Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-08
THE MAINE SEED
ASSN. OPENS ITS
SESSIONS THURSDAY
Interesting Meetings Both
Morning and Afternoon with
Able Addresses-Day Closes
with Banquet at Masonic
Temple in the Evening-Fi-
nal Session of the Conference
This Morning

Maine Seed Improvement Association
which was opened Thursday at City hall
and will be continued this forenoon. There
was a large attendance Of farmers from
all over the State at the sessions OF the
day and at the annual banquet OF the
allied agricultural organizations whicn
was held in the evening at Masonic Tenn
Die and proved to be a very enjoyable
feature of the great conference.
Premiums were awarded during the day
in the milk and cream classes and AWARDS
were also made Of the special premiums
The judges Of the milk and cream were
Elmer E. Harris Of Skowhegan, Clifford
w. Wescott of Augusta and j. F. Thomas
Of Orono.
The mems and boys contests in judging
corn and potatoes were held in the after
noon. The result of the boys contest
was as follows: Won by Clyde j. Porter
Of Vienna: second. Clarence A. Bean Of
Vienna; third, Clarence E. Gould of Bow
doinham The Bell Merrill cup offered in
the mems Judging contest was won by n.
II. Rich of Charleston, who placed in the
Judging Of both corn and potatoes 100 per
cent perfect.
Morning Session
The morning session was opened at $50
o'clock, President r. L. Copeland Of
Brewer presiding. The reports Of the
secretary. E. A. Rogers of Augusta, and
the treasurer, C. NJ. White of Bowdoin-
ham. were presented and accepted. The
following committees were appointed by
the president: Nominating committee. F.
S. Adams Of Bowdoinham. Charles D.
Woods of Orono and H. N. Rich of
Charleston; committee on resolutions, w.
J. Morse Of Oreno, L. c. Holston of Cor
nish and j. H. Blanchard of Auburn.
An invitation from the Bangor Cham
of the association in that city was read
and was referred to the executive COM
mittee.
Presidents Address.
Ralph L. Copeland of Brewer presi-
dent of the Maine Seed Improvement
Association, spoke as follows in his
annual report:
AS we are assembled for this. the
seventh annual meeting of the Maine
Seed Improvement Association. 1T
gives me great pleasure to note the
interest manifest and the progress
made since the first organized move
ment was started in Maine for seed
improvement.
Although seven years seems long
time, 1t takes time to establish a
movement that has to do with the
general public, especially when that
movement is connected with the state
department, the head of which in the
infinite wisdom of our law makers has
been thought best to change three
times since our organization.
We have issued tags of merit to be
attached to certified seed for two sea-
sons but a trade mark of itself carries
no value unless the goods to which it
is attached have an established repu-
tation. The first season we were sur
prised to find that certified seed
brought but little or no more than
common stock We can now be glad
to notice that there is a change, that
certified seed is in good demand over
the ordinary.
We are aware that some inferior
seed got by but is this surprising when
You consider we were in the formative
period, and as you all know. our state
secretary Of agriculture under whom
in way we have to work in order to
draw our State stipend has been
changed every two years?
l do not wish to be understood as
criticizing any present or past official
but experience is q valuable teacher.
and it would seem that some other
method of choosing our commissioners
of agriculture could be devised which
would have a tendency to take 1t out
of politics and establish a longer term
of Office so much to be desired.
One of the objects of our associa-
ton is to stimulate an interest in the
growing of pure and productive seed
and to demonstrate to the farmer the
great practical advantage which may
result from the use of such seed. With
this aim in view you will notice in our
premium list we have offered special
premiums for garden seeds, the seed
to be accompanied by a specimen Of
the kind of product the seed produces.
In accordance with "a resolution
adopted at our last annual meeting we
have established a sale table where
samples of certified seed viii be shown
ana OTOeTS taken TOT tDt Same, Will
the hope that in time II may become
customary for visitors to give orders
for their next seasons seed and know
what they may expect to grow.
In this connection 1 Will say that
believe that we AZ an association
should condemn the wasteful, ex-
travagant method OF the federal gov
eminent in the free distribution Of
seed. We have received enough rad
ish seed in the past two years to sup
ply the Copeland family for the next
four carnations and this entirely I'M
solicited.
Much Of the seed Is unreliable and
its use works greater injury than
beneht to the farmer The law on the
method by which this distribution is
now carried on Is desired only by a
few Congressman who imagine they
can use it as O magnet to draw some
rural votes.
Our aim is to put this association on
a sound, systematic basis, in other
words. to make it thoroughly reliable
and efficient. We want it to mean
more to the agriculture of the State
and to ourselves than any other as
ISOLATION could mean. If we are to ac-
complish this it Is necessary to exer-
else the most thoughtful elaboration
In its management. 1t should be re-
liable to the extent that certified seed
be furnished in large enough Quanti-