l6 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



ers and got rid of the "cow boarder." The teaching of the last 

 lew years has been to keep "better cows." It is easy to give 

 such advice but it is not easy to obtain, either by breeding or by 

 purchase, enough of the desired "better cows" to take the place 

 of the "cow boarders" that have been eliminated. The number 

 of "better cows" in the state is constantly on the increase, yet 

 the fact remains that this increase does not keep pace with the 

 demand for them. This statement emphasizes more fully the 

 fact mentioned before, that the state needs a larger number of 

 pure blood males of high merit. 



Ao-ain the demand for draft oxen is almost a thing of the 

 past; and were it not for the almost prohibitive price of draft 

 horses, there would be very few oxen on the farms today. 

 Formerly large numbers of steers and oxen were raised for 

 draft purposes as well as for beef. The displacement of oxen 

 for draft purposes, combined at the same time with the low 

 price of beef, resulted in a rapid diminution in their numbers. 

 It is not reasonable to expect much further use of oxen for 

 draft purposes, although it must be acknowledged that the ox 

 has some very warm friends. 



We also call attention to the fact that upwards of 700 ani- 

 mals were killed during the year 1913 for tuberculosis. In 

 some cases entire herds have been nearly wiped out. The loss 

 of so many cattle has a depressing efifect upon the business, 

 and on that account many farmers are led either to go out of 

 the dairy business or to keep fewer animals. 



These conditions, and possibly others, working together, 

 have caused some decrease in numbers of live stock in the 

 state. Some of these causes will continue operative in the 

 future. On the other hand, the increasing demand for fine 

 dairy products will serve to maintain high prices', and that 

 means the keeping of more and more high class stock. 



INSTITUTES. 



There has been a call for institutes from all parts of the 

 state, and a very large number of addresses have been made 

 under the auspices of the Department. State of Maine speak- 

 ers have been employed for the most part, and they have met 

 good sized audiences. Many institutes have been held in con- 



