Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-02-10
Estimating by Appearances.

1 SsseAne W HPRSs~
Itis hard to tell just where and how
the survey work helps each man at the
farm survey meetings that are being
held in the different states, but one Incl
dent which happened not long ago may
be worthy of mention here.
4 After the men returned from their
| first days field experience, several rec
ords were workedI up. The labor in
comes shown by these records were very
unsatisfactory to one man in our party
who was quite familiar with local coudi'
tions. He suggested that We go with
him the next morning to farmer whom
he had visited previously, as he felt
quite sure we would find the man max
ing money. This farm did present a
good outside appearance, with a fine
large house set back from the road in a
large grove, $1,000 barn, etc. These
buildings lay in valley, and back of
them, gently rising to a level Of perhaps
one hundred feet, was large pasture
field. On the other side of the road. and
rising gradually from the valley, is an
other large pasture, which extended to
the large peach orchard on the hill. The
man was picking peaches from trees tha,
showed no sign of any recent pruning or
spraying, and kindly consented to give
us record. very different picture Of
that farm could have been painted after
receiving this record. The farm was
very large, only one COW was kept, and
the equipment aud labor were entirely
inadequate for an Investment OF this
size. The farmer kept no accounts, had
a heavy mortgage on his farm, aud re-
ceived a minus labor income for his
years work.
This proprietor would appear to be
first-class business man. In fact, before
We left, be outlined plan of how he
would soon be supplying nearby cities
with fresh poultry, eggs, cream, butter
and fruit, using large auto truck When
asked about the reorganization OF his
farm for the production of these prod
ucts, he thought il would be better to
buy most of them from his neighbors
and put his label on them. He was ask
ed about raising clover, but said that he
had never tried it, as seed had been so
high the past few years.
In the afternoon, another farm was
visited near this first one. The man who
had selected the good farm expressed
the opinion before approaching the sec
ord farm that he hardly thought the
proposition worth while. This farm
really did not make very strong i'm
preston by appearances. 1t extended
back from the main pike road and was
cut in two by a typical country road
running parallel to the pike. The build.
ings were located on a country road and
a lane connected them with the pike.
The horse was not large, but neat, set
close to the road, aud enclosed by an or
dinary farmhouse fence. The other
buildings were hardly as good as the
average, and ones first impression of
this proprietor might be that he would
never set the world on fire.
To make a long story short, this man
had labor income of more than $1,000,
gave nearly all the record from his
books, as he was keeping account OF all
household and farm receipts aud expen-
ses, had an acre Of alfalfa, half OF which
was lined and half left without lining.
On the half acre lined, he secured 6ue
stand of alfalfa, while on the other plot
the alfalfa was not worth keeping. He
was interested in finding out how to
test his cows, aud was building up his
herd as fast as he was able. When leav-
ing this farm, the man giving an Opin-
ion before the record was taken had
changed his mind considerably, and as
sured this farmer he would see him
again before a great while, as he was
anxious to get picture of his alfalfa
plat and also wanted to talk over several
other propositions with him.-H. N.
Dixon.