“ The area devoted to cereals is rapidly increasing in Aroostook County, constituting in 1900 one-half of the total for the State. The potato crop, though having a less acreage than oats, produces a greater income than all the cereal crops combined. In Aroostook County an average of 6.6 acres per farm is devoted to potatoes. Intensive methods of cultivation are used, and a very high per acre product is obtained for potatoes, as also for most other crops. The acreage of hay and forage is over seven times as great as that of the cereals. ”

“ Maine lies in the heart of the temperate zone, yet in climate it ranks as boreal in the northwestern part, and the southeastern part is only a region of transition into the austral zone—a region of overlapping floras and faunas. The winter is very severe, except in a narrow strip along the coast. The summers are never hot. ”

“ In 1846 Maine passed the first prohibitory liquor law, and in 1884 inserted a prohibition clause in the Constitution. The laws against the manufacture of and the traffic in intoxicating liquors are very strict and supported by severe penalties. Liquors for medicinal, mechanical, and manufacturing purposes are sold in towns and cities under the supervision of State agents. Husbands are not liable for debts contracted by their wives in their own name, but the latter may be sued for them. ”

“ Yet in spite of this disadvantage the coast between Portland and Eastport contains proportionately the greatest number of good harbors to be found anywhere along the coast of the United States.
There are upward of 600 lakes and ponds, aggregating a total area of over 2300 square miles, or one-fourteenth the total area of the State. They lie for the most part in the elevated plateau region, and are of great natural beauty. The most noted are: Moosehead Lake, 120 square miles in extent, the largest inland body of water in New England, and the source of the Kennebec River ”

“ During the period from 1850 to 1900 the average acreage per farm remained nearly constant, the average for the latter year—106.2 acres—being the largest for the entire period. The average size of the farms varies greatly in the different counties. The State is remarkable for the small percentage of rented farms—less than 5 per cent. of the total.
As elsewhere in New England, the influence of the Western competition has obliged the Maine farmers to give up cereal farming in part, especially wheat. ”

“ In many instances the old academy buildings were occupied by the free high school. In 1889 towns were authorized to contract with any academy or high school for the tuition of their scholars, and to receive the same aid from the State as if they had established a free high school within the town. A large number of academies now receive State aid. In 1901 there were 211 free high schools receiving aid from the State, with a total attendance of 13,183. In 1900 the State employed 6445 teachers, of whom 5360 were women. State normal schools are maintained at Farmington, Castine, and Gorham. ”

“ The average annual rainfall for the whole State is 40 inches, very evenly distributed throughout the year, though there is a maximum precipitation in the late summer and autumn. There is an average annual snowfall at the coast of 60 inches, increasing rapidly to the north and west to over 110 inches. The relative humidity for the whole State is above 70 per cent., though the absolute humidity is rather low, on account of low temperatures. ”

“ By the end of Devonian time this trough was filled with sediments from the aging mountains, only to be uplifted, crumpled, and somewhat metamorphosed, again worn to base level and depressed, allowing carboniferous deposits to be laid down unconformably upon all the older beds. It was uplifted and again worn to base level in Cretaceous time, since which the region has been broadly lifted into a plateau of low elevation and again dissected. The Pleistocene ice sheet covered the State entirely, discharging its marginal ice into the sea. ”

“ The factories are located, almost without exception, along the rivers or on the coast, and most of them are run by water power. The manufacture of textiles—cotton and woolen goods—leads in importance. Both cotton and woolen mills were in operation during the early years of the nineteenth century. The cotton mills of to-day are all west of the Kennebec River. Lewiston is the chief centre. The woolen mills are more widely distributed, but also derive their power from the streams. The manufactures of cotton show a slight decrease in value during the decade 1890-1900. ”

“ Much attention is given to the raising of apples, the total number of trees in 1900 exceeding 4,100,000—an increase of 39.3 per cent. for the decade ending in that year. Other orchard and small fruits receive little attention.
Stock-raising is not a leading industry. Since 1880 the number of sheep has decreased over one-half, and the number of neat cattle had decreased rapidly after 1860 until the last decade of the century. The number of horses more than doubled during the last half of the century. ”

“ Increased attention is being given to dairying and market gardening, the poorer soils being turned into permanent pastures and the most fertile being appropriated for the raising of market products. Sweet corn is the most important of these crops. ”

“ In 1879 an election for members of the Legislature took place, and Governor Garcelon, desirous of gaining the Legislature for the fusion party, seized every opportunity afforded by the irregular but time-honored way in which elections were conducted to refuse certificates to Republican candidates and seat Democrats in their place; a Democratic majority was thus secured, and the Legislature was organized. ”

“ In this year 1,850,132 gallons were marketed with a value of $179,450. Potable waters of the highest quality are found in great abundance everywhere, the glacial drift being the usual source of supply for domestic use. ”