Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-01


Friday, April "a.
THE dairymen of the State, with the
exception of those in a few localities
have been receiving very satisfactory
prices during the past year for their
product and hear but very little crit
.cism on the part Of the patrons of
the creameries,' states Frank s. Ad-
ans Of Bowdoinham, State dairy in
structor, in his annual report which
was made public Tuesday THE pat
rons on their part must realize that In
order for the creaineries to hold the
markets and be able to pay the high
est market price they must furnish
them with good, clean product.
Continuing in his report, Mr.. Adams
says:
AS recommendation for the future,
l would suggest more work organizing
COW test associations and breaders' as
sociations, and help along all the lines
OF dairy work. believe that there is
no question Of good market at salts
factory prices IL the product is of a
good quality. The state has good rep
utation now for dairy products and we
want to do better.
advertise their goods and state that the
product was all from tuberculin test
ed cows, that the stables and milk
rooms had all been inspected by State
inspection, that the milk and cream
are produced under sanitary conditions
there would be no question about the
market at an advance price. The
question of quality is going to be Of
moro and more Importance in the fu-
ture. While milk is a cheap food the
consumer wants to know that IL is
clean and healthful. The time is COM
ing when milk and cream which are
too full of bacteria cannot be sold in
the market.
THE question of profitable dairying
Is like any other business. 1t depends
on efficiency and business principles,
along all lines of work and IL takes
more intelligence to be a successful
dairyman than in almost any other
branch of farming. All over the state
there are dairymen who are making a
good profit and others who are just
losing because they are not efficient
In their work This class is saying
that dairying does not pay and that
prices should be higher. In other
words. they want the price SO high
that they can make a profit with inef-
ficiept management. That would be
paying q premium on ineffictency that
is contrary to all laws of trade or bus
mess. The price of any product for a
series of years will be what that pro-
duct can be produced for under bust
ness methods. Competition will regu-
late that and the man in dairying. or
in any other business, who is not
complying with right and efficient
methods along all lines had better get
out or get right.
THE number of dairy farms in
Maine which are keeping records of
production and cost of production is
very materially increasing. That, with
the high prices which cows are selling
for. will account for the slight de-
crease in the number of COWS. The
marked increase In young stock is very
gratifying. There is an increasing de-
mand for pure bred bulls in the dairy
sections.
Il notice that there is q movement
by the Chamber of Commerce in Wat
ervile to work out some plan whereby
the farmer can hire money to purchase
pure bred cattle. I think it would be
a good idea to get the breeders in
Maine who are raising pure bred stock
for sale to cooperate in this matter.
We have live stock breeders aSso-
citation in Maine, and If we could have
a meeting of farmers with these differ
ent organizations, l think that some
thing could be worked out satisfacto-
rily.
I'm Washington county, the dairy
business is not well developed In
great part of the county they have no
market for butter except a short time
In the winter and that Is when they
are not making much butter. Last
summer when the dairymen of the
rest of the State were receiving not
less than 80 cents a pound for butter
fat the farmers in Washington county
were bartering their surplus butter at
the stores for 81 and % cents pound
and it was not wanted at that price.
Some of the farmers in Cherryfield
started shipping their cream to Ban
gor The result was very satisfactory
and it looks as though it would in
crease another year. / believe that
Washington county is destined to be
quite dairy county in the near fu-
ture.
II visited 10 fairs last fall. l am of
the opinion that some changes could
be made for the better. First, I want
to say, the fair which is run as a
money making proposition should not
receive any assistance from the state.
Whist ! mean is that all the receipts
should be expended in premiums, i'm
provements on the grounds and paying
debts Also. think that the premium
lists of some of the fairs should be re-
vised and / have suggested some
changes to the trustees of the larger
fairs. / also think that the judging
should be more educational at some of
the fairs. In other states they are in
viting Pomona Oranges located near
to elect a young man between the ages
of 10 and 20 years to be the guest of
the fair, with the understanding that
he shall assist when wanted in lead
ing the animals to the show ring and
in any other way which can be of as
sistanee: and the judge shall explain
in some of the classes the reasons for
his decisions. This would make the
fair more educational and more inter-
he of