lO AGRICUI.TURR OF MAINE. 



The results accomplished in other agricultural states in the 

 line of seed improvement have been very marked. Five-year 

 tests with corn made by about 600 members of the Wisconsin 

 Agricultural Experiment Association showed an average yield 

 of 59.1 bushels per acre, while the average yield of the State 

 was 36.5. Experiments in Indiana have shown that carefully 

 selected seed corn of a type suited to the soil and climatic con- 

 ditions where it is to be used will produce a much larger yield 

 per acre than that which is commonly used, without selection. 



Also, the farmers' co-operative demonstration work in the 

 South gives a good illustration of the value of seed improve- 

 ment work. In North Carolina last year the average yield of 

 corn on the demonstration farms was 40 bushels, while the 

 general average for the State was 16.8 bushels. The work in 

 seed selection cannot be credited with all this gain, but it cer- 

 tainly played an important part. 



We trust that the coming Legislature will see to it that this 

 work is continued. 



AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. 



The work of gathering agricultural statistics has been com- 

 pleted and the results have been published. This publication 

 takes up the resources, agricultural production, etc., of the 

 State by counties and cannot fail to be of great assistance in 

 making known the advantages and agricultural possibilities of 

 our State, and in guiding the many home seekers who are turn- 

 ing their attention to the East. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The Quarterly Bulletins issued during the past year have 

 been upon the following subjects: Better Fruit for Maine; 

 The Home Garden ; The Poultry Industry ; The Silo and Stock 

 Foods. Requests for these and for the annual report of the 

 Department have been more numerous than ever before. Cir- 

 culars and leaflets have been issued from time to time. 



A Bulletin on Investigation of Dairy Products has been is- 

 sued quarterly by the Dairy Division. In addition to the an- 

 alyses of samples of milk, cream and butter taken during the 

 quarter, and the results of prosecutions for violations of the 



