Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-28
On the Farms Of Central Maine
News NOTES OF interest to Agrculturs Horculturist
Dalryman and Poultry Raiser
Maine Man
Makes Success
Of Agriculture
Especial to Kennebec Jourr,1


Skowhegan, Me-, Nov. 27-One Of
the most successful men in central
maine and one who has become in
dependent through agricultural pur-
suits, recently said, 1.-THE reason wbv
there are not more successful farr,ars
today is because they do not use their
heads." He explained this statement
py saying that there were too many
VINO made farming a matter of ron.
tine work and were not sufficiently
interested in their business to make a
study of it. One may take tbis
statement for what it is worth
out 1T is a we'll known fact
that there are more farmers today
VINO are taking advantage of the
many opportunities offered them 70
study scientific farming than ever no.
lore. With national and state ao,i-
cultural departments, periodicals de-
voted to the science of farminp tho
press ana county Farm Bureaus. all
az thelr command. there is no longer
any reason for non-success.
A fair illustration of modern farm
ing Is disclosed in visit to the farm
OF W.. .. Rowe, who lives about half
way between Skowhegan and Nor
rlogewock on the north side of the
hennebec. Mr.. Rowe makes no nre-
tense OF being an expect agriculturist
put his method of handling his small
farm or 10 acres is producing sat
iSidctory results. He has made 81.
sclentinc study of the soil of his
farm ana knows just what it will do
under certain conditions, For in
stance, the soil of a section of the
land is especially adapted to the rails
ing OF red kidney beans. For severa |
years MIR. Rowe has raised eight or
ten acres of this variety for which he
nnds a ready market at a good price.
This season his crops consisted of
ten acres of beans. one acre of sweet
corn, enough potatoes for home use
two acres of yellow corn, two acres of
cnsilage corn, four acres of oats ann
one acre of wheat. Two years ago
he raised two acres of wheat that
thrashed 35 bushels and this under
unfavorable conditions.
The banner crop raised on this farm
Is hay and in this Mr.. Rowe takes
great pride. All of his cultivated hay
land Is producing three tons to the
slfe AM some OF 1t -FOUR. This is ac-
complished by turning it over every
three years which is the accepted
method of modern times. Many times
Mr.. Rowe plows under a second crop
running better than a ton to the acre.
While a large part of this crop is
consumed on the farm. there is en-
ough surplus to bring in a tidy sum
each year.
The farm carries seventeen head of
grade Guernseys and Jerseys all bred
and raised at home. The standard of
this herd is being continually i'm
proved by the use of thoroughbred
sires. Mr.. Rowe is greatly inter-
ested in this stock and is able to feed
each individual animal so as to pro-
duce the greatest percentage of but
ter fat.
Mr.. Rowe believes that the average
farmer would be better off if he used
less commercial fertilizer and bases
his opinion On experiments made with
this and barn dressing.
In summing up. Mr.. Rowe claims
that the small farmer to be success
full, must turn his tillable land once
in three years. raise diversified crops
and work.