WHEAT CULTURE. 35 



The Committee appointed to consider so much of the Governor's 

 Address as relates to the culture of Avheat ; also to sum up and 

 report upon the deliberations of the Boai'd on the same subject, 

 report as follows ; 



That the Chief Magistrate makes this subject a specialty in his 

 annual address, is indicative of its paramount importance to the 

 people of the State. He does the State a lasting service, when he 

 so earnestly and conclusively points out, as he does, the excessive 

 draft on our resources, consequent upon the neglect of so impor- 

 tant a branch of agriculture, and clearly indicates the remedy to 

 be applied, and earestly enjoins the application of that remedy — 

 an increase in the area, as well as a better cultivation. It is 

 apparent from the prominence given to it in liis address that 

 Governor Chamberlain considers the culture of wheat paramount 

 to all else pertaining to agriculture in Maine. 



The discussions of the Board of Agriculture and the interest 

 manifested by its members, also attest to the importance of the 

 subject, not to farmers alone, but to all the people, as well. From 

 what has been said here we find that the time was when wheat 

 was a sure crop in Maine ; that for a long time after the first settle- 

 ment of the State, a sufficient quantity of wheat was grown to 

 furnish bread for its people ; that after a lapse of years the midge 

 made its appearance, and made such havoc on the crop that it was 

 abandoned in nearly all parts of the State — so that the farmers of 

 Maine, from sellers of wheat became purchasers of flour. It 

 further appears that in the few years past the wheat crops have- 

 received but little injury from the midge, and where wheat has 

 been cultivated, fair crops have been raised. May we not, then,, 

 safely encourage a revival of the wheat growing interest in our 

 borders ; and if it be true, as stated here, "that all other crops 

 grown in our State, whether sold or consumed, -would not pay for 

 tlie flour brought into the State," is it not high time that we 

 waked up to the situation, and that we should put forth every effort 

 to cut off, if possible, this enormous drain upon our hard-earned 

 money. 



It is not the purjDOse of your Committee to discuss the origin or 

 operation of the wheat midge, nor the habits or analysis of the 

 wheat plant, nor particular methods of culture, nor the properties 

 and application of manures ; but simply to advert to some few 

 statistical and certified facts, tending to show the feasibility as 

 well as the advantages of growing wheat in Maine. The evils of 



