Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-08-07

ought to be productive Of / profit II
a system Of general farming ID FOL.
lowed. It Is far better policy to
farm small farm well than attempt
to mine large one with slovenly
methods.
This is the goth Of July and after
one Of the dryest spells we have had
in this district for years we have one
of the best acre gardens we have
ever had, entirely due to deep cul-
tivation in the early months and AL
most continuous cultivation of the
surface all through the dry weather.
We have today hills OF early pota-
toes with an average Of IL large po-
tatoes to a hill, peas, beans, cell
cry, lettuce. beets, carrots, cauli-
flowers, cabbage, onions and corn all
tasseled out. In the last eight years
this acre of land has only had five
bags Of potato phosphate on It..
About 400 pounds Of acid phosphate
at SIS is used every month in
on the manure pile daily. Outside Of
this no fertilizer of any kind has
been used. This is the secret of good
crops in dry weather. Plenty of
straw manure plowed In deep every
Fall and no fertilizer to burn up the
tender roots in hot weather. Some
folks will say, oh, that's only an
acre" but l invite anyone to inspect
the acre and see the deep green,
healthy appearance of the lot and
this can be duplicated on 10 acres as
well as one.
With the wonderful climate we
have here there is no reason we can
not raise every pound of grain we
use, barring cottonseed meal, and
return the straw back to the land
and cut out phosphate bills which
surely keep half the farmers poor.
In fact, to prove my statement, tell
us how many potato farmers up
north owe their whole farms to the
fertilizer men. / guess l will stir up
a hornets nest amongst the fertilizer
advocates, but l am afraid f1gures
do not appeal to me as at the pres
emit moment ] certainly have the
goods on hand after fair trial oil
eight years.
If any politician wants to help the
farmer let him advance him money
to build a liquid manure pit, but II
has been proved that government or
state subsidiaries are injurious, so
that's that. But don't tell him You
can cure his ills by more investiga-
tons.
What the farmer wants is a good
cheap washing machine run by
very small gasoline engine for his
wife. That's the first thing. l kno"
If because l was present at large
farmers meeting out West and the
question was asked of the farmers
wives what they most wanted and
tina almost unanimous reply was
washing machine.
What a picture Of waste we see.
Waste lands on farms within rev
miles of Portland; acres OF wood
lots with bare stumps; old farm
houses falling into decay. Why not
exempt every new farmer who buys
in Maine from taxes for three to hve
wears? Many of our prominent men
have been to Europe and seen the
success that small farmers nave
made. simply by their efforts In CO.
operation. Investigate some or the
work being done in western Canada
and see the offers that are made TO
settlers, many Of whom are debt
clear in FIVE years and sometlmes
less.
Maine has a place for all her farm
ers but we must go back to the OLD
fashioned way of making the farm
so attractive that our youth Will De
happy to stay there and live ana
marry and be content with a falr
living instead of chasing shadows OF
chance among the bright lights. II
is to the future we must look and
build for. If we really wish this
grand old State TO once more regain
her place as a farmers paradise.