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agriculture; of maine;. 



representatives of the homes of Maine, the country homes, the 

 love of which in all ages has been one of the strongest senti- 

 ments of the human heart. Some of our finest poems have been 

 on that subject. How those immortal lines recur to the mind, 

 "How dear to this heart are the scenes of my childhood, when 

 fond recollection presents them to view !" In every age of civil- 

 ization the tenderest thoughts of humanity have centered around 

 the word home. To say that agriculture is the basis of all our 

 national prosperity would be simply to repeat a truism. But 

 sweeter, grander and nobler than all material wealth are those 

 tendrils of afifection that ever cling around the home of our 

 childhood days. The poet never sings of the city, he never 

 sings of the palaces of the rich ; it is the vine clad cottage by 

 the sea, or some country home in some wooded dale. 



I am here this evening to say a word of welcome to you who 

 represent the happy homes of Maine. You are also representa- 

 tives of the great dairy interests of this State. Dairying is 

 today simply in its infancy. I remember when a boy, and some 

 of you older ones can easily remember, the old barn with its 

 great cracks, the scrub cow, the old milking stool. But a 

 wonderful change has come as the years have passed by. Today 

 we find the blooded cow ; today we find a better barn, a better 

 house. We find the barn shingled or clapboarded and painted, 

 and a neatly kept lawn around the buildings. Everything has 

 been progressing and advancing with giant strides since you and 

 I were boys, and I believe the future will see as great an advance 

 in this industry. Year by year the great army of tourists to 

 our State is increasing, and the time is coming when every acre 

 in the State of Maine will be taxed to its utmost to provide for 

 our summer guests. Do you realize that there are 1,700 miles 

 of coast line in the State of Maine? We have also over one 

 thousand lakes, and countless rivers and waterfalls, and majestic 

 primeval forests. This State is to be the great playground 

 of the American Nation. In this line alone there is a great 

 prospect for the dairy industry of the State. Prosperity is cer- 

 tain to come in ever increasing volume as the years roll on. 



As I look over this audience of intelligent yoemanry, there 

 comes to my mind as if wafted across the rolling seas from the 

 far land of Bonny Doon the lines of Sir Walter Scott: 



