The Republican journal., 1914-05-28
Maine Allriculturs,

An Address BY Edward II. KelIev which
Told Of the Wonderful Resources q our
State.
Edward H. Kelley, editor Of Maine
Rural Life, was recent speaker before
the commercial division at the Rangor
High school. furnishing one Of the series
of talks on Maine industries and re-.
sources that is being given at the school.
His subject was The Agriculture If
Maine. In his address he treated forest
ry, farming and the manufacture Of na.
per and pulp, all under the head of arri.
culture in its broadcast scope, and re-
ferred to the recent statement of a
prominent railroad man that forest farm-
ing promises to be one of the biggest in
dustries of the State, one that will bring
larger returns than all the other products
OF the soil combined.
He quoted statistics from the 1910 GEN.
sus returns, showing that while the
Maine manufactured products appre-
gated $176, 600, 600, the agricultural prod
ucts of the State would not figure IN to
$50. 900, 600, unless you included pulp and
paper and lumber. He showed the de-
pendence of our manufacturers upou the
products of the soil, and suggested that
it would be possible to produce the raw
material for our wooden mills and boot
and shoe factories and the possibility, also.
of growing flax for fibre and converting
our cotton factories into linen plants.
So great is Names agricultural re-
sources that 1t might be possible to
erect high fence around this common
wealth and supply all of our factories
with the raw material and allow ship
ment of our surplus to other markets.
He brought prominently to the mind
of his listeners the opportunity that
awaited these young men and women
in this wonderfully resourceful State
and intimated that people of the west
were beginning to turn their attention to
Maine, having failed to find the golden
opportunity in the west that once looked
so allurlng.
About one-third of the total area of
the State has been converted into farms,
and in round numbers there are now
about 5000 farmers in Maine, including
those interested in the cultivation Of
back lots or in the raising of poultry.
Half of the population of the State is
more or less dependent upon agriculture
for their living. The problems confront
nance for himself and his family and for
the other half of the people.
the State to buy those products which
$l2, 600, 900 representing the value of our
importations in grain, cattle and horses.
The agriculture of Maine, however, is
not complete failure, for we are con-
tributing in several lines to the problem
of helping feed the rest of the country.
Maine has won world prize in growing
sweet corn, and grand sweepstakes
trophy in potatoes. In several of the
cereals the average yield per acre is con-
siderably higher than the average, and
in some equals the big crops of the far
west. In potatoes we lead the country
in an average yield of 200 bushels per
acre, as compared with lib for the coun-
try at large, Names banner crop, how
ever, is hay and forage, which according
to the census of 1910 was valued at over
$4,000, 900 to 10000, 600 bushels of pota-
toes per year and Maine canned corn is
the standard of the world.
Next to hay and potatoes, Maine prom
ises development most rapidly in the
raising of apples, for in this State the
best to be found in the country can be
grown and by proper methods of cultiva-
ton, packing and marketing, our apples
can command fancy figure in the best
markets of the world. There is also
call for more nurseries in Maine, where
hardy trees and small fruit bushes can
be obtained.
Mr.. Kelley touched briefly on the pos
sibilities in dairying and the necessity
for building up our herds of dairy and
beef cattle, as we'll as sheep, hogs and
even goats. With the price of meat at
the almost prohibitive figure it is today,
there should be money in raising beef on
some of the great pasture and grazing
lands available in this State.
On account of the high cost of living
the attention of the whole country is
now turned to the source of our food
supply. Men held in authority at Wash
ington, bankers and financiers, are seek
ing ways to assist in the increase in good
products that is now necessary. Meth
DDS of increasing the output of the farm
are now being studied by specialists as
well as fnanciers, and the necessity of
doubling the productiveness of our pres
ent working area is apparent.