Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-08-26
Farmers Field Meeting.

Farmers Field Meeting.
LARGE GATHERING AT THE CASE FARM
WITH INSTRUCTIVE ADDRESSES AND
A GOOD TIME.
1t did not assume the proportions of a
county fair or general muster but 1t
bore a resemblance. Early in the fore
noon all roads leading to the Case Farm,
half mile north of Paris Hill, were fill
ed with every variety of conveyance
from hay-racks to automobiles loaded
with people and picnic dinners and these
10 turn loaded with dust.
The "Long Look Farm" or "Case
Farm" as new sign board announces,
is one of the best in Paris and com.
mands an unbroken view of the great
western panorama of scenery that has
made Paris Hill the center of large
summer population. The farm Is own.
ed BY Mr.. Charles L. Case, very sue
cessful New York business man, and his
farm superintendent, under whose man
agement this farm has been brought TO
high state of fertility, is Albion l.. A6-
bolt.
Mr.. Case Is one of the kind of men
who brings to each undertaking rare
combination of energy and brains; hav.
ing spent his boyhood upon a Maine
farm he realizes the problems that con.
front the tiller of the soil and the need
of scientific methods and is endeavoring
to promote education along these lines;
hence his invitation to the Holstein
Breeders Association, the Dairy Asso-
citation and the Fruit Growers to meet at
his farm and listen to lectures and wit
ness demonstrations that would be help
ful to them; and they responded In large
numbers.
Early in the forenoon the crowd as
sem BLEED in the large modern barn where
seats had been provided and the meeting
was called to order by Prof. Yeaton OF
the Maine Experiment Station, who in
PRODUCED as the first speaker Mr.. Chas.
L. Case, owner of the farm.
Mr.. Case in few we'll chosen words
bid the company very cordial welcome:
He said that he saw among them old
schoolmates OF forty years ago also new
friends and realized the need OF new
friends as we'll as old to fill the vscan-
cies made by the dropping out OF the
former. While he took the gathering in
small degree as personal honor, the
speaker said that he realized that the es-
sential thing for which we are here Is to
be told how to make these Oxford
County farms yield more abundantly,
Weld more and better cattle and more
and better crops. When We buy, said
the speaker, we meet all sorts of indus
trial combinations that seem to have the
fixing of prices to suit themselves; when
we sell we are dependent largely upon
our own resources, hence the Importance
that farmers work together somewhat
for their own protection.
Following Mr.. Cases remarks bust
ness meeting of the Oxford County Hol:
stein Breeders Association was held
fixing the place of the next meeting as
Norway, the date to be arranged by the
Executive Committee.
The first lecture of the day was by
Prof. R. w. Redman of the College OF
Agriculture, on the subject of Silage.
The speaker traced the history OF 81.
lage saying that the first was a simple
system of pits in the ground to pre-
serve feed. He said no farmer could at.
ford to be without silage feed as its food
value amounted by actual tests to eight
per cent more mia and FIVE per cent
more solids and that the dry teod would
be better eaten up by the cattle on &C.
count Of the more succulent feed. Some
dairymen complain that the silo gets
rather hot on top and is cooler foot
down. This Is not strange as during the
cooking process the temperature Is
higher than later on; 1t seldom rises
above ninety degrees and higher tenn
perature means destruction and poorer
quality OF silage. Fine cutting and
close packing produce better quality
than the opposite condition. If well
packed destructive temperature will
not take place.
have frequently been asked II silo
needs drain {? My answer is: only
when juicy material such as pea pods or
immature corn is used is drain needed.
We expect silage to contain large
amount of water but not enough to
burst the silo.
When is corn ready to cut for the silo?
Usually when 1t is in the glazing state,
but not too ripe. If badly damaged by
frost 1t should be cut and put into the
silo at once, otherwise, wait for the
glazing state. Water should be used in
the silo II required to make it pack
firmly for close packing and the keeping
ont of tho air is the secret OF success
with the silo.
In cutting corn for the silo the best
lengths are from one-half inch to an
inch. The silage should be as evenly
distributed as possible over the surface.
1t settles quite fast and II air spaces are
left the silage will not keep. Decayed
or mouldy silage means improper pack
ing; it must be packed closely to keep
ont the air. Several methods of sealing
over the top are In use. Some use hay
or grass or weeds or chsff and pack it
firmly. l recommend that you begin
feeding at once and get ahead OF tho de-
caying process.
If possible, don't feed frozen silage.
While the most serious results are loss
of food value, it should be thawed out
before being used. The speaker here
gave several methods of thawing, and
proceeded to talk on the care Of the silo,
saving that the inside should be swept
of as the silage Is fed down in order
that no hard Jumps may attach to pre-
vent the next crop from settling proper.
" into place and thus get air spaces
that ipjure the keeping qualities OF the
silaye. The speaker closed by saying
that when the pastures are short in the
summer, as at the present time, silagt
would be found valuable to help out and
that the two important points about the
system are that 1t tides over short hay
crop and provides feed for the cattle al
less cost.
The next speaker was DR.. Leon S
Merrill, OF the Maine College Of Agricul
|ture. DR.. Merrill Is . ready and able
speaker and gave one Of the most In
teresting addresses OF the occasion. H.
said be had noticed that the OXFORD
County farmers are not only talking bu
actually practicing scientific agriculture
He explained that the University o
Maine and the Maine Experiment Station
wara seperate institutions: that while