2C AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



in 1900 was 248,140, total valuation, $^^39,157, or an average- 

 value of $2.57 per head, and the number given for 19 10 was 

 125,439, total valuation, $379,606, or an average of $3.03; 

 making a decrease of 122,701 sheep, a dropping off of nearly 

 one-half of the number of sheep kept in our State in ten years. 

 Perhaps this is due to the fact that our sheep men are not 

 keeping so many sheep as they did in years past when they were 

 kept more for the wool. Xow there are more sheep killed for 

 mutton and the lambs are put on the market for food and 

 bring a good price; and it is a temptation for the owners of the 

 lambs to sell them at such high prices as the markets will 

 give. But, on the other hand, if they would raise more of the 

 lambs, how many more sheep they would have to breed from in 

 the future. If every sheep breeder in this State would say that 

 next year he would raise one-half his ewe lambs, what a won- 

 derful increase there would be in the sheep industry of our 

 State. 



We must keep more sheep to feed the hungry and clothe the 

 naked of this great nation, and under the conditions which exist 

 at present in regard to the help question, it seems to me that 

 sheep can be kept with a good profit. I hope that in the future 

 the number of sheep kept in this State will be on the increase, 

 as we have the fences for the sheep and the laws for the dog. 



SWIXE KEEPixn. 



There is no reason why the farmers of this State cannot 

 raise swine with a good profit. At the present price of pork 

 and the high prices that are paid for young pigs, there is no 

 animal that can be grown on the farm that will turn the owner 

 a handsomer profit than the hog, and better utilize the waste 

 products of the farm, if he is properly fed and given a fair 

 chance. 



Hogs can be kept to good advantage in orchards if they are 

 not kept in too small a range, and they assist in consuming the 

 fruit that drops from the trees and loosening up the earth 

 around the roots of the trees, and are of more or less assistance 

 in fertilizing the orchard. Also, we have many pastures in the 

 State where hogs can be kept to good advantage, especially 

 where there are stone walls for fences. I have seen hogs in 



