OF the ex-
tension work at the State University, IS
secretary, while sixteen corresponding
secretaries, one for each county, aid In
the, local work of the association.
They have recently Joined hands with
the State Department OF Agriculture.
the University, the State grange and the
railroads in holding series of special
dairy Institutes, one for each county Of
the State.
The railroads have given free transport
tation for all speakers to and from the
meetings, which shows their interest in
the dairy development of the State; the
university furnished some of the speak
ers, including the services of DR.. Merrill
and Professor Campbell, teacher of ami
NAL husbandry and one of the best in
formed men in that line in the whole
country; the State department sent out
Mr.. Redman, dairy instructor, and the
association was represented by its presi-
dent and some of it's members. In some
ways this was re larkable combination,
and it shows the perfect unanimity of
public spirit which prevails in these sew
erah Institutions. Certainly any State
ought to progress when its leading farm
ers, its Commissioner of Agriculture, its
University, it's State grange and its rail-
roads can unite and work together for
the advancement of any line OF farm
| business or other public work.
| A brief report of one of these meetings
will serve to show the scope of the work
done, and will help, perhaps, to encourage
other men in other States to ''go and do
likewise
The meeting for Waldo county was
held at Monroe with the local grange,
which is the largest in the county and is
located in a section possessing great
natural advantages that well fit it for
dairying and general farming.
The morning session was opened by
the president of the dairymen' S associa-
ton, W. G. Hunton, who briefly outlined
the work of the association and explain
ed the object and purpose of the meet
ing AS an experienced farmer and
practical dairyman, he advocated keep
ing more and better cows,
COW TESTING ASSOCIATIONS.
Following him, R. W. Redman, dairy
instructor, spoke for an hour in explain
ing and illustrating the work of the dairy
testing associations o. the State. These
COW testing associations are increasing
and the interest in them is also on the
| increase. Sometimes member drops
out, but there are always others to come
in and keep the membership good.
There are seven of these cooperative
associations now doing active work in
Maine, each employing salaried tester,
who has charge Of the work. The cows
in these testing clubs or associations now
number $500. AS there are more than
14O, 900 cows in the State, it is seen that
| this work covers only small part of the
| dairy herds. But as the records are
made public from time to time, every
dairyman may get some benefit from the
lessons learned from the tests.
Like many other good things, the world
owes these cooperative testing associa-
tons to woman Fifteen years ago a
woman conceived the idea of improve
ment by this method of work, and, call
ing to her aid others interested, the first
association was formed. What a growth
the child has made! Only fifteen years
old, but stretching out its arms to the
whole dairy world, and already benefit
ting it either by direct contact or indi
rect influence. Dairymen should build
monument to the mother of dairy testing
associations.
Continuing, Mr.. Redman explained the
record sheet, and showed from charts
how they are used. He advised getting
rid of those cows that were spurters-i.
e.. gave good test for short time
and keep long distance cows that would
keep up good yield for the full milking
period. He also explained the food ele-
ments and their use, and said that the
records proved that the average Maine
farmer is feeding too much high cost pro-
TEN for the best results. The records
showed that the returns for 81 worth of
food eaten ranged all the way from 60
cents to So. While some cows gave only
60 cents worth of cream for 81 worth of
food, others gave So worth. 1t pays to
keep record of the cows work, said he,
for that is the only way you can tell the
poor from the good.
He spoke of the educational value of
the work and recommended the organi-
zation of these associations wherever the
interest was sufficiently active to make
them profitable. Out of herd of nine
cows, one member of one association
sold the poorest three and then made $25
more in three months from the remain
ing six than he had made from the whole
herd. In this instance the association
saved him the cost of feeding three poor
cows and the labor of caring for them,
and gave him $25 more direct profit.
This was mentioned as an extreme case,
but it we'll illustrates the benefit of the
work. There is also saving by CO.
operative buying. This saving runs from
5 to 10 per cent on grain and about 20
per cent on grass seed of the best quail
ity. The speaker was closely questioned
and much interest was manifested in the
subject.
At the close of this lecture the local
grange served free dinner to all pres