NiiW YORK 



bc7anjcal 

 gahdhn 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF 



AGRICULTURE. 



The year 191 1 has been a very successful one to the farmers 

 of Maine. Farming is an industry of great importance to this 

 State, as this is an agricultural state, and one of our largest in- 

 comes is from the products of the farm. Our farmers are tak- 

 ing up the question of putting their crops on to the market in 

 better shape, and co-operating in the selling of their products 

 and the purchasing of their supplies, thus getting better prices 

 and conducting their farming in a more business-like manner, 

 which will mean millions of dollars to this State in a short time 

 and put our State in the front rank in agricultural pursuits. 

 The farmers must not depend too much upon the dealers 

 from outside the State to conduct their business, as they can do 

 it to a large extent and thereby keep up the reputation of our 

 State and bring home to the State and her farmers abundance of 

 wealth and prosperity. 



The demands of the consuming population of this country 



are on the increase and many are turning back to the farm. 



There are great opportunities in Maine to develop agriculture, 



as there are thousands of acres of valuable land that could be 



put under cultivation at a very small expense, the soil being very 



productive as shown in the different crops that have been raised 



the past year. One of the greatest difficulties is for the farmer 



to get a fair price for his farm products, as there are too many 



middlemen and many of them dishonest and taking every 



advantage of the farmer, and this makes it expensive for the 



r;;^ consumer. The average consumer has an idea that the farmers 



f£^ are getting wealthy at the present cost of the food that is con- 



, sumed, but it is not so. Statistics tell us that the farmer does 



- i not get 30 cents of the consumer's dollar. This question will 



S interest the consumer as well as the producer. 



