90 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



SECOND DAY. 



The morning session of the second day of the winter 

 meeting of the State Board of Agriculture opened at ten 

 o'clock on December 3, Mr. Hartshorn in the chair. 



The Chairman. I have the pleasure of introducing to 

 you Dr. G. M. Twitchell of Fairfield, Me., who will speak 

 to you on " Some Conditions for Success in New England 

 Agriculture." 



SOME CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS IN NEW ENGLAND 

 AGRICULTURE. 



BT DR. G. M. TWITCHELL, FAIRFIELD*, ME. 



I have selected the above as a suggestive topic, around 

 which I may, if possible, gather a few thoughts of interest 

 to the practical farmers present. Agriculture, in New 

 England to-day, is in a peculiar condition It is passing 

 through a crucial period. The past decade has witnessed 

 wonderful progress in the arts and sciences, and these, with 

 the inventive genius of the age, have been poured out to 

 cheapen in every way the cost of living. 



As all food and raiment come from the soil, and the 

 products thereof, it follows naturally that, with every step 

 tending to decrease the cost of the manufactured article, 

 additional burdens are placed upon the producer of the raw 

 material. This is inevitable, and hence, in considering this 

 question, cannot be ignored. 



To secure all that is possible, a great network of iron 

 bands has been stretching out in every direction, all over 

 this continent. The voice of man has been passing under 

 the great waters, and heard in the remotest corners of the 

 globe. Commerce, with its white sails and giant wheels, 

 has been cutting broad channels in the mighty deep, and all 

 the forces of earth, air and sea have been combining to bless 



