4 BOARD OF AaRICULTDRE. 



vated crops. The crop this 3'ear was ten per cent, above the average 

 in quantit}'. Throughout the entire State the weather was remarkably 

 favorable for curing it, and as a result the entire crop was housed in 

 sood condition. It is safe to make the record that the barns of 

 Maine never before contained so large a quantity of first-class hay 

 as at the close of the harvest of 1882. The quality ma}- be put 

 down as twent}' per cent, better than the average. We have no data 

 b}- which the number of tons harvested can be determined. 



The area in cereals and potatoes and the amount of each produced 

 in the State the present year will be found in another part of this 

 report. 



The fruit crop was onl}' twenty-five per cent, of the bountiful crop 

 harvested in 1881. There have been a larger number than usual of 

 fruit trees set this year, and orchardists generally are taking better 

 care of their orchards than formerly. A better understanding of 

 the business in all its requirements is found prevailing. This greater 

 care and the larger number of trees will in the near future result in 

 largel}- increasing this valuable crop. 



The extremely high price for fat cattle, ten dollars per hundred, 

 and upward for extra choice, dressed weight, in the spring and 

 summer months resulted in moving a large part of the fat cattle and 

 reduced the stock on hand, of this description, to about sevent3-five 

 per cent, of the amount held a year ago. An increased numlier of 

 steers, however, are coming on to take the place of the cattle sold off. 



Dairying, in limited districts where co-operation had been intro- 

 duced, is on the increase, but in the State at large the numl)er of 

 cows has slightly fallen olf. Co-operative cheese-making has 

 furnished about the same amount of product as last year. A few 

 factories have increased their make, and new factories have been 

 put in operation at Turner Centre, Wayne, and Monmouth, while 

 some others have slightly fallen off in their make. The work of the 

 Board has Ijeen directed, in a large measure, as will be seen by the 

 reports given, to the encouragement of this important branch of our 

 farming, believing that in adaptation and in facilities for marketing 

 the product our State is not excelled by any other locality. 



Wool has ruled low, especially for medium and coarse grades, and 

 as a consequence sheep husbandry is somewhat depressed. The 

 flocks have not been seriously reduced as yet, but the number 

 carried through the winter will be something less than a year ago. 

 Twenty-five cents a pound for unwashed medium wool is not con- 



