Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-13
mony in the o'Neil case.
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE,
Annual Report and Election
of Officers.


of Officers.
Boston, Jan. 12.--The state board of
agriculture continued its annual session
this morning, hearing papers on various
subjects, and electing officers.
The annual report of Secretary Ses-
sions, being the forty-fifth annual re-
port, says that replies received the last
of May from 100 crop correspondents in
dictated that the season of 1897 opened
two weeks earlier than usual, but the
cold, wet weather had tendency to re-
duce the season more nearly to the
normal Apples made a remarkab bly,
full bloom considering the heavy crop
of the previous year, and the other
fruits made full average bloom. The
orown-tail moth appeared in Cam
bridge and Somerville. Farm help was
reported as plenty in most localities
Wages averaged about SIS per month,
with board. For day-help, the range
was from 81 to 81.
There was considerable complaint of
the failure of corn to germinate in
June Indian corn continued backward
in August and the potato blight and
rot We're prevalent. Pastures were
everywhere in fine condition. In Septem-
Der, the corn crop. improved, but it was
not cared out well at cutting time, and
the ears were not full. Fall feed was
above the average, and there was a less
than average crop of onions. The po-
tato crop was the poorest for many
years. Pears We're abundant. Peaches
made a better yield than usual, of large
size and fair quality. Grapes yielded
Well, but were late. In October, root
crops We're reported hardly up to the
average.
As to profits, there was a great di-
versity of opinion. OF 1862 correspon-
dents, 103 considered hay to have been
the most profitable; %, corn; II, pota-
toes; 19, sweet corn; 9, onions; 8, tobac-
co; Z cabbage; 6, winter squash; 8 each,
mix, asparagus and Strawberries; 4
.each, oats, apples, tomatoes and forage
crops; each, small fruits. early pota-
toes and cranberries. 1O8 thought pota-
toes the least profitable; % corn, % APP
pies. AS a whole, the farmers Of the
state no more than held their own for
the season.
The only legislation of last year hay-
ing reference to the board was in con-
nectlon with the gypsy moth and brown
tail moth.
A new edition of the catalogue Of
abandoned farms was issued in the fall.
Postals were sent to all those having
a description in the previous edition,
replies were received from 1873 of the
236 farms described; 81 were notices OF
sales, of Withdrawals, and 1852 of a
Qeslre to have descriptions continued
Fourteen of the q sold were for farm
ing purposes, 2 for a home. and 2 for
poultry. Up to date 1885 farms have
been reported, the total number in the
state being by the last census As, 010; 269
catalogued farms have been reported
sold; $4,000 has been appropriated for
this work, but $1230 80 reverted back to
the state treasury.
Lack OF money to pay the bills of in
spection has prevented the board from
doing all that it hoped to do in compli-
ance with the law relating to the brown
tail moth. In addition to 800 paid in
circulating a bulletin of information.
SIl2.66 was spent in inspecting AL es-
tates in Sonerville, 355 in Cambridge.
149 in Medford. go in Maiden u in Ev-
erett, in Revere. 81 in Melrose, 81 in
Stoneham, 20 in Arlington, 81 in Win
chester, ~ in Woburn, 3 in Belmont, 7
IN CharlestoWn, 2 in Saugus and 3 in
Burlington. A gale about July 10 and
IA scattered the moths through cities
and towns above enumerated, so a much
larger territory is now infested than
When their presence was first noticed.
A thorough trial of the law passed last
year is recommended.
1ue elecllOIl OF OIIcerS resulted IN the
following organization: President. His
excellency, Roger Wolcott; ex-officio
first vice president, James S. Grinnel of
Greenfield; second vice president, Eli
jah w. Wood of West Newton; secreta-
ry, William e. Sessions of Hampden,
all reelected; executive committee, e.
w. Wood of West Newton, w. A. Kill
bourn of South Lancaster, Isaac Da-
mon of Wayland, D. A. Horton of North
n JAY.- Nf
3. A. HARDWOOD of North Brookfield,
Francis H. Appleton of Peabody; com
mittee on agricultural societies, w. A.
Kilbourn of South Lancaster, @. l..
Reed of South Weymouth, N w Shaw
of North RaynhaGn, o. P. Allen of Pal
nler. N. B. Baker of Savoy.
There was a large number of other
committees Isaac Damon Of Wayland
is chairman of that on domestic ami
mails and sanitation; E. w. Wood Of
West Newton, on gypsy moth, insects
and birds, the remaining members be-
ing Augustus Pratt of North Middle
boro, F. w. Sargent of Amesbury, S. S.
Stetson of Lakeville, n. l. Bowditch of
birmingham D. A. Horton of North
anpton heads the committee on dairy
bureau and inspection, C. D. Richardson
of West Brookfield that on agricultural
college and education, Edmund Hersey
of bingham that on experiments and
station work. and F. H. Appleton that
on forestry, roads and roadside i'm
proyements.
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