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Gift of
Secretary of the Common-
weal tlT"^
Boston, Mass,
«^^ai^'^o^^
Public Document
No. 123
^bt Commontuealtf) of Q^a00acf)u$ett0
ANNUAL REPORT
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Year ending November 30, 1922
Publication of this Document
approved by the
Commission on Administration and Finance
BOSTON
WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS
32 DERNE street
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1922.
Commissioner of Agriculture.
Dr. ARTHUR W. GILBERT of Belmont.
Advisory Board appointed by the Governor and Council.
HERBERT N. SHEPARD of Warren
EDWIN H. PRIEST of Littleton
JOHN BURSLEY of Barnstable .
STUART L. LITTLE of Newbury
LESLIE R. SMITH of Hadley
EVAN F. RICHARDSON of Millis
Term expires
Nov. 30.
1922
1922
1923
1923
1924
1924
Organization of the Department.
Division of Dairying and Animal Husbandry
O. M. Camburn of Arlington, Director.
Division of Information
Dr. Charles D. Woods of Boston, Director.
;, • ;,•••> • %,« ,
Division of Markets . ." en.!!!..! *it*>u.-
WiLEiAKD' Ave MuwserN' ©P' y.^Ai,rpi.E^ Director.
Division of Ornithology ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ■ '
Elwakd Hi)'n^ .i^ORBUSH of WE37BoaouGH, Director.
Division op Plant Pest Control
R. Harold Allen of Mansfield, Director.
Division of Reclamation, Soil Survey and Fairs
Leslie R. Smith of Hadley, Director.
CONTENTS.
CO
CO
CM
oo
Report of the Commissioner
Relations with other agricultural agencies
Changes in the staff
Recommendations ....
Co-operation with other State departments
Daylight saving ....
Poultry thieving ....
Payment for milk ....
Future of farming in Massachusetts .
European corn borer
Division of Dairying and Animal Industry
Inspection work ....
Dairy situation ....
Demonstration sheep farms
Exhibits and meetings
Bovine tuberculosis situation
Legislation .....
Division of Information ....
Distribution of agricultural information
The library .....
Subject-matter of Department publications
Publications in the year 1920-22
Farm labor; Employment service
Listing and advertising Massachusetts farms
Massachusetts State institution farms
Division of Markets
Wholesale market news
Market news for housewives
Massachusetts crops
Onion grading law .
Tobacco grades
Apple grading law
Standard containers
Roadside markets
Produce market research studies
Co-operative relations
Information on marketing
Division of Ornithology .
Publications of the year
Material in preparation for publication
The heath hen
Conditions of gulls and terns
Bird banding ....
Bird migration and distribution during the
Outstanding events of the year .
Comparison of the work of the downy woo
sucker ....
for
sale
year
dpecker with that of the sap
70
CONTENTS.
Division of Plant Pest Control
Nursery inspection .
European corn borer
White pine blister rust
Apiary inspection
Division of Reclamation, Soil Survey and
Reclamation ....
Report of State Drainage Board
Soil survey ....
Fairs and exhibits
Control work ....
Fairs
PAGE
73
73
75
77
80
82
82
82
86
87
94
Cf)e CommonUjealti) of ^msiati^instm
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER.
The business of farming in Massachusetts has made very
distinct progress in the last few years. This is a result of
activities of the various educational and other agencies which
have done admirable work in the encouragement and assistance
to agriculture during many years past. It is also due to an
increased freight rate which has given the farmers of New
England a better competitive advantage with the farmers from
the West and the South.
Very noticeable changes are taking place in Massachusetts
agriculture. Instead of old-fashioned generalized farming the
recent tendency has been toward specialization and the adapta-
tion of a system of farming to our condition of land and mar-
kets which is best fitted to bring about maximum returns and
produce, in many instances, a fair profit. The future of farm-
ing in Massachusetts lies in the raising of high-quality products.
In considerable measure the expensive hand operations are
being replaced by the use of modern machinery. This speciali-
zation calls for greater skill on the part of the farmer in pro-
duction and marketing. Through educational agencies he is
acquiring this skill in greater degree, particularly during the
last few years. Farmers' meetings no longer deal with the
fundamental, and, in many instances, elementary farming
problems which have now become well known, but are con-
cerned with technical problems of a high order. Meetings of
farmers for the discussion of these problems compare very
favorably with groups of other business men for the discussion
of their problems.
Relations with Other Agricultural Agencies.
There are many agencies at work for assistance to the farmer.
The most effective of these are made up of farmers themselves.
There has been a growing tendency for greater harmony among
various organizations which deal with farm problems. These
6 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
agencies hold an annual convention each year, the program
and organization of which is largely directed and controlled by
a committee made up of representatives of these farm organi-
zations. This is the Winter Meeting of the Union Agricultural
Organizations.
Work of the Staff.
I again wish to record the enthusiasm and vigor with which
all members of the staff have carried on their work during the
past year. There has been no regard for hours of labor, but
each has worked to the best of his or her ability to bring about
best results in our field.
Changes in the Staff.
The Department of Agriculture has been most fortunate in
securing the services of Dr. Charles D. Woods as Director of
the Division of Information. Dr. Woods for many years has
been director of the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station,
where he gained an enviable reputation as one of the best
known and highly respected experiment station directors in the
country. He brings to this Department and to the State a
wealth of knowledge and information which is a great asset to
the work which this Department is attempting to perform.
Mr. John W. Plaisted, the former Director of the Division of
Information, has been assigned to duties in connection with
regulatory law enforcement and the carrying out of the provi-
sions of other laws entrusted to this Department that require
the technical knowledge for which, by his legal training, he is
especially fitted.
Recommendations.
1 . To change Administration of Laws regulating Sale of Fertilizers
and Feedingstuffs. — The police laws of the Commonwealth are,
for the most part, handled, as they undoubtedly should be, by
the executive branch of the government. The laws concerning
dairy products, plant and orchard and forest pests, grading and
packing of agricultural products, and the like, are entrusted to
the Department of Agriculture for their enforcement. The laws
regulating the sale of commercial fertilizers and commercial
feeding stuffs were enacted prior to the establishment of the
Department of Agriculture. These laws are now entrusted to
the Director of the Experiment Station, a department of the
Massachusetts Agricultural College. In like manner the old
No. 123.] REPORT OF COMMISSIONER. 7
Board of Agriculture antedated the establishment of the college
and teaching agriculture was carried on by the Board as a part
of its work. Recognizing the overlapping and duplication of
effort some time since, the Massachusetts Agricultural College
and the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture entered into
a memorandum of agreement whereby the regulatory and ad-
ministrative agricultural work of the State is to be done by this
Department and the educational work by the college. The
Department of Agriculture has entirely withdrawn from the
educational field. Looking toward greater efficiency and the
proper correlation of efforts, I recommend that the administra-
tion of the laws regulating the sale of commercial fertilizers and
commercial feeding stuffs be transferred from the Director of
the Experiment Station to the Commissioner of Agriculture.
