Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture

^Public Document No. 123 b . ; Cbe Commontoealtl) of ^assatftusetts ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Year ending November 30, 1923 Publication of this Document approved by the Commission on Administration and Finance : DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1923 Commissioner of Agricnlture Dr. ARTHUR W. GILBERT of Belmont Advisory Board appointed by the Governor and Council EVAN F. RICHARDSON of Millis, Term expires Nov. 30, 1924. LESLIE R. SMITH of Hadlet, Term expires Nov. 30, 1924. PETER I. ADAMS of Housatonic, Term expires Nov. 30, 1925. HERBERT N. SHEPARD of Warren, Term expires Nov. 30, 1925. JOHN BURSLEY of Barnstable, Term expires Nov. 30, 1926. STUART L. LITTLE of Newbury, Term expires Nov. 30, 1926. Organization of the Department Division of Dairying and Animal Husbandry — Osman M. Camburn op Arlington, Director Division of Information — Dr. Charles D. Woods of Newton, Director Division of Markets — Willard A. Munson of Walpole, Director Division of Ornithology — Edward Howe Forbush of Westborough, Director Division of Plant Pest Control — R. Harold Allen of Taunton, Director Division of Reclamation, Soil Survey and Farms — Leslie R. Smith of Hadley, Director CONTENTS PAGE Report of the Commissioner 4 Recommendations for Legislation 4 Changes in the staff 5 Cooperation among agricultural agencies 5 Daylight Saving . 5 Cooperation with Members of the Legislature 5 Food problem of Massachusetts 5 New England Agricultural Conference . 6 European Corn Borer 6 Certification of poultry 6 English Farmers to come to New England 7 Division of Dairying and Animal Husbandry: Inspection work 7 Dairying 8 Bovine Tuberculosis 8 Demonstration sheep farms 8 Exhibits and meetings 9 Poultry industry 9 Division of Information Agricultural statistics 10 PubUcations 10 The Library 11 Distribution of agricultural information 12 Listing and advertising Massachusetts farms for sale 12 State institution farms 13 «P.D.123 3 Division of Markets: page Wholesale market news 13 Market news service for housewifes 15 Apple grading 17 Onion grading 17 Tobacco grading 18 Roadside markets 18 Information on marketing 18 Cooperative relations . 19 Produce market research study 19 Massachusetts crops 20 Crop areas, Production and values in 1923 20 Division of Ornithology: PubHcations of the year 21 Gulls and terns feeding on seventeen-year cicada 21 The Heath hen 22 Gulls and terns of Massachusetts 22 Bird banding . 22 Division of Reclamation, Soil Survey and Fairs: Report State Reclamation Board 22 Salisbury drainage district 23 Green Harbor drainage district 23 Wewantic River drainage district 23 North Marlboro reclamation project 23 Assabet River drainage district 24 Shelburne project 24 Cherry Rum Brook drainage district 24 Wessagussett drainage project 24 Malagasco drainage project . 24 North Scituate reclamation project 24 Wapping reclamation project 24 Great pasture reclamation project 25 Bear meadow reclamation project 25 Recommendations (Drainage laws) 25 Soil survey 25 Fairs and exhibitions 25 Medals 26 Camp Gilbert 26 Expenses special exhibits 26 Poultry shows 27 Summary of expenditure 28 Control work 28 Division of Plant Pest Control: Nursery inspection 29 European corn borer 30 White pine blister rust 31 Apiary inspection 32 Ci)e Commontoealtl) of ^a00ac|)U0ett0 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER Recommendations for Legislation. 1. Apple Grading. — The law on apple grading and packing, -which appears as sections 100 to 114 of Chapter 94 of the General Laws, has been in force for eight years. Experience indicates that some amendments to the law are desirable. Complaints have been made against the requirement of section 102 that other marks than those indicating the grade shall not be more conspicuous on the package than the marks required by law, because this requirement limits the use of colored brands, labels and private marks. It seems sufficient that the marks required by law shall be according to the law and the regulations made by this department pursuant to the law, and the repeal of the requirement in question is therefore recommended. As the law now reads, it does not state specifically at Avhat time and by whom closed packages shall be marked. An amendment to section 104 is recommended to make such marking obligatory upon the packer or repacker at the time of packing or repacking. 2. Inspection of Dairy Products. — The division of Dairying and Animal Husbandry finds its authoritj' under section 14 of chapter 128 of the General Laws inadequate for the enforcement of laws relating to substitutes for butter. It is recommended that this section be strengthened so as to make the work of the department in this field more effective, and that provision be made for the issuance of search warrants for oleomargarine in imitation of yellow butter. 