DAIRY MEETING. 73 



made this year I think I can do better another season if my 

 Hfe and health are spared. I am now 91 years old. I have no 

 seed for sale. 



Yours for a bigger and better corn crop. 



Ira Winn. 



I might present many more but these will suffice to indicate 

 a standard of work which insures improvement. Believing 

 firmly that a little encouragement, for a few years, will be 

 followed by a decided increase in acreage devoted to this impor- 

 tant crop, I shall be glad to cooperate with this society in pro- 

 moting that much desired interest, and, if thought best by the 

 officers, continue the prizes for 1909, under the same conditions 

 as in 1908, supplying each contestant with one pint of pedigree 

 seed. This seed was grown by me the past season from seed 

 furnished me by Mr. Winn of Deering, who has for forty 

 years been seeking its improvement. With just fair cultivation 

 and fertilization I obtained yield at the rate of more than 100 

 bushels of shelled corn per acre. In selecting seed for next year 

 only strong, vigorous ears were accepted, from which all suckers 

 and false shoots were removed, and from these one inch of both 

 tips and butts were first shelled for grinding, so that the seed is 

 uniform and represents only the centre of the ears. Touching 

 its ability to mature, will say that the 95th day from planting 

 the husks were dry and the ears stood out clear and well hard- 

 ened. When well dried in the cob, the average weight was 

 between seven and eight ounces per ear yielding 6 to 61-2 

 ounces shelled corn. 



I leave this matter in your hands, gentlemen, for such action 

 as may be deemed best by the Association, suggesting that if 

 these premiums are not to be continued, this Association out- 

 line a more complete and effective method of reaching the 

 desired result. That result is too important to be neglected, 

 for if by any means the young men on the farms of Maine can 

 have kindled within them a love for stock and crop production 

 and be helped to find the larger results possible through skill 

 and insight, the future of Maine farms will be solved and 

 increasing prosperity assured. 



What Maine needs today, in spite of the great progress of the 

 past few years, is more enthusiasm for the farm and a stronger 