I also recommend that the analytical work which is of a scien-
tific nature, and the publication of the results of the analysis
which are educational, be left, as they now are, with the Ex-
periment Station. This recommendation is in line with a
movement in the State Departments of Agriculture in all of the
other States in the Union. A few years ago the National
Association of Commissioners, Secretaries and Departments of
Agriculture outlined a plan for the differentiation of these lines
of work. I quote two paragraphs from a resolution adopted
by this association in 1920. Since that time most of the States
have swung into line and are following this plan, which has been
found to be of the greatest degree of efficiency and economy.
The beginning of this work was at the New York meeting in 1916, and
culminated in a careful and detailed discussion and unanimous adoption
of the plan now in force under this association at the meeting at Balti-
more in January, 1919. The plan was first outlined at a meeting of the
executive committee and officers of the association in Washington in
November, 1918. A committee appointed at the time of this meeting
presented the plan to the Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. D. F. Houston,
and later to the Executive Committee of the National Association of
Land Grant Colleges and Universities. It was adopted by both agencies
and by the entire body of representatives of Land Grant Colleges at their
national meeting at Washington in November, 1918. With this adoption
by our own association it became the national pohcy as a thorough and
detailed discussion by each of the three important agencies concerned.
The plan places all regulatory control and administrative work relating
to agriculture, and extension work concerning the same, with the State
departments, and locates the purely experimental and educational work
with the stations and college.
8 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
2. To regulate Advertising of Substitutes for Butter. — Through
the inspection work of this Department certain oleomargarine
advertisements have been detected which are misleading, since
they use dairy terms and names of dairy animals, a use which is
not fair to the dairy industry or to the consumer. To correct
this practice legislation is recommended to prohibit such ad-
vertising,
3. To prohibit Adulteration of Milk in Certain Forms. — The
dairy inspectors of this Department, during the past year, have
observed on the shelves of retailers compounds which consist
of evaporated skimmed milk, with an amount, substantially, of
cocoanut oil substituted for the butter fat which has been ex-
tracted from the whole milk. These compounds resemble con-
densed milk, and, despite the fact that they are carefully
labeled and the manufacturers contend that they are not sold
as a substitute for condensed milk, investigations show that
they are placed on the shelves of retailers beside the condensed
milk, and in some instances the term "milk" is added, so that
they are being offered to consumers as a substitute for con-
densed milk. Legislation to protect the consumer from these
products is therefore recommended.
4 and 5. Concerning the Suppression of the European Corn
Borer. — In view of the seriousness of the present situation we
are making two recommendations. The first of these provides
a system under which the work to suppress the corn borer
can be successfully conducted. The second requires landowners
to take certain measures w^hich ought to be of great assistance
in reducing the infestation. Since a great many of the borers
live through the winter in corn stubble, they can most readily
be destroyed by plowing the stubble under so that the borers
cannot get to the surface, or by destroying the stubble in some
way.
6. Further Amendment of the Drainage Law. — The last two
years' experience with the drainage law brings two points
forcibly to the front, — first, an additional method for financ-
ing these projects is necessary; and second, the assessment
maps and rolls defining project areas and notifying each owner
of his proportional share of the expense need to be made before
the projects are carried to the county for financing. Regarding
the first point, the present law makes it obligatory for the proj-
No. 123.] REPORT OF COMMISSIONER. 9
ects to be financed by the county. The legal machinery pro-
vided for this purpose is very cumbersome, and does not operate
smoothly. Provision should be made in the law to permit the
districts, with the approval of the Board, to sell their bonds in
the open market without involving the counties or the towns.
On the second point we believe that the State should provide
the funds for these surveys, as this is in accordance with the
provisions of the law as it now stands, and as there is no other
source from which the funds can be made available for that
purpose.
Co-operation with Other State Departments.
There has been a noticeable harmonious working together of
State departments during the past year. The Departments of
Correction, Public Welfare, Public Health and Agriculture have
a working agreement for the improvement of farming operations
on the State farms. These contain many thousands of acres of
good land which are receiving expert guidance along scientific
hues.
The Departments of Public Safety and Agriculture are work-
ing closely together to make the newly created State constabu-
lary of greatest benefit in rural districts.
The Departments of Conservation and Agriculture are in
closest harmony in the eradication of bovine tuberculosis among
domestic animals and in working out problems of farm forestry.
The Department of Agriculture and the Massachusetts Agri-
cultural College have working agreements which prevent dupli-
cation of work and bring about closer co-operation.
Daylight Saving.
The regime of daylight saving has again been injurious to the
farmers of the State. I again recommend the repeal of this
law, or at least, local option in which the various communities
of the State may vote for themselves as to whether they wish to
be under daylight saving or standard time.
Poultry Thieving.
The ease of travel by automobile has brought about a greater
amount of thieving in the country than ever before, particu-
larly that of poultry. I urge greater vigilance on the part of
10 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
local and State police authorities and others, and the infliction
of maximum penalties upon such persons as have been caught
at such thieving.
Payment for Milk.
Last year the Legislature passed a resolve requiring this
Department to make an investigation of payments for milk by
the milk dealers of the State. It has been known for some
time that farmers lose a great deal of money each year from the
sale of milk to persons who are financially irresponsible. At
the present time farmers have no way of obtaining the financial
standing of any but the largest milk dealers. The latter
usually are rated by well-known rating companies, and their
financial status can be obtained. I recommend that the De-
partment of Agriculture be given authority to obtain accurate
information concerning the financial standing of such of those
milk dealers w^ho are not rated by well-known national agen-
cies or who are not properly bonded, this information to be
kept confidential but to be made known to any one asking for
it in the form of a rating guide, so that all milk producers, and
others, may be able to decide for themselves as to the financial
standing and responsibility of those milk dealers with whom
they are doing business.
Future of Farming in Massachusetts.
The farming industry in Massachusetts has a bright future.
