DAIRY AND SKED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 



277 



While there is a great possibiHty of crop improvement in 

 Maine, statistiics show that Maine has a record of which she 

 should not be ashamed. Compared with other states, her yields 

 per acre of the various crops for the year's report for 1912 

 show : 



16 ,000 acres of corn. 



3,000 



133 ,000 



105 ,000 



14 ,000 



117,000 



1 ,231 ,000 



wheat, 



oats, 



barley, 



buckwheat, 



potatoes, 



hay. 



with a yield of 40 bu. per A., ranking 8th place. 



" " " " 23.5 " " " 8th " 



34.6 23d 



26.2 " " " 13th " 



29.4 " " " 3d " 



198 " " " Ist " 



1.2 tons " " 46th 



If we assume for the present that by the use of improved 

 seed there 'will be an increase in the yield and quality of the 

 crop produced, then there will be a number of questions that 

 will naturally present themselves for consideration. 



1st. Is our local production of grain and forage crops equal 

 to our home demands? 



2d. Do economic conditions warrant the advisability of 

 adopting improved methods? 



3d. Can the present yield and quality of crop be materially 

 improved, and what is their relation to seed improvements? 



4th. The relation of seed improvement to the farmer him- 

 self. 



Are the farmers of Maine satisfied with their present rank? 

 Does not the stfate afford great opportunities in the develop- 

 ment of her diversified farming, especially along the lines of 

 live stock industry, both of beef cattle and dairying. Do wc 

 intend to remain idle and allow the shipment of milk from 

 Canada to supply home demands, or to eat beef fattened in 

 Texas and canned in Chicago ? We are close to good markets, 

 not only for live stock, but for all kinds of farm produce. 

 Then, if this be tnie, ,we must bear in mind that with an in- 

 crease along these lines, there must necessarily be associated 

 an increase in the production of feeds for home con- 

 sumption. Today, the state of Maine produces only sixty- 

 seven per cent of the oats, five per cent of the wheat and 

 twenty-six per cent of the corn that is necessary for her own 

 use. In addition to this shortage in feed stuff, she is a heavy 

 importer of mill feeds. 



