50 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



320 bushels of potatoes, 40 cents per bushel, . $128 00-' 



724 bushels of wheat, $1.50 per bushel, . . 108 75 



40 bushels of oats, 40 cents per bushel, . 16 00 



Income, , . . $252 75 



75 90 



Profit,* . . , . $170 85 



The same profits can be made again, and on almost any farm in this section, 

 in a common season ; and from this, I conclude, and say emphatically, that it 

 is best to enrich the soil. 



What I consider the defects of our farming, are, first, that the farmers in 

 this vicinity undertake to go over too much ground to raise their crops. lu 

 ■would be far better for them and the country, to let the forest stand, ('till 

 better days,) and till what they have cleared more thoroughly. It would pay 

 better according to the labor expended. 



Secondly, farmers depend too much upon a homo-market for grains. 

 Whereas, they should raise more cattle, hogs, horses, butter, cheese, &c., and 

 depend upon a distant market. Doubtless there are many defects in the 

 manner of farming in this vicinity, and there is only one thing necessary to 

 open the eyes of farmers, and start their enterprise in improving their agri- 

 culture, that is, a market, a good safe mnrket. The soil of this place is 

 unequaled in fertility in New England. We can here produce in greater 

 abundpnce and better quality, and at far less expense, most kinds of grain, 

 (except corn,) than any other place, in this State, at least. 



This is also a good grazing country ; and as good cattle, sheep, hogs, and 

 horses can be raised here as in the world, and as cheap as can be raised else- 

 where in the State. But there is little inducement for the farmer to raise 

 large crops of grain ; if he does, he may be but little richer than his neighbor 

 who raises just enough fur his own consumption and a little to trade off for 

 the groceries which he will give his grain for at a low price, and buy at a 

 large one. So it is better for the farmer when there is just enough grain 

 raised for home consumption. Thus, 'tis unsafe to hire labor and raise large 

 crops of grain, for sometimes he could not realize twenty-five cents for his 

 oats, and one dollar for his wheat; neither could he sell his hay. Then, 

 again, he might get a good price, and make something handsome. Then for 

 other things, cattle, horses, &c., there are only certain times that a farmer can 

 get a fair price. We are too far from a market — one hundred and sixty miles. 



What we want is a railroad to Bangor or some such place. Then the Aroos- 

 took will become the garden of the State of Maine. It is of but little use to lec- 



*The omission of" twenty cords of old manure" in this calculation, coupled with 

 the remark above, that it "cost nothing," tells, better than any amount of 

 description, its estimated value in this vicinity. If included at tlie price which some 

 farmers in the State would put upon it, there would be a material variation in the 

 figures. — Ei>. 



