Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-17
AGRI, GROUPS
ELECT OFFICERS
At LEWISTON

LEWISTON, Nc, NV. Nv Az 49,
nual meeting and exhibition Of the
Allied Agricultural Associations OF
Maine was concluded today. At the
annual session of the Maine Seed
Improvement Association, a legisla-
tive committee was selected with
the object of increasing the inspec-
ton Of potato seed. Maine now has
a large southern market for certi-
fed seed, it was stated. Officers
chosen by this association were:
President. John l.. Leland. of Dover;
vice-president, Robert Themes, OF
Portland y secretary, E. L. Newdick,
of Augusta; treasurer, c. M. White,
of Augusta.
Speakers for the day were a. X.
Gardner, crops specialist OF Orono,
who gave a report of the Potato DIS
case Conference at Pressure Isle,
Nov. 3: 1.-THE Desperation Diseases
of the Potato" by Or. Donald +.
Folsom. plant pathologist OF Orono;
"Sweet Corn From the Standpoint
of the Growers Association" by {.
II. Crawford. secretary of the asso-
citation: and 1.-THE Story of a Nine
Acre Farm" by DR.. G. n. Twitchell,
of Monmouth.
Mr.. Crawford's address was as
follows:
"Sweet Corn from the Growers
Standpoint" was the subject OF an
address given by c. II. Crawford OF
tie State Department of Agriculture
1T the Thursday meeting Of the Maine
Seed Improvement Association at
Lewiston. Mr.. Crawford spoke IN
part as follows:
Until within few years sweet
corn was considered one of the most
important crops produced IN our
State. In the early days of the In
dustry the farmers received one and
cne-half cents per pound for cut
corn and the production per acre was
much lower than at present. Farms
2, oduced labor of the good old New
England blood, bone d muscle. who
would get up at four o'clock In the
help milk the cows and o.
ten hoe or NOW while before break
fast. They not onl;' understood how
hut actually tried to get as much
work done In day as possible. Their
were not on some scheme to
get more pay for less hours and less
work and with never q thought for
Their average monthly
ray ranged from $12 10 SIS per month
with no pay day until the six months
or the time specified in the trade was
All holidays and time
off were deducted or made up. The
uppermost Thought in the minds of
the farms was some money coming In
during the fall to pay the hired man,
taxes. etc, with no though of profit
o. loss or cost of production.
Those were the days when sweet
corn earned the reputation of being
enc of Names most important In
dustries, being about the only crop
that promised cash up during the
season it was produced. Then pota-
tees and beans were grown only in
small way and were exchanged with
the butcher. grocer and cobbler for
necessities in the family. Half or
whole day was spent in trying to sell
eight or ten pounds of butter produce
Ell from old brindle and the speckled
heifer. Cream or whole milk markets
were unheard of.
The increase in price of corn has
been the result of long struggle by
the farmers. and only obtained when
an uprising by the growers was
threatened. At no time did it keep
pace with the cost of production until
during the late war. Then 1t was
that the federal government warned
al people having to DO with the pro-
duction of the necessaries of life that
sufficient prices be paid to induce all
to maintain high production. Prices
II all farm products went up by leaps
and bounds with still a satisfactory
margin of profit for those higher up.
With the price of corn at three cents
and favorable season with high pro-
duction. a larger per cent, of sweet
corn growers received an actual net
profit than ever before.
The following year was the begin
ming OF the readjustment period. and