STOCK AND SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 153 



Mr. Briggs of Turner. I hope the farmers of Aroostook 

 will not be led away by our scientific men. I think if they 

 would double the number of sheep in this county, the}' 

 would do a profitable thing for themselves. As I said before, 

 I think it best to make a cross in regard to sheep, in order to 

 secure the best kind for wool and mutton. 



Gen. Brown of Portland. I want to ask whether it is 

 practical or profitable to raise stock in Aroostook county. 

 I wish to ask. Is there money in raising beef, sheep and 

 horses in Aroostook county, and I may add good mutton? 

 We have heard a great deal in our part of the State as to the 

 profits of such a business, and I think the reports are not 

 exaggerated, from what I have seen of the county since being 

 here. I met a drove of cattle and asked the price of animals, 

 and was surprised to find them so low. If you can satisfy 

 the people who would like to put capital in here, that they 

 can make money, I think many more would come in. 



Mr. Hayden of Aroostook. I have taken one hundred and 

 ninety dollars out of my wool and lambs in one year. I will 

 state this much in reply to the gentleman. 



Mr. Haytord. I will (ry to answer some of Mr. Brown's 

 questions. We can raise hay here and put it into the barn for 

 one dollar per ton. Farmers in the western part of the State 

 know how much it costs them to cut hay there and what their 

 yield is to the acre. I think it safe to say that we can raise 

 two yokes of cattle as cheap here as you in the older counties 

 can raise one. Some of your farmers, perhaps, ask how is 

 that? How can you get your hay so cheap? Well, after we 

 get the stumps wholly or nearly out, we can put our mowing 

 machines in and take down a large piece. We can put it into 

 the barn at one dollar per ton, as I stated before. 



Mr. Brown. Does that include the labor expense of gath- 

 ering the crop ? 



Mr. Hayford. Yes, sir. Three vears ago this summer I 

 had six men in my hay field, and from Monday morning till 

 Saturday night we put sixty loads of hay into the barn. I 

 paid the highest that year one dollar per day for help, and 



