Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-01-21
An Appropriation for Hlghmosr Farm.

An Appropriation for filghmoer Farm.
When 1t began to be rumored abroad
hat the Maine Agricultural Experiment
station which had handled Highmoor
Farm for 10 years without state help
vas to ask for an appropriation in order
TO continue the Investigations in progress
It that farm, number Of people seemed
Surprised-although II their private III
comes have remained stationary thew
rave bad some such an experience as the
Station is passing through-that after
aging In 1909 that its funds were suffi.
iient for the investigations to be under
AIKEN at Highmoor Farm, the Station In
1919 says 1t must have state help OF stop
The work.
When the state purchased Highmoor
Farm in 1909 and turned Ii over to the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
Tor scientific Investigations in orchard.
ing, corn and other farm crops" the
Federal Funds which provide the major
support OF the Station had recently been
supplemented by the Adams Act. For
this reason 1t was practicable to so plan
the increased work, made possible by
this addition to the eudow ment, that the
Investigations to be at Highmoor Farm
could be undertaken without state ap-
preparation to maintain them. During
the past 20 years, and markedly the last
three years the costs for materials and
labor have steadily increased. Until
today the $4,000 Federal appropriation
has practically little more purchasing
value than the $4,000 endowment had
in 1896. The Station management have
economical by reducing the amount of
work, the number of people upon the
staff, the lines OF inquiry, and the pur-
chase Of equipment for the use of the
laboratories at Orono. There is very
little opportunity to reduce at Highmoor
Farm. Situated as the farm is, 100
miles from the Station, its work must
go about as originally planned or cease.
There is no practicable half way meas
ure. The studies are for the most part
all long term Investigations, planned to
run over many years. To stop them
even temporarily would be to lose much
of what has been done.
For this reason the Station has kept
these Investigations in progress at the
expense OF other work that could be
given up with less of loss. But the limit
has been reached. 1t may be that as
reconstruction after the war progresses
the purchasing power of the dollar may
increase. II the dollar had the value it
had only two years ago it might be pos
sible TO continue without state help. 1t
may be that the appropriation of 5000
q year for the next two years that the
Station Council is asking to continue the
investigations now in progress at High
moor Farm may be only q temporary
need and that with the dollar back some |
where near its former valne the sppro-
priatiOn would need 10 be made for only
two or four years to tide over to this
recovery.
As from the fact that sheep were not
found profitable at Highmoor Farm
occasionally one hears of a person who
thinks the sheep have been q tax upon
Station income. The past year with the
high prices for wool and meat the sheep
have paid their way. And as the market
price of sheep has advanced so sharply
since the Station purchased, the invest
ment has, as a whole. been profitable.
While the Station has increased the
pay for labor and the salary OF the
assistants during the war, the salaries
of the heads of departments and the
more thoroughly trained investigators
have been kept constant despite the in
crease in living costs. They were told
they must do that as their war sacrifice.
But these heads must be- paid living
wage and If the dollar maintains its
present low purchasing value, increase
must be made in the case Of the trained
experts. While these people are in the
work for love of it, it is out Of the ques-
tion to expect to retain their services at
a salary so insufficient that their pay
ment of living expenses becomes an
anxiety. Other institutions are ready to
take our experts. Neither the Station
nor the state that the Station serves can
afford to lose these men from its pro
ductiye forces.-Chas. d. Woods, d.
rector.