DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 261 



receipts, by departments, I feel that I can express an opinion 

 born of experience, yet fail to realize how it is possible to say 

 decidedly yes or no, because of factors which must enter 

 in. In the right appreciation of these lies the crux of the 

 whole situation. Accepting these, my answer would unhesitat- 

 ingly be yes, for it is a simple proposition to obtain a gross 

 income of $800 to $1,000, not counting what goes into the 

 house from the field or garden for family use, and without 

 recourse to methods not applicable, or necessary, in all farm 

 operations. 



Most firmly am I convinced that the only path leading to 

 success with my ten acres is, that every man must travel who 

 owns one hundred, except that these few cannot include pas- 

 turage or wood lot, for every rod must be made contributory 

 to the sum total income. What then is necessary? 



First, location in or near a town, or small village, where 

 there is a steadily increasing number of non-producing wage 

 earners, or summer visitors. This last class constitutes an asset 

 of increasing value to the nearby truck farmer. The average 

 country resident owns plenty of land but attaches very little 

 importance to the garden, the more valuable crops possible 

 to grow therein, or to the small fruits ; hence, location must be 

 with special reference to those incomers who turn from the 

 cold storage or wilted city supply to the fresh products of 

 tree, shrub, bush and land. Distance and long shipment would 

 necessitate changes in crops and subject the grower to increased 

 expenses. Looking for largest income, nearness to market, 

 becomes an essential not to be overlooked. To our shame be 

 it said that there is hardly a hotel in Maine which will consider, 

 for a moment, that which might be of greatest value, the home 

 grown supply of fruit, vegetables, meat and crops, simply be- 

 cause it cannot be depended on and is so inadequate. Here a 

 dependable supply forces reliance on city distributors even 

 though, as is often the case, these goods were grown, or pro- 

 duced, close at hand. 



Second, no man can reach his best unless carrying on con- 

 genial work. Hence, location should be with special reference 

 to what one wants to do. In this, character of soil, elevation, 

 adaptability, as well as market facilities, become factors not to 

 be overlooked. 