Now that farmers have begun to specialize and adapt their
modes of farming to our conditions of soil, climate and market,
and are getting away from generalized farming, I believe that
there will be found a greater prosperity among them than has
been seen for many years. The work of the boys' and girls'
agricultural clubs, the encouraging number of students and
farmers who are trained at the Agricultural College, and the
activities of the farm bureaus and other agencies point toward
a greater number of trained men and women in agriculture who
will bring about its rejuvenation. In most country districts
there are now leaders who have had some specialized agricul-
tural training. This will increase.
Our Division of Markets is performing notable assistance in
the development of better markets for farmers, which also
means lower prices to consumers.
No. 123.] REPORT OF COMMISSIONER. 11
The Division of Fairs is bringing about a much greater
efficiency in the conduct of agricultural fairs and greater en-
couragement to agriculture as a result of it.
The Division of Animal Husbandry is assisting in many
ways to improve the large number of pure-bred dairy animals,
of which the State has many outstanding herds.
European Corn Borer.
The European corn borer has increased in numbers and
damage in the State to an alarming extent. It appears to
become a menace to our farming, which may result in enor-
mous financial loss. The presence of this insect in great num-
bers on the eastern border of the United States also presents a
possible national menace. If this dangerous insect should
spread from this State to the great corn and cotton belts it
will be difficult for one's imagination to estimate the amount
of damage which will result. This is a serious State and
National problem. I recommend legislation which will assist to
keep it down by means of requiring all corn growers in the
quarantine area to plow their fields properly in the fall or to
rake and burn the corn stubble. It is expected that this will
help materially in keeping this pest in check. I do not believe
that we can expect to eradicate it — at least, not until its
parasites have been developed in sufficient quantities to do this.
It may be necessary for the Commonwealth to make large
appropriations to assist in cleaning up areas badly infested,
to save the market-garden and farming industry from very
serious damage. We are aware, also, of its national danger,
and have called attention to the members of Congress, Gov-
ernors and commissioners of agriculture in other States, with
the urgent request that Federal appropriations and assistance
be made available to keep this insect in what is now a relatively
small territory.
Respectfully submitted,
A. W. GILBERT,
Cotmnissioner.
12
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF DAIRYING
AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.
Inspection Work.
The dairy inspectors of the Division have made 8,928 inspec-
tions during the past year. One hundred and thirty-seven
samples were taken, most of them purchased. There were 7
court cases prosecuted during the year, violations of the oleo-
margarine laws, all resulting in convictions.
It has been our policy during the year to prosecute only
major cases where manifestly violation of the law has been
either willful or persistent, or both. In minor cases where
technical violations have occurred, whether through ignorance
or carelessness, such conditions have been remedied through
helpful inspection and advice. We find such violators glad
and willing to comply with the statutes when once the matter
has been clearly pointed out to them. This policy saves per-
sons from unnecessary criminal records and courts from unneces-
sary cases. It works well.
Inspections during the
Ticelve Months ending November 30
, 1922.
Month.
Inspections
without
Samples.
Inspections
with
Samples.
Total.
1921.
December
1922.
January
950
859
848
949
319
512
368
1,260
667
116
780
1,185
27
14
26
9
3
1
8
11
16
977
873
February
874
958
April
May
June
July
322
512
368
1,261
667
September
124
October .........
791
1,201
Total
8,813
1151
8,928
1 Twenty-two additional samples were taken during inspections, making total samples taken
or purchased, 137.
No. 123.] DAIRYING AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. 13
Summary of Inspections.
Total number of inspections 8,928
Number of inspections where no samples were taken . . . 8,813
Number of samples, mostly purchased 115
Nuniber of additional samples taken during inspections ... 22
Court Cases prosecuted.
The charges in the several cases prosecuted in court during
the year were as follows : —
Selling oleomargarine colored in imitation of yellow butter
Selling oleomargarine \vithout signs on vehicle .
Summary of Court Cases prosecuted duriiig the Twelve Months ending
November 30, 1922.
City or Town.
Where tried.
Month.
Num-
ber of
Cases.
Law violated.
Convic-
tions.
Fall River .
New Bedford
Fall River .
Fall River
New Bedford .
Fall River
April
September
October
4
2
1
Oleomargarine
Oleomargarine
Oleomargarine
4
2
1
Totals .
-
-
7
-
7
Dairy Situation.
That Massachusetts farmers 'are interested in dairying is
manifest by the increase in the number of cows as of April 1,
1922. The assessors' report for 1922 shows 167,181 cows,
which is an increase of 8,976 animals, or 5.6 per cent, over the
1921 report. During the past fifty years the smallest number
of cows was reported in 1915, since which time there has been
a steady increase, so that the number in 1922 is 15 per cent
greater than that of 1915.
The dairy farmers are constantly working to improve their
herds, as is indicated by the data taken from the 1922 supple-
mentary list to the breeders and owners of pure-bred dairy
cattle, issued in 1920. The 1922 list shows 605 persons owning
4,343 pure-bred animals who were not listed in the earlier
bulletin.
There are now 8 producers' co-operative milk-distributing
plants operating in the State. The number of farmers shipping
14 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
to them is increasing. Some of these plants are making ice
cream, thus handhng profitably the product offered above
fluid milk sales. The motto of "Essex County milk for Essex
County people" has increased sales and also caused other milk
distributors to seek a supply of near-by milk. This purchase
of near-by milk is on the increase generally in the eastern part
of the State.
The use of milk is increasing in the various cities of the
State. Reports of Boston's rail supply of milk and cream show
an increase of 8,000,000 quarts over last year. Massachusetts
farmers shipped to Boston 12,569,772 quarts of milk during the
first ten months of 1922, which is an increase of 1,627,000
quarts, or 14.8 per cent, over the same period in 1921. The
serving of milk in the schools of the State is increasing remark-
ably. Several factories also have bottled milk available for
their employees during working hours.
The demand for certified milk is increasing in the State.
Twelve farms, with approximately 1,285 cows, are supplying
17 cities with certified milk. This is an increase of 5 farms and
510 cows supplying 5 additional cities over last year's report.
Certified milk is offered at from 20 to 30 cents per quart, and
in one instance at 35 cents per quart.
Special milks of various brands usually sell at from 1 to 8
cents above the regular price for bottled market milk. Their
use is on the increase. This. demand for special high-quality
milk is even greater than last year, and Massachusetts dairy-
men are eager to supply the demand.
Demonstration Sheep Farms.
