The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1914-05-28
THURSDAY. NAY y, 1871
Bright Outlook For The Far
mer in This State

That the call of the land is being
heard by the people is shown by the
fact that the number OF abandoned
farms in Maine is growing less each
year. It also shows that the public
knows that the laws of supply and de
mand determine to great extent the
cost Of living and that, with an IN
creasing production. will come de-
crease IN price
There were $685. abandoned farms
in the State of Maine in 1890, accord
ing to the statistics made at that time
by the State Bureau. This amounted
to a total Of 254,5l3 acres of unworked
farm lands.
At the present time it is estimated
that there are some 10000 farms in
the State of Maine, located in 500 diff
erent towns. There is no available
information in any of the State de
nartments on the present number OF
abandoned farms in Maine, but a poll
of the real estate dealers, insurance
people and different assessors shows
that the probable number is about
1900. with a total acreage Of some
thing like 115,050 acres.
1t is difficult to draw the dividing
line between an abandoned farm and
some of the real estate from which
the owners have moved and the farms
are now occupied by other people IN
many cases changing occupants ire
ouentlv. and sometimes without oeeu-
pants. In some towns and villages
there is a large percentage OF non
resident property, some of it constant
w depreciating. With regard to de-
probation, however. the same may be
said of some of the resident property
AT the same time. much of the non
resident lands are being cultivated and
improved.
There are a number of causes that
contributed to the abandonment oil
farms in Maine, In some cases the
land may be rich and good for cult
walton and afford a living for its oc-
cupants. but the people living on 1t
may not be numerous enough to cul-
tivate it. This is true in other parts
of New England as well as Name.
Then there are other special reasons
that have caused a decrease in the
rural population with the closing OF
the farm. The absence of families OF
wealth and social standing in a given
community has caused people to move
away. as the demand for labor only
in certain seasons of the year, in con-
trast with all-year-round employment
found in the cities. The absence OF
schools for the children in the coun-
try of a grade to compare with those
of the cities and larger towns has
caused whole families to migrate from
the homestead. The longer hours OF
work at certain seasons and the lack
of amusement and of religious adyan-
tages has caused dissatisfaction
among the younger members of the
family. with the result that the farm
has been abandoned to lease them.
Besides all of these, there is the lack
of easy communication, which leaves
the farm lonely, especially during the
long days of winter.
The school system has been greatly
improved in the last few years in the
rural districts, and this has helped to
keep the families of Maine on the
farms. A number of the most fer
tile of the abandoned farms have been
taken over by rich people during the
last five years and converted into
summer homes, although the land adj
joining these homes has remained idle
in number of cases. More is being
done every year in Maine to instill
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