Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-19
Friday, January 10, 1923.
TELLING THE N. e. FARMERS

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The telling of farmers how to farm
is not a novelty but the interest in
the meetings, the close attention to
what is being told and the general
news interest which the news gather
ers see in these meetings have not
always been in evidence. Neither has
there been manifest such a degree of
earnestness for cooperative effort
and SO intelligent comprehension of
all the conditions as characterize
these meetings of late.
These things are brought to mind
by the reports from the meetings in
Boston this week of the New Eng
land agricultural conference. An
Idaho man, former president of the
American Farm Bureau Federation,
said: You New England farmers
are going to receive encouragement
In cooperative marketing in the
future from sources that have dis
uouraged it in the past"
1t seems that representatives of
business and representatives Of agri-
culture have been putting their heads
together in Boston during the days
of this conference. 1t is time. The
business interests of New England
need stimulated effort among the
producers of food in this territory;
they need that which they may not
have until there shall be inducement
for the farmers to supply it. That
1nducement must in some degree
consist of more direct contact be-
tween producer and consumer, more
cooperation all around, removal of
friction along with surplus middle
men. This ought to be productive
of, enterprise as well as other pro-
ducts. Doubtless enterprise is need
cd. Also more willing "hired men,"
A certain amount of physical exer-
tion must accompany the enterprise.
Some say we need more immigrants
to work on the farms. Those who
will find and transplant that variety
to this country will indeed qualify as
public benefactors.
While one rightly is somewhat
skeptical over advice from rank
outsider, and we may at first be in
clined to question the gentleman
from Idaho who told the conference
Maine should raise more beef. it
comes to mind that this is just what
the head of great enterprise out
here in Lincoln County, The Jeffer-
son Farms Inc, has been telling US
for several years, the while he has
been demonstrating its success on
some of our deserted farms.
Are we making full use of our
Experiment Station and advantages
at the University of Maine? One of
the speakers at this conference COM
mented on what would have happen
ed to the potato had there been no
scientific work devoted to the culture
of it, what with the pests which
have beset it. He referred to the
epoch making work done by the
Maine experiment station in the way
of controlling certain potato diseases.
or course it costs more to raise po-
tatoes nowadays what with the diff
ficulty of obtaining labor and the
work of controlling the pests, more
in money, more in enterprise, more
in brains properly trained. The con-
sumer has got to pay for this, but he
will not have to pay so much if his
food may be successfully raised here
in New England as If it all had to he
transported from California or South
America. He should see that like
wise the Maine farmer should see it
and make his nlanS accOrdinglY