The demonstration sheep farms have been of increased service
to the sheep raisers of the State. During the year the 6 farms
have had over 900 visitors, and have given to groups of in-
terested farmers 17 demonstrations at the farms and 22 demon-
strations at other farms. These have been on the copper
sulphate treatment for parasites, docking, castrating and ma-
chine shearing. The farm managers have made official visits
to 474 farms to give assistance and advice concerning sheep
husbandry.
The shearing machines have been frequently called for, shear-
ing almost 1,500 sheep. One of the farms extended a special
No. 123.] DAIRYING AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. 15
invitation to 3 schools. The children on visiting the farm were
given an instructive talk on sheep, and saw the power-shearing
machines in operation. Last spring 4 of the sheep farms gave
extra attention to the special dressing of early lambs to supply
a special market. Sheep raisers near those farms, who had
early lambs, were instructed in the best way to dress lambs,
and obtained satisfactory prices.
The demonstration farm managers have also been of great
service in encouraging the use of paper twine for tying fleeces;
advice on feeding the farm flock; planning sheep pens; assist-
ing in selection of pure-bred rams; in treatment for parasites;
and in the assembling of small pools of wool.
This year most of the farmers asked for a plan to sell their
wool in the grease. Therefore the several demonstration farms
served as points of assembly, and small pools of wool were made
in these communities. A total of 37,681 pounds of wool was
sold through these local pools. The country buyers were offer-
ing about 25 cents per pound early in the season; later, in one
community, 30 cents per pound was offered. The growers by
pooling received from 36 cents early in the season to 45 cents
later. With the larger lots of wool to bid on, buyers offered
the more satisfactory prices, and the growers received, net,
from 34 to 42 cents, which averaged almost 9 cents per pound,
on all the wool sold, above what the country buyers were pay-
ing.
Inquiries were received from time to time to have small lots
of wool made into virgin wool blankets, as last year. The
total amount of wool oft'ered for manufacturing into blankets
was too small to justify making a pool this year.
The managers of these farms state that the sheep raisers are
asking more and more for advice on sheep husbandry and for
the service offered by these demonstration sheep farms.
Exhibits and Meetings.
In April a special dairy exhibit was put on at the Home
Beautiful Exposition. This exhibit was made up of a herd of
10 dairy animals, 3 beef animals, and dairy house equipment
in operation. Various breeders of pure-bred dairy cattle sup-
plied noted dairy animals, representatives of their respective
breeds. The dairy herd was made up of 2 Holstein cows, 2
16 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Jersey cows, 2 Ayrshire cows and one bull calf, and 3 Guernsey
cows. The beef animals were excellent representatives of the
Hereford breed and the Aberdeen-Angus breed. A number of
schools took advantage of this opportunity and a great many
classes visited this exhibit to study the different breed char-
acteristics. The milk produced at three milkings each day was
handled at a model dairy house. Here the milk was strained,
cooled, bottled and capped in full view of the visitors, who were
eager to secure a drink of freshly produced milk. A fully
equipped dairy-testing laboratory was of considerable interest
to a great many people.
Much interest was manifest in the beef animals. People
returned time after time to ask questions about them.
At the Eastern States Exposition a three-room dairy plant
was in full operation daily during the week. A herd of 15
dairy cows was stabled in a tent supplied with modern dairy
barn equipment, swinging stanchions, individual drinking cups,
cork brick floor and concrete gutter. This herd was milked
three times daily. The milk was taken to the dairy plant in
the Massachusetts Building, where it was again strained, cooled,
bottled, capped and made available to visitors, who were eager
to drink freshly produced milk.
At the Union Agricultural Meeting in January, and at the
Sturbridge and Barre Fairs in the fall, a special exhibit was
put on with maps showing the number of pure-bred animals, of
each of the five dairy breeds, shipped from Massachusetts, and
the States to which they went. Over 5,000 animals were
shipped to 46 States.
During the year twenty-three meetings were attended, —
grange, county breeders' clubs, dairymen's meetings, — at which
addresses were made on Massachusetts pure-bred dairy cattle,
cow-testing association work, co-operative milk marketing, and
purpose of county breeders' clubs. The classes of dairy cattle
were placed at one agricultural fair.
Bovine Tuberculosis Situation.
The live-stock owners of Massachusetts were eager to avail
lemselves of the provisions of chapter 353, "Relative to com-
snsation by the Commonwealth in certain cases where animals
. fected with bovine tuberculosis are killed," which became
No. 123.] DAIRYING AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. 17
operative August 1, 1922. Immediately a great many cattle
owners voluntarilj'' made application to have their herds tested.
The number of herds and animals submitted on the applica-
tions was in excess of the funds available. Nineteen herds with
414 cattle were on the waiting list November 30, 1922. There
are now 322 herds with 9,463 cattle under supervision, which is
greater than last year by 148 herds with 2,998 cattle. The
November, 1921, report shows 55 herds with 1,807 cattle once
tested free, and 41 herds with 1,436 cattle fully accredited.
The November, 1922, report shows 101 herds with 2,371 cattle
once tested free, and 65 herds with 2,379 cattle fully accredited.
A comparison of these two reports shows a marked advance,
and indicates the interest of cattle owners in this important
work.
Legislation.
Through the inspection work of this Division certain oleomar-
garine advertisements have been detected w^hich are misleading,
since they use dairy terms and names of dairy animals, a use
which is not fair to the dairy industry or to the consumer. To
correct this practice legislation is recommended to prohibit
such advertising.^
The dairy inspectors of this Department, during the past
year, have observed on the shelves of retailers compounds which
consist of evaporated skimmed milk, with an amount, substan-
tially, of cocoanut oil substituted for the butter fat which has
been extracted from the whole milk. These compounds resemble
condensed milk, and, despite the fact that they are carefully
labeled and the manufacturers contend that they are not sold
as a substitute for condensed milk, investigations show that they
are placed on the shelves of retailers beside the condensed milk,
and in some instances the term "milk" is added, so that they
are being offered to consumers as a substitute for condensed
milk. Legislation to protect the consumer from these products
is therefore recommended.^
Chapter 36 of the Resolves of 1922, entitled "A resolve pro-
viding for an investigation as to the expediency of licensing
contractors and dealers in milk and cream and related matters, "
stated : ^ ^
■ — »i
1 Introduced as House Bill No. 2. 2 Introduced as House Bill No. 3.
11/
18 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
That the department of agriculture is hereby directed to investigate
the purchase, collection and shipment at wholesale of milk and cream by
contractors or dealers, and such other related matters as are contained
in house bill number six hundred and thirty-nine of the current year, with
special reference to the feasibility and expediency of licensing such con-
tractors and dealers, and to report its recommendations, together with
drafts of bills embodying the same, to the general court, not later than
the second Wednesday in January, nineteen hundred and twenty-three.
