The Republican journal., 1912-10-24
Maine Crops Worth $4O.OOO.OOO

WASHINGTON. D. c.. Oct. 21. The complete
results of the agricultural census for Maine
with reference to crops are presented in q
bulletin soon to be issued by Director Durand
OF the Bureau of the Census, Department of
Commerce and Labor. It was prepared under
the supervision of John Lee Coulter, expert
special agent for agriculture Data relating
to some of the more important crops were
published some time ago, and in the following
statement special reference is made only to
those crops for which information is now
available for the first time.
The total value of crops in 1909 wass39 318..
OlO. OF this amount, 80 per cent was con-
tributed by crops for which the acreage, as
well as the value, was reported, the remainder
consisting of the value of by-products (straw,
garden and grass seeds, etc., derived from
the same land as other crops reported, or of
orchard fruits, nuts, forest products and the
like. The combined acreage of crops for which
acreage was reported was 1858 O65. represent.
ing 673 per cent. of the total improved land in
farms (2,36O,657 acres.) Most of the remain
ing improved land doubtless consisted of i'm
proved pasture, land lying fallow. house and
farm yards, and land occupied by orchards and
vineyards, the acreage for which was not re-
ported.
The general character of Maine agriculture
is indicated by the fact that only 7.s per cent.
OF the total value Of crops in 1909 was con.
trlbuted by the cereals, while nearly two.fifths
1884 per cent? was contributed by hay and
forage and nearly one-third (31.5 pc, cent by
potatoes and other vegetables. The remainder.
representing in value about % per cent. of the
total, consisted mostly of forest products and
fruits and nuts.
The total value of crops in 1909 was 1911 per
centgreater than that in 1899 This increase was
clearly due to higher prices, as the quantity of
the most important products decreased. There
was an increase of 29 per cs Mt in the total
acreage of crops for which acreage was re-
ported, but this was almost wholly due to the
increase in the acreage of potatoes and other
vegetables. all the other crops of any i'm
portance having decreased in acreage. Some
of the leading crops in value were hay and
forage, .00o; potatoes, $40 225 900; oats,
900; and corn, $435, 900. The acreage of
corn is only half what it was 30 years ago, and
that of wheat decreased over 30 per cent. from
1879 to 1889 and reached the lowest point in
1909.
RETURNS FROM VEGETABLES.
In 1909 the total acreage of potatoes and
other vegetables was 161 ,O87 and their value
$l2,57S,O0O. Excluding potatoes and sweet po-
tatoes and yams, the acreage of vegetables was
25.2ss and their value s2,15s,0Oo, both acreage
and value being greater than in 1s99 The
census report distinguishes between farms
which make the raising of vegetables busi-
ness of some Importance (having produced
vegetables valued at $500 or more in 19OO) and
other farms, on most of which vegetables are
raised mainly for home consumption. There
were in 1909 only 243 farms in the first class.
representing about one-sixteenth of the total
acreage and about one. eighth of the total
value, the average acreage of vegetables per
farm forthese farms being 6.3 and the average
value per acre, $18O.n.
The raising of flowers and plants and of
nursery products is unimportant in Maine,
only 1863 acres being devoted to these branches
of agriculture.
Strawberries are by far the most important
of the small fruits grown in Maine, with rasp-
berries and loganberres ranking next, closely
followed by blackberries and dewberries The
total acreage of small fruits in 1900 was 1850.
and in 1899, 1855, a decrease of 2O5 per cent.
The production in 1909 was 2,285, 900 quarts, as
compared with 1.7O5,OOO quarts in 1899, and
the value $233,0OO, as compared with $15s, ,OOo
ORCHARD FRUITS, GRAPES AND NUTS.
The total quantity of orchard fruits produc-
ed in 1909 was 1854, 900 bushels, valued at ST.
20S,000. Apples constituted over SO per cent
of this quantity, pears and plums and prunes
most of the remainder. The production of
grapes and nuts was relatively unimportant
The production of all orchard fruits together
in 1909 was 1867 per cent. greater in quantity
than in 1899, but that of grapes decreased The
value of orchard fruits increased from 1884,
900 in 1899 to $2,2Os.0O0 in 1909, while that of
grapes declined from 1854 in 1899 to S. 954 in
1909. 1t should be noted in this connection
that the values for 1899 included the value Of
more advanced products derived from orchard
fruits or grapes, such as cider, vinegar, dried
fruits, and the like, and may therefore involve
some duplication. while the values shown for
1909 relate only to the products in their origi-
nal condition.
The total value of maple sugar and syrup
produced in 1909 was s52,137, as compared
with $15, 800 in 1899. Sugar beets to the value
of $1,8l4, and sorghum to the value of $3.50
were raised for forage.
FOREST PRODUCTS.
The census schedules for 1910 called for the
''value of all frewood. fencing material. logs,
abroad ties. telegraph and telephone poles,
materials for barrels, bark, naval stores, or
other forest products cut or produced in 1909,
whether used on farm, sold, or on hand April
Is, 191O;" and also in separate item, for the
''amount received from sale of standing tim
ber in 1909" There were 41,s22 farms in
Maine (67 z per cent. of all farms in the State)
which reported forest products in 1909, the
total value of such products being $5,573, 763,
as compared with s26522 252 in 1899, an in
crease OF HOP per cent. Of the value in
1909, $2,046, ,48S was reported as that of pro-
ducts used or to be used on the farms them
selves, $685. $50 as that of products sold or
for sale and s870.52 as the amount received
for standing timber. 1t should be noted that
forest products not produced on farms are not
included in this report