'JRK 

 \NJCAL. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF 



AGRICULTURE. 



I regret that the year 19 15 was not as propitious for the 

 agricultural community as it might have been. The unuue 

 rains during the last of June, July and August practically 

 destroyed the money value of the crops that were planted in 

 the southwestern section of the state as far north as Bangor. 

 This wet weather also made it very difficult to harvest the hay 

 of which there was an abundance, but it was harvested under 

 such adverse conditions that its quality was inferior. The 

 sweet corn crop was not one-third of a normal crop and the 

 potato yield was not more than one-fifth of a normal yield. 

 The apple crop, also, was very short, not owing, however, to the 

 wet weather but rather to other conditions. These conditions 

 applied only to the southern portion of the state. Such a year 

 as this emphasizes the importance of the live stock industry and 

 makes especially apparent the stability of the small profit of 

 keeping dairy herds. The crops, such as they were, sold for a 

 high price and helped to sustain the farmers and keep going the 

 farms that depended entirely upon agriculture for an income. 



SOME UNFORTUNATE CONDITIONS TENDING TO DETRACT FROM 



EOOD PRODUCTION. 



There has long been a promise of a seed time and harvest. 



annually. If, however, the seed time is not taken advantage of, 



the harvest must suffer in consequence. At the present time 



the labor conditions are such that it is well-nigh impossible to 



get help temporarily for either the seed time or the harvest. 



I might say that it is well-nigh impossible to get help for any 



^s. season during the year on the farm. This condition has made 



o-j it imperative that every available labor-saving machine be 



, used and that the farmer operate only so much as he can with 



' o) his own help. 