In furtherance of this resolve, public hearings were held in
nine cities and towns, — Nantucket, New Bedford, Brockton,
West Brookfield, Hardwick, Greenfield, Pittsfield, Grafton, and
Sterling. In announcing these hearings notices were given to
the newspaper circulating in the various territories; 12 farmers'
clubs, 46 granges, 22 milk associations, 314 milk dealers, 9 milk
inspectors and 8 county agricultural agents were notified of the
date, time and place of meeting in their respective territories.
In addition to these meetings investigations were carried on in
21 cities and towns, — New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton,
Brockton, Lynn, Salem, Beverly, Gloucester, Ipswich, New-
buryport, Amesbury, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Waltham,
Framingham, Fitchburg, Hardwick, Gilbertville, Gardner, Pitts-
field. The losses entailed by dairy farmers, due to certain milk
dealers failing to pay for milk, amount to tens of thousands of
dollars, and is a condition not limited to any one part of the
Commonwealth, but is prevalent in general, varying only in
degree of loss.
To meet this condition suggestions are offered for legislation
in a more detailed report.^
1 Reported in House Bill No. 396.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 19
REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION.
The Division of Information collects and compiles agricul-
tural information and statistics; prepares, edits and distributes
the publications of the Department; has charge of the Depart-
ment library; furnishes publicity material to the press; answers
inquiries on agricultural matters; maintains an employment
bureau for farm labor; acts as an advertising and sale agency of
farms; and co-operates in an advisory capacity with the State
departments having charge of institutions which maintain farms.
Other than the development of the co-operative work with
other departments of the Commonwealth having agricultural
activities, the work of the Division has progressed along the
lines that have characterized its activities in other years. The
change in directors when the year was a third past was in one
sense not abrupt. Both persons had been working in associa-
tion for months. The change was in reality a transition worked
out in harmony with mutual understanding and in agreement.
Distribution of Agricultural Information.
The Massachusetts Department of Agriculture continues, as in
the past, to answer as fully as it can the inquiries sent to it by
correspondents. The large numbers of inquiries by mail and
in person, while time-consuming, are apparently helpful and
appreciated. The inquiries are varied in their nature, and come
from people within and without the Commonwealth. The
Department confines its publications to the general problems of
production, marketing, statistics, fairs, drainage, reclamation
and similar problems of conservation and promotion.
The chief program of the Extension Service of the Massachu-
setts Agricultural College is the teaching of crop growing and
animal production. In accord with this, the publications of the
Extension Service aim to instruct in methods of growing and
production. The United States Department of Agriculture em-
braces all three functions of administration, research, and teach-
ing, and issues a series of Farmers' Bulletins that are almost
20 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
handbooks on special subjects. While prepared for the country
as a whole, a large percentage of them apply to Massachusetts
conditions almost as well as though they had been written for
the State. Through the courtesy of the Massachusetts Agricul-
tural College and the Massachusetts delegation in Congress, the
Massachusetts Department of Agriculture can, in addition to its
own publications, furnish its correspondents with both college
and Federal publications.
The available bulletins, circulars and leaflets of the Massa-
chusetts Department of Agriculture, of the Massachusetts
Agricultural College and of the United States Department of
Agriculture are listed in Publication 106 of this Department,
and are sent on request to any citizen of the State. This
publication is also sent on request to any resident of Massa-
chusetts. Requests for publications are filled the day they are
received, and a postal card is sent at the same time, informing
the person making the request that the publication has been
sent, or, in case for any reason the publication is temporarily
unavailable, that fact is stated on the card.
The Library.
During the many years of the existence of the State Board of
Agriculture there seems to have been at different times attempts
to establish a library independent of the State Library, that
should contain the State and Federal publications on agriculture,
standard manuals, handbooks and textbooks bearing on agri-
culture and allied subjects. When the Department of Agricul-
ture was established as a part of the executive government of
the State, it was speedily found that because of lack of room for
storage these books could not be properly shelved. Two or
more years ago all of these books, other than a few hundred
that were needed for frequent reference by the officers of the
Department, were temporarily stored with the State Library.
But books thus stored were not catalogued, and while they
were accessible they were not arranged so as to be at all
readily used.
In June last the Commissioner of Agriculture formally placed
the charge of the library of the Department of Agriculture with
the Division of Information. After informal conferences with
the State Librarian the Commissioner of Agriculture formally
wrote him : —
No. 123.] DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 21
In order to avoid duplication it is my desire to combine our agricultural
library with the State Library. I am therefore placing at your disposal
as a permanent repository all of the books of our library, with the excep-
tions noted below. These are to be entered, listed and catalogued as an
integral part of the State Library.
After further conference the State Librarian wrote formally,
accepting the books and outlining in full memorandum the
mutual responsibilities. The following memorandum, given to
the Commissioner and the Directors of divisions by the Direc-
tor of the Division of Information, outlines the plan arrived at
and which is being put into operation as rapidly as the cata-
loguing and card indexing can be handled.
With a desire for co-operation between the Massachusetts Department
of Agriculture and the Massachusetts State Library, that greater conven-
ience in the use of the books may result and that unnecessary duplica-
tion of cost and work may be eliminated, the following plans have been
decided upon : — •
1. We will retain in our library one copy each of —
Manuals and other reference books.
Farmers' Bulletins of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Department Bulletins of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Experiment Station Record of the United States Department of Agriculture.
The Agriculture of Massachusetts.
2. Other books and pamphlets now in our library and variously stored
will be turned over to the State Library. These will be shelved and
catalogued so far as they add to the strength of the State Library in new
series or in filling gaps in files.
3. The State Library will at once catalogue the above and books that
were stored with it two or more years ago.
4. Duplicate author and subject cards of all pubhcations now in and
hereafter added to the State Library, on the topics named below, will be
filed in our library so that one can tell at a glance what is available on any
given subject.
General Collection on Agriculture.
History of Agriculture.
Federal Publications on Agriculture. (All. The State Library is an official reposi-
tory of all Federal publications.)
State Department of Agriculture Reports.
State Experiment Station Reports.
Horticulture.
Grains.
Fruits.
Farm and Fencing.
Gardens and Gardening.
