Il6 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



estimates have ever claimed from all the summer boarders and 

 visiting sportsmen combined. 



It can with trifling aid be doubled and quadrupled on the 

 same land while at the same time the land will become more 

 valuable and the owners gain in wealth. It will be wisdom on 

 our part if we try to foster this business. 



I have no doubt the results derived from this meeting will be 

 far reaching. As we realize the magnitude of this industry and 

 the importance of its development in increasing the valuation 

 of our State, I am not surprised to see our business men all over 

 the State taking a deep interest in this branch of farming. They 

 are willing and anxious to help us, the only question is, Are 

 we willing to help outselves? The law that has recently been 

 passed by Congress taxing colored oleomargarine ten cents per 

 pound and which was enacted largely through the united efforts 

 of the National Grange of this country ought to inspire us with 

 new zeal. 



Let us look at a few facts. I find from the report of the State 

 Board of Assessors for 1901 that we had in our State 144,000 

 cows, not including two-year-old and three-year-old heifers. 

 Allowing that, the milk and cream from 44,000 cows, and all that 

 of the heifers, is used for other purposes than the manufacture 

 of butter, and the cream from 100,000 cows is made into butter, 

 and estimating that they will average 200 pounds of butter per 

 cow, annually, we have a product of 20,000,000 pounds of butter 

 per year. 



What can be done to promote this growing industry is the 

 great question that confronts us. Much can be accomplished by 

 education, which is the great work of our nation today and is 

 the keynote of the success of the United States in commanding 

 the markets of the world. Why cry down the agriculture of 

 Maine when there is an opportunity for us to develop the grand 

 old State in the production of the finest butter and cheese pro- 

 duced on this continent? I ask you, gentlemen, why not place 

 Maine in the front rank as a dairy State while it is in your power 

 to do so? 



We should have a Dairy Commissioner or Dairy Instructor, 

 I do not care what you call him, as our sister states already have. 

 He should be appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture 

 and be under his direction so there would be no new department 



