Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-20
What Does the Farm
Bureau Mean to the
People Of the State?

Editor, Agri. Page:
AZ you now have page weekly
devoted to farm topics, and as proba-
bly, very large number OF your
subscribers come from the rural
sections. I am tempted to ask the
Question as to whether the various
organizations intended to help agri-
cuiturSs and those living in the cities,
by the production Of sufficient food,
10 not At the expense OF the farmers
themselves, and Indirectly In the end
harmful to those living In the cities?
The various Experiment stations,
Agricultural Colleges, Farm Bureau,
County agents. etc. are costing tax
money and quite a lot Of 1t, which
might be justified IL they were doing
the good they should be expected
to do, but are they? 1t is all very
well for a county agent to tell a
farmer how to make two blades Of
grass grow where one grew before,
or how to make his hens lay two
eggs instead Of one, but IL those two
eggs or two blades OF grass only
fetch the price that one used to. Is
mot the advice worse than useless to
the farmer? If this over production
brings the price below its cost. 1t
ID both harmful to agriculture and
sooner or later harmful to the people
In the cities.
Potatoes last year had to be sold
much below cost, farmers could not
this year, causing the pendulum to
swing the other way, with bad eff
feet On city peoples pocketboo!tc, and
without materially benefitting the
farmer. due to the propaganda cir
culated a. to the profits IN potatoes.
The County Agents just at present
are great on the Poultry industry,
with all sorts Of tales as to the profit
therein, when as a matter of fact the
poultry business 10 q highly special
ized one demanding capital, constant
attention to details, hard work, q
good business head both to produce
and to sell the product. I believe l
cannot be successfully contradicted
when say that for every person
getting anything for his labor keep
ing hens, three are not only working
for nothing, but actually losing mon
ey as wen. 1t Is now February. the
coolest month In the year and eggs
are selling below cost OF production,
and the mass Of poultry produced
last year were disposed OF for the
most part for less than they had
cost to produce, and yet the county
agents still gibly talk regarding the
money In hens.
I have by me a statement regard
ing the profit in hens from Mr.. Day.
county agent for Kennebec county,
which he 10 sending out to farmers.
This statement claims q flock OF 259
W. yapnAt Last Of
$3.50 per hen; the average flock
production being 1853 eggs per hen
ana the eggs sold to local stores and
commission houses.
Now 153 eggs is lax dozens, which
at an average of so cents per dozen,
(higher average price than possible
year around. but let. 1t go at that
the 1853 eggs selling Tor 1897; so the
gross receipts did not even equal the
profit claimed: allowing nothing for
feed, nothing for labor, nothing for
depreciation on birds and houses,
nothing for losses by disease, tax on
poultry etc. A good modern hen
house today can cost $500. and Will
whatever it's cost last about 10 years,
hence item for depreciation alone.
Will Mr.. Day, or any of his breth-
rem, kindly tell us how he gets his
figures?
AS q means Of getting people to-
gether in a social way, the Farm
Bureau meetings are all right. but as
means Of teaching the farmer or his
wife anything really profitable, they
certainly are luxury. which he can
Ill afford, especially as most OF the
advice rendered him gets him even
tually into more trouble and debt by
over production.
Watch the present propaganda for
planting appletrees; inspired by the
Farm Bureau, nurseymen, commits
sion agents. express companies. etc.
singing in unison. Ten years from
now when these trees come into
bearing, the fruit produced will hard
ly pay for picking off the ground.
as is today happening in other parts
of the country. thro the same propa-
ganda spread there a few years ago.
Faithfully yours,
Charles Elvin.
Readfield, Me.