Marketing, Co-operative, etc.
22 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Domestic Animals.
Birds.
Bees.
Insects Beneficial and Injurious to Agriculture.
Animal Pests.
Fertilizers.
Agricultural Chemistry and Physics.
Rural Sociology.
Agricultural Education.
Agricultural Conservation.
Forestry.
5. New books, as they are needed, will be purchased by the State
Library, so far as its means will permit.
6. The newspaper files will not be changed under this plan.
7. Current publications which come to the Department will be looked
over by the Director of Information, and attention of directors will be
called to any publication that seems to bear on their work.
Subject-Matter of Department Publications.
The precursors of the Department of Agriculture date from
the early days of the last century, and outdate the Agricul-
tural College, with its intramural and extramural teaching, and
the Agricultural Experiment Station. Partly historically and
partly from agricultural needs it came about that the Depart-
ment publications covered the whole field of agriculture.
The law establishing the Massachusetts Department of
Agriculture is very comprehensive. Under it the Department
is authorized to do almost anything for the promotion of
agriculture within the Commonwealth. The acts establishing
the Massachusetts Agricultural College and Agricultural Ex-
periment Station make teaching the function of the one, and
the investigation of problems bearing upon the agriculture of
the State the function of the other. It is the purpose of the
Department of Agriculture to work in thorough co-operation
with all other State agencies, and to avoid duplication of effort.
It functions chiefly along the broad lines of constructive ad-
ministration and the execution of the laws pertaining to agri-
culture.
As a historical sinvival, as a war measure, and because of
the demand for and appreciation of publications telling how
to grow crops, and the like, the Department had up to May
last published instructional books that come within the field of
the Extension Service of the Agricultural College, and also
the Agricultural College published some books that entered
No. 123.] DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 23
the field of the Department. In order to avoid duplication of
effort and to make the publications of the Department and the
college harmonize, the following agreement was entered into
in the early summer of 1922.
It is agreed between the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture and
the Massachusetts Agricultural College that, in the field of publications,
such subjects as are primarily promotional of agricultural interest, or which
are intended primarily to present the opportunities for agricultural enter-
prise in this State, shall be considered to be within the province of the
Department of Agriculture, and that publications which are primarily
instructional shall be considered to be within the province of the college.
That in general the college shall confine its publications to the furnish-
ing of definite subject-matter information on agricultural and home-
making subjects; and that the Department shall restrict the scope of its
publication acti\'ities to the promotion of agricultural interest, and to
presenting the opportunities for farming in Massachusetts.
This agreement shall in no way be understood to limit the scope of the
research publications of the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment
Station.
Whenever either the Department or the college feels it necessary to
publish a subject that is obviously outside its province as herein defined,
whichever party is responsible for the publication shall propose that it be
jointly issued, bearing the names of both the Department and the college
on the title-page. No joint publication shall be issued without the full
consent of both parties to the implied co-operative responsibility.
This agreement is entered into for the sake of closer co-operation be-
tween the Department and the College, and in order that duplication of
effort may be reduced to the smallest possible minimum. It is intended
to clarify and define fields of work, not at all to hamper or embarrass either
party in its work. It is realized that there may frequently be border-line
pubhcations on subjects difficult to limit by precise definition, but it is
expected that the spirit of the understanding here indicated will assist in
satisfactorily placing all such subjects.
Publications in the Years 1920 to 1922.
With the exigencies of the war the secretary of the then
Board of Agriculture published more than a half dozen different
types of publications, most of them having to do with teaching
how to grow crops, how to obtain maximum animal production,
and how to market. The "Agriculture of Massachusetts"
lists these publications.
The change from the Board of Agriculture to the present
Department, with the administration vested in a Commissioner,
occupied about two years of time, and necessitated legislation
24 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
by two sessions of the General Court. But during these years
of reconstruction it was necessary for the Department to con-
tinue to function. It has issued many new pubhcations and
reprinted with more or less of revision many of the earlier
publications of the Board of Agriculture. Part of the time
there seems to have been no plan for listing publications, and
later a system was devised that is somewhat confusing.
Since May, 1922, a uniform system of numbering has been
adopted without regard to size of the publication. As the
highest numeral used to designate any publication issued either
by the present Department or the former Board was below
100, the first publication in the new series is numbered Depart-
ment Publication No. 101. It is proposed to adhere to a uni-
form numbering, with everything in one series, and to assign
the numbers in the order that copy is sent to the printer.
Report.
The report of the Commissioner for the fiscal year 1921
includes reports from all six divisions of the Department, con-
taining 145 pages, 3 plates and 5 illustrations.
Department Bulletins.
Department Bulletin No. 31. Insect Enemies of Vegetable Garden
Crops. 1922. 27 pages.
Department Bulletin No. 32. Not published.
Department Bulletin No. 33. Not published.
Department Bulletin No. 34. Not published.
Department Bulletin No. 35. Directory of Agricultural Organizations.
This was for 1921. The Directory for 1922 is pubHshed as Depart-
ment PubKcation No. 101. 1922. 21 pages.
Department Bulletin No. 36. The Organization and Work of the Depart-
ment. 1921. 11 pages, 1 page of plates.
Department Bulletin No. 37. Digest of Laws of the United States and
different States concerning Shipments of Nursery Stock. 28 pages.
Department Bulletin No. 38. Dairy Laws of Massachusetts. 34 pages.
Department Bulletin No. 39. List of Useful Books on Agriculture.
1921. 12 pages.
Department Bulletin No. 40. List of Farms for Sale in Massachusetts.
1921. 60 pages.
Department Bulletin No. 40. Massachusetts Farms for Sale in 1922.
1921. 57 pages.
Department Bulletin No. 41. Agricultural Statistics of Massachusetts
and New England. 1921. 86 pages.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 25
Department Bulletin No. 42. Agricultural Legi.slation in 1921. 16
pages.
Department Bulletin No. 43. Dairj^ Statistics of Massachusetts. 1921.
15 pages.
De'partment Publications since May, 1922.
Department Publication No. 101. Massachusetts Department of Agri-
culture and Directory of Agricultural Organizations. 36 pages.
Department Publication No. 102. Onion Growing in the Connecticut
Valle3^ 20 pages. 2 full-page plates.
Department Publication No. 103. Score Cards for Agricultural Fairs
and Societies. On card. 2 pages.
Department PubUcation No. 104. Agricultural Legislation, 1922. 24
pages.
