SECRETARY'S REPORT. 51 



ture to farmers in tins portion of the State, upon the best mode of producing. 

 They well know that there is wealth in their soil, but there is no incentive to 

 draw it forth — tliere is no substantial market. They want a railroad. Qive 

 us a railroad, and we will show you the most thriving portion of New Eng- 

 land, and hundreds of the most enterprising men of Maine will not go to the 

 west, and all other parts of the world, to find a place where the soil will repay 

 their enterprise and hard-handed toil. 



The usual date of earliest sowing, is May 10th. Latest plowing, 15th of 

 November. Corn is usually planted May 25th, and harvested about the 20th 

 of September. Cattle must be fed on winter stores between six and seven 

 months. 



I have thus imperfectly and hastily answered your queries, and am, 



Yours, &c., 



George F. Wuidden. 



Maple Grote, Aroostook Co., August, 1857. 



Dear Sir : In reply to some of the questions of your circular of April last, 

 I would say that 1 reside in an unincorporated township, and not a town. 

 The number of farmers in it has probably increased fifty per cent, within the 

 last five years. But few of them have got their lands cleared from stumps and 

 under cultivation with the plow. \\ here this has been done, the, crops of 

 grass, grains and roots indicate that we have great treasures in our soil, if 

 made available by proper cultivation. I think I can make more money on 

 my form by carrying it on, than by working out and receiving twelve per 

 cent, on the value of all which is invested in my farm, implements, buildings, 

 stock, &c., &c. Hired labor can be profitably employed by those who make 

 farming their business, even at the fluctuating prices of produce and labor 

 which have existed here. If we had a railroad into this county so that fiirmers 

 could realize a fair and comparatively steady price for their products, when 

 ready for market, I do not hesitate to say they could make more profit here 

 at farming than they could in Illinois. 



Grass grows luxuriantly ; we generally seed down in spring ; if to be. cut 

 for hay, with twelve pounds clover seed and four quarts of herdsgrass to the 

 acre; if to be cut for clover seed, with twenty pounds clover; do not often 

 seed with herdsgrass alone. Buckwheat is deemed the best grain to sow grass 

 seed with. 



Pasturage is remarkably good in tliis county, and with our facilities for 

 fencing, it piiys a great profit to divide our pastures. By managing thus, a 

 large stock of cattle will eat a small lot clean, and when the same lot is again 

 used, the feed is all young and sweet ; but if it be all in one lot, a part grows 

 up hard and worthless. Twelve acres divided, are as good or better than six- 

 teen in one lot. 



There have been four full blooded animals introduced into this township, 

 within a few years ; one Hereford bull and cow, one Durham bull, and last 

 spring, a North Devon bull was purchased by our Agricultural Society ; the 



