2g6 ADAPTABILITY OF MAINE TO DAIRYING. 



treated will give a crop of grass worth feeding oif or cutting for 

 hay. There is but little waste land that cannot be profitably 

 utilized in grazing dairy cows. Many of the richest portions of 

 the farms, and the best grass lands upon them, are not yet devel- 

 oped, having been considered waste and worthless. Swales, 

 swamps, mucky ravines, wet, low lying lands, wanting only the 

 thrifty hand and judicious head to develop them, clear them of 

 obstructions and drain them perhaps of surplus water, and to re- 

 seed them to the proper varieties of grasses. This done, they 

 will become the source of rich returns for labor expended. 



Associated Dairijing. The factory system has encouraged the 

 use of science and of skill, and now a much better article is pro- 

 duced than formerly. The effect has been, that new markets have 

 opened for our dairy products both at home and in foreign coun- 

 tries. The facilities, also, for the marketing of the product are 

 much better than under the old system or private dairy plan. The 

 advantages in this are becoming yearly more apparent. The sys- 

 tem of associated dairying has stimulated enterprise in the whole 

 pursuit of agriculture wherever the system has been introduced. 

 The statistics show a larger aggregate of farm products raised 

 than previously, thus proving the general benefit resultiug from 

 the introduction of the system. 



The States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and 

 Rhode Island have not made great progress in associatea dairying, 

 owing to the good home market for milk and butter, and the hard 

 task to break from old customs; but Maine is well on the way. 

 Four years ago a solitary cheese factory started, under much 

 apprehension and misgiving, at Strong, in Franklin County, and 

 the next year three more joined hands with it, located at Dixfield, 

 Glenburn and Northport. The third year, or two years ago, 

 twenty more went into operation, and now we have between fifty 

 and sixty in successful operation. Such has been the wonderful 

 growth of the associated system in Maine. 



Here we would say a word in connection, showing the relations 

 this system may sustain to that powerful organization that has 

 also so rapidly banded together the farmers under its noble banner. 

 Thej^Grange is almost a necessary adjunct to the associated dairy. 

 The same building can, often now does, contain the Grange hall, 

 as well as the work and curing rooms of the cheese factory com- 

 pany. The one strengthens the other. They go hand in hand. 