Department Pubhcation No. 105. The Drainage Law with an Explana-
tion. 12 pages.
Department Publication No. 100. Publications on Agricultural Topics.
Distributed by the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture. 16
pages.
Department Publication No. 107. 1922 Supplement to Breeders and
Owners of Registered Pure-Bred Dairy Cattle in Massachusetts.
24 pages.
Department Publication No. 108. Dairy Statistics 1922. 20 pages.
Department Publication No. 109. Card foi^ sending out with letters on
Destruction of Corn Borer. 1 page.
Department Publication No. 110. Methods of Controlling the European
Corn Borer. 2 pages.
Department Publication No. 111. Digest of Laws Regarding Shipments
of Nursery Stock. 28 pages.
Department Publication No. 112. Bird Houses and Nesting Boxes. 28
pages. 8 pages of plates. 30 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 113. Two Years with the Birds on a Farm.
42 pages. 3 pages of plates. 8 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 114. The EngHsh Sparrow. 20 pages.
9 illustrations.
Department publication No. 115. Outdoor Bird Study. 52 pages.
26 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 116. Food, Feeding and Drinking Appliances
and Nesting Material to Attract Birds. 40 pages. 30 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 117. Plants that Attract and Shelter Birds
and Some that Protect Cultivated Fruits. 32 pages. 6 illustra-
tions.
Department Pubhcation No. 118. Some Facts about Farming in Massa-
chusetts. 28 pages. 1 page plate.
Department PubUcation No. 119. European Corn Borer. Illustrated
card. 2 pages. 1 page colored plate.
26 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Farm Labor — Employment Service.
The unemployment situation which marked the season of
1921 was still keenly felt in 1922. Many skilled and hundreds
of unskilled men were seeking work. It is true that industry
was gradually picking up in various lines of production and
that unemployment was just as gradually being relieved.
The process was so gradual, however, that labor was seeking
employment of any kind during the transitional period.
This state of affairs made it possible for the farmers to ob-
tain sufficient help for the work of the farms. The difficulty,
however, was to find efficient and permanent help from the
ranks of labor both available and cheap. Local labor, while
available, was frequently unskilled and more frequently unde-
pendable.
The majority of calls coming to this office were for experi-
enced farm workers, — men who could milk and handle a
plow and who accepted the hours and wage of the farm without
protest. There were also a number of calls for young men with
little or no experience, to do the necessary but less important
chores at a low wage. Depending upon conditions, such calls
were frequently interesting to students, high school boys or to
young men without a trade, who felt the attraction of out-of-
door work and life.
Owing to the general economic situation, there were few
opportunities this season for the highly trained and experi-
enced men in agricultural work. Superintendents, foremen
and specialists were not in demand. Employers continued to
keep expenses at the lowest possible mark by engaging only
the labor necessary to carry on the work. Such foremen and
managers as already held positions kept them, and there was
consequently little change and few vacancies created. There
were no calls for women to assist in garden or farm work.
While women have proved their adaptibility and skill in agri-
cultural work, and while their services are frequently obtained
cheaper than those of men, employers have found such labor
more difficult to accommodate and therefore dispensed with
it this season.
The scale of wages offered by farmers in 1922 was much the
same as in 1921. There was a tendency downward, but farmers
were usually willing to pay an adequate rather than a cut
No. 123.] DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 27
wage to efficient and satisfactory workers. Single men ex-
perienced in farm work received from $30 to $50 a month,
including board and room, and married men received from
$60 to $75 with cottage and such perquisites as fuel, milk and
garden. Good milkers were always in demand and could com-
mand the highest wage offered in general farm work.
During the past season co-operation with other agencies has
been continued and broadened. Men have been referred to us
by the American Legion, the Veterans' Bureau, Department
of Public Welfare and Immigration, the Y. M. C. A. and social
agencies. Wherever possible openings have been found for
the men so referred. There has been continued co-operation
with the Massachusetts Agricultural College, with Breck's
Registry and the Public Employment Bureau, and even with
commercial agencies when there has been a surplus of men or
jobs and no outlet through the ordinary channels. Through
the co-operation of the agricultural instructor at the Roxbury
High School we have found places for a few of the high school
boys specializing in agricultural training.
Applications from 325 farm hands have been received for
work on farms. It is safe to assume that many others have
found positions indirectly through this office, namely, through
co-operating agencies and through answers to appropriate
advertisements. No record has been kept of such placements.
One hundred and ninety-one applications for farm help have
been received and the majority of them filled.
The season of 1922 has been marked by an adequate supply
of help at a wage the farmer could afford to pay.
Listing and Advertising Massachusetts Farms for
Sale.
The second annual bulletin of Massachusetts Farms for
Sale" was issued in March, 1922. This book contained descrip-
tions of 110 farms. During the early spring and summer 40
more descriptions were received and kept on file.
There is a great deal of interest in farm prospects and prop-
erty in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Much of this
interest is manifested by farmers of other, especially western,
States. These farmers are seeking locations on or near State
highways with near-by markets, thus eliminating the problem
28 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
of high freight rates and long-distance hauls. Massachusetts
offers these opportunities.
A large number of city people, located in or near Boston,
have been seeking small tracts of farm land for the purpose of
raising poultry. The majority of such inquiries have come
from families of limited means who prefer to raise their present
standard of living by more independent activities outside of
the city limits. A previous experience in farm life and a
present knowledge of retail prices in city markets encourage
this class to enter farming on a small scale and to feel sure of
success in this field.
Thirty farms have been reported as sold. Several other
sales are pending. Fifteen farmers, whose farms have not yet
been sold, have notified us of the assistance given them through
advertising in the bulletin. The supply of bulletins was ex-
hausted the last of August, and information relative to farm
properties was given by mail, and, wherever possible, by oflBce
appointment. Photographs of farms are not published in the
bulletin, but are kept in the office files for reference.
Massachusetts State Institution Farms.
As stated in the last report of the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture, late in October, 1921, the Commissioners of Correction,
of Public Health and of Public Welfare asked the assistance of
this Department in studying the 13 farms connected with in-
stitutions in their departments. This study, begun by the
writer November 1, 1921, continued to occupy his full time
until he was appointed Director of the Division, March 15,
1922. Immediately upon his appointment the Commissioner of
Agriculture directed him to "continue the co-operative and
advisory work which you have begun with the Department of
Correction, of Public Health and Public Welfare as fully as
they may desire and your other duties will permit."
