8 AGRICUI.TURE Oli' MAINE). 



and the exceedingly high prices at which veal calves have been 

 selling, have induced farmers to sell their inferior stock and 

 make an effort to keep only that kind of stock from which they 

 will receive a profit. Fluctuations in the numbers of dairy cat- 

 tle to be found upon the farms will necessarily occur, but these 

 have no special significance as far as the development of the 

 dairy industry is concerned. 



We trust that the increase in the number of sheep reported 

 is an indication that the tide has finally turned and that our 

 farmers are beginning to realize their opportunities in this 

 direction. We are hopeful that this industry will be an increas- 

 ing source of revenue to the farmer. 



farmer's institutes. 



The interest in the farmers' institute work has been unabated. 

 Numerous requests for these meetings have been received, and 

 reports of practical benefit derived from them by farmers, which 

 have come to us, are very encouraging. Although the work has 

 been carried on along the same lines as in past years, and of 

 necessity much of the same ground has been covered, we feel 

 that these institutes afford a necessary stimulus to the farmer, 

 keeping him from the natural tendency to fall into ruts, and 

 inciting thought and inquiry, as well as imparting instruction in 

 relation to improved methods and the results of the latest 

 investigations in agricultural lines. We believe the farmers' 

 institute is no small factor in the agricultural education of the 

 people. These meetings were organized to meet the demand 

 on the part of the farming people for information, and they are 

 now held in all the states of the Union except two, and have a 

 potent influence on the agriculture of the country. 



Forty-seven institutes have been held during the last year, 

 with a total attendance of 6,446. The number held in each 

 county was as follows : Androscoggin county, 3 ; Aroostook 

 county, 4 ; Cumberland county, 3 ; Franklin county, 4 ; Han- 

 cock county, 3 ; Kennebec county, 2 ; Knox county, 3 ; Lincoln 

 county, 3; Oxford county, 3; Penobscot county, 4; Piscataquis 

 county, 2 ; Sagadahoc county, 2 ; Somerset county, 3 ; Waldo 

 county, 2 ; Washington county, 3 ; York county, 3. 



