The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-07-11
Waldo County Farm Conditions

Correspondence OF 1he
There has been no increase in the mum.
Der of pupils in our rural schools the past
year; on the contrary, as far as my OBJ
servation has extended, l think there has
been a slight decrease. There are very
few pupils in our schools over 10 years
old, and majority of the poys especial
ly do not attend any other sc1ooi aIter
leaving the common school: our fural
schools are merely dong the WORK OF
schools of the primary grades as a rule.
Agriculture has not been taugnt. II the
large boys would attend the winter terms
for two or three winters longer, as 1or-
merly, l believe they woulo De amply
repaid for their time it competent teacn-
ers were employed.
AS compared with last year, tnere mas
been an increase in the acreage plan AZ,
to potatoes, of probably 20 per cent. The
acreage is slightly less than tnat OF TWO
years ago Of sweet corn tor the factory
a less number of acres is planted, and
there ia some complaint that it has not
come up we'll, Several new sllos have
been built and the acreage OF corn for
the silo is about the same as last year.
Several pieces intended for corn, on ac-
count of. the lateness of the season, were
|
sowed to grain. -
There IS no set rule that our best
farmers follow in the treatment OF grass
land. Nearly all spread heavy coat OF
manure on the sod and turn 1t under IN
the fall. The next year the land is plant
ed to POTATOES or corn, using fertilizer.
Another coat manure is plowed under
afrer harvest and the land is soWn to oats
and harley the second year and is seeded
down. Amount of grass seed used is
USUALLY IA bushel timothy. 5 pounds
each of red clover and alsike, and 8
pounds of red-top per acre. There is no
particular time the land remains In grass;
USUALLY as long as it continues to cut
profitable crop of hay. Orange hawk
weed is proving serious trouble in many
fields and pastures. There is nothing
being done for the improvement OF pas
lures, and many are growing up to
bushes. There is no need of planting
trees here, for they start up spontane'
ously on every vacant piece OF land.
The prospect for the hay crop IS good,
although having will be later than many
thought. owing to the cold weather IN
June. On low lands the heavy frosts IN
June killed the brakes and turned the
clover leaves black and seemed to stunt
the whole grass crop. Recovery IS now
being made, but the crop Will not De as
heavy as if there had been no freeze. On
the whole, the crop will be about the
same as last year, which was good.
There was no winter-killing OF any con-
sequence. No alfalfa or any legumes
other than clover are raised here: Near
ly every farmer has piece OF 1odder
corn, Hungarian or millet, to iced dur.
ing the fall months. late variety OF
sweet corn, fed ears and all, seems TO pe
favorite crop to feed mllch cows. "A
good rain would benefit the hay crop:
There are a few herds of pure-bred
Jerseys in this section, but the greater
number of the cattle are sprung from
the old red and white, line backed cattle
of so years ago, on which have oeen
crossed and recrossed, first the Durhams,
then the Herefords, and lastly the Hol-
stems and Jerseys. The result is better
than one could expect, and is a pretty
profitable dual-purpose COW. That TINS
mix up of the breeds will continue Is IN
Dictated by the fact that there are pure,
bred bulls Of the Durham, Jersey and
Holstein breeds being kept for service
which most farmers use indlscrlmlnately.
Some butter is made, but the greater
creameries. No testing associations
here. There is an increase in the num-
Der of oxen and steers on the farms, and
there is good demand for such stock.
There are few colts being raised. but
not enough to meet the demand. l am
not we'll Informed on horse-raising, but
! think that there is not any settled pur-
pose on the part of any appreciate num-
Der of farmers to develop either draft or
| light harness breeds of horses, but most
are governed by convenience, chance, or
the fancy of the moment.
There are only few farmers who
keep sheep as compared with Is or 30
years ago. There are every year usually
several sheep paid for by the town which
W re killed by dogs, but the number is
growing less each year, as sheep-kllllng
dogs have been promptly shot. The
breeds of swine kept are largely White
Chester and Berkshire, the former prob
ably predominant ng. A very lew farm
ers have pure bred swine; the majority
raised are grades.
Some poultry ralsers, as tar as my
observation goes about one-fifth, now
are keeping pure-bred poultry. The
Plymouth Rocks and r. l. Reds are the
two breeds oftenest seen. The larger
part of the farmers keep mongrels,
which have been produced from the old.
fashioned hen of so years ago, crossed
with Black Spanish, and then with
Brahma, and so on, with plymouth
Rocks, the Leghorns, both White and
Brown, and lastly R. l. Reds and Wyan-
dottes. AS with cattle, the result is
pretty near dual-purpose hen, which is
paying her keep and perhaps something
over.
Apple trees did not winter-kill. Only
very few new apple trees were set, but
considerable pruning and grating were
done the last spring. The opinion seems
to be that the prospects for the apple
crop, with the exception of Baldwins,
are as good as last year. Small fruits
promise a medium yield.
There are no Grange stores or other
cooperative organizations for buying
and selling. There is considerable IN,
terest in the Producers and Consumers
Exchange manifested in talk, but
whether the interest is great enough to
result in any action being taken toward
such an organization is very doubtful.
R. W. HOWARD.
Thorndike, Me.