The Commissioners of these departments, the superin-
tendents of the institutions and the head farmers have given
hearty co-operation. It has been a pleasure to work with them,
and much in the way of unifying the work and systematizing
the management has been and is being accomplished. With
the sympathetic co-operation of the division chief of the State
Auditor's office, who audits the institution accounts, a system of
No. 123.] DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 29
keeping the farm accounts has been installed which, wherever
they are fully carried out, makes certain daily or weekly re-
ports of all matters of farm business being reported to the
institution office. And at the office these reports can be
readily and speedily transferred to the special farm ledger so
that at any time it is possible to know the financial side of any
farm operation in progress, and at the end of the year to fill
in the excellent form for farm reports that, for a number of
years, has been prescribed by the Auditor. It was the study
of these reports early in the year that disclosed the fact that
frequently adequate returns were not made to the institution
office, and that in consequence the reports did not give an
accurate measure of farm operations. It is expected that a
study of the farm reports for 1922 will clearly picture the farm
operations for the year, and that from their study further sug-
gestions will present themselves.
Twelve of these institution farms carry dairy herds totaling
about 1,000 head, and the 12 farms connected with the Mental
Disease institutions have herds totaling about 1,500, so that
at these 24 farms the State owns and carries about 2,500 head
of dairy stock. With the exception of one small herd these are
black and whites. All of the males are pure-blood, registered
animals, and with one exception they are registered in the
Holstein-Friesian Cattle Club. Some of the females are also
registered stock; others are known to be pure bred, but either
have not been or cannot now be registered. The larger number
of the cows are grade cattle, but many of these are so nearly
straight Holstein-Friesian that even an expert could not by
their appearance distinguish them from pure-breds. In a
report, among others, the following constructive suggestion
was made to the Commissioners of these institutions in early
November, 1922: —
Another matter I want to call to your attention at this time is a much
larger, and, in my opinion, an important constructive, measure, and one
that needs careful consideration before it is adopted or rejected.
With one exception all of the farms carry dairy animals for milk pro-
duction, and this is the most important farm projectj no matter from what
angle it be viewed.
The State has by legislative action approved the stamping out of bovine
tuberculosis. Therefore it behooves every institution to have a herd free
of tuberculosis at the earliest possible moment. Most of the farms have
30 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
taken steps to eradicate this menace to profitable dairying, and are well
along toward having clean herds. The others should clean up. E very-
dairy animal should be tested and all reactors slaughtered or segregated.
By the so-called Bang method it is possible to save the progeny from
infected but otherwise desirable cows, and from them rear healthy stock.
This is obvious, and does not seem to require discussion other than as to
method of handling, and that mil differ with the facilities at each institu-
tion.
At 11 of the farms in our groups, and at a like number of farms at the
Mental Disease institutions, the dairy animals are black and whites with
some of them pure bred and registered. Many of these unregistered
animals are valuable for breeding purposes, as some of them are giving
10,000, 11,000, 12,000 and up to or beyond 15,000 pounds a year.
Without discontinuing the pure-bred registry, I would advise the es-
tablishment of a State Institution Farm Herd Book which should combine
the advantages of a herd book, of a cow-testing association, and the so-
called advanced registry features of the cattle clubs.
This would mean —
The entry of each individual, with a complete description and as much of her
ancestry as may be had.
The assignment of a herd book number.
The keeping of complete daily milk records.
The determination of milk fat in the milk of each animal as often as once a
month.
The monthly reporting and handling of these records at a central office, prefer-
ably at the State House.
The registry of each animal added to the herd by birth or purchase.
This matter was considered by the Commissioners of the
departments named above and by the Commissioner of Mental
Diseases. The following letter to the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture resulted : —
At a meeting of the Commissioners of Correction, Public Health, Mental
Diseases and Public Welfare on Wednesday (November 29, 1922) it was
voted to approve Dr. Woods' recommendation that the Department of
Agriculture establish a State Institution Farm Herd Book.
It was voted further that Dr. Woods be asked to talk with Mr. Forristall
in the Department of Mental Diseases regarding a definite plan for handling
the records of milk production and the testing for butter fat in the institu-
tions under the four departments, and then submit definite recommenda-
tions to the four departments.
The making of the Herd Book has been commenced, and the
definite recommendations asked for have been presented to the
Commissioners.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARIvETS. 31
REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF MARKETS.
The Division of Markets has continued to develop the serv-
ices which are proving valuable in bringing about better
methods of marketing. Requests from farmers, middlemen and
consumers have been made for additional and more complete
services. It is hoped that we may be able to increase our
facilities to meet their demands. To meet the exacting re-
quirements of those using the Division's facilities, an efficient
and accurate service is necessary to hold the confidence which
is now evident. The regulatory activities have been adminis-
tered with a view to helping those whom they affect to do their
marketing according to the requirements of the laws, and
bringing about a more general understanding of the purpose for
which they were enacted.
The Division's market news service, its standardization,
inspection and certification program, and the beginning made in
studying the practices and margins in the distribution of farm
products, have met the approval of all those directly affected.
The efficient production and distribution of farm products
will come about more rapidly when the necessary operations in
correct marketing are thoroughly understood. In order to give
all sections of the Commonwealth a service of much importance
it will be necessary to have permanent representatives in several
of the larger cities. Up to the present time two cities have
been the centers for temporary services through part-time em-
ployees. Carrying on under this plan has given an oppor-
tunity for those using the services to decide upon their value.
This decision has come in the affirmative, with a request for
permanent year-round service.
Keeping pace with the rapid progress in standardization will
be a problem for a long period of time. The advantages to be
derived by growers, the trade and the consumer, through the
standardization of grades for farm products and the packages
in which they are marketed, are little realized. This problem
has been handled in a limited way by the Division, but to
32 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
attain the greatest results in the shortest possible time much
more effort must be applied by the employment of a person
who can give undivided attention to the problem.
The facts brought out in the studies of the practices and
margins in the marketing of farm products which have been
made and are under progress have been so enlightening that it
is our belief that future advancement in the solution of many
marketing problems will become much simplified through the
continuation of these studies by those thoroughly competent
to make them and able to deduct the correct conclusions.
A well-developed marketing service cannot be attained
without giving full consideration to the consumer in the market-
ing problem. This fact is fully appreciated, and in all the
services that have been organized there are many benefits to
the retail buyer. The Division is desirous of extending its
efforts so that its services to the consumer may continue to be
of increasing value.
A very condensed report on the details of the work of the
Division of Markets follows.
Wholesale Market News