3. Marking of Milk Cans and Containers. — By sections 2 and 3 of chapter 45, acts of 1921, the use of cans or containers not marked with their capacity and properly sealed, in the purchase or sale of milk or cream at wholesale, is forbidden from January 1, 1924. A considerable number of unmarked cans, purchased before this law went into effect, are still in the possession of milk dealers and contractors, and will not be all beyond usefulness at the time when their further use is forbidden. Most of these cans are not used as measures, but simply as containers for milk purchased by weight. New cans supplied for the wholesale milk business are all marked and sealed as the law requires. In order to avoid imposing a hardship upon such dealers and contractors as have not been able to dispose of their former style cans, it is recommended that the time limit on their use in connection with purchases or sales of milk and cream by weight be extended until January 1, 1927. 4. Report on the Birds of Massachusetts. — In order that the illustrations for this report, authorized by chapter 5, Resolves of 1921, may be completed, and the first volume published, further authority is necessary. It is also desirable to provide for the distribution of the report. A resolve to meet these requirements is accordingly recommended. 5. Amendments to the Reclamation Law. — No extensive changes in this law, passed at the last session, appear to be desirable. The law now requires a majority of the proprietors of a tract subject to the law to sign the petition to the Reclamation Board, and to vote at the organization meeting. The requirement that a majority shall petition seems unnecessary, and it is proposed to change this provision so that any two or more proprietors may do this. The requirement that a majority shall vote on the question of organization is P.D. 123. 5 retained, but on account of the large number of non-resident members of dis- tricts, it is recommended that provisions be made for proxy voting at the first and subsequent district meetings. Changes in the Staff. In June, 1923, Mr. P. M. Harwood, who has been connected with the State Department of Agriculture in various capacities for a great many years, reached the retirement age. Mr. Harwood has been a faithful servant of the Common- wealth and, through his valuable service, has in many ways encouraged its agriculture. Much of the efficient regulatory Avork, particularly with the oleomargarine law, is due to him. Mr. Harwood has kept the present Department in close touch with former members of the State Board of Agriculture and through him there has been a close working relationship between the new regime and the old. Mr. Francis W. Small, a former inspector of the Division of Dairying and Animal Husbandry, has been promoted to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Har- wood's retirement. Cooperation Among Agricultural Agencies. During the past year there has continued the close cooperation among agricultural agencies which has been so noticeable for a few years past. There has also been close cooperation with business interests of Massachusetts. The Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Industries, and other organizations have been of invaluable assistance in the solution of the agricultural problems of this State. During a recent apple selling campaign these organizations, through their various members and eon- tacts, played a most important part in this Avork. This Department offered prizes for the best window display of home-grown apples in the various cities of the Commonwealth. This was supplemented in some cases by prizes offered by Chambers of Commerce and other local bodies. Daylight Saving. In spite of the noticeable upward trend of Massachusetts farming the daylight saving law has been the outstanding handicap which farmers have had to face. I strongly recommend that this matter be placed before the voters of the Commonwealth at the earliest possible moment to get their opinion on the matter. Cooperation with Members of the Legislature. I have felt for some time that members of the Legislature should be better Informed of the work of the State Departments. I have invited members of the Legislative Committee on Agriculture and others to visit this Department to review its work and its facilities. I wish that it might be possible to invite the entire Legislature to do this. If an exhibit could be placed in one of the rooms of the State House within easy access of members of the Legislature this would help in considerable measure for the latter to visualize the work of the departments. The more the citizens of the Commonwealth can learn of the work and plans of these departments the better work will be done and the more extensive the results. This is particularly true of departments whose duty it is, among other things, to carry out encouragement work. Food Problem of Massachusetts. I strongly urge the formation of a food commission to study the present food situation in Massachusetts and also the work of the various state agencies which have been gathering material for some time on this matter and which have at their command a considerable amount of information on this most important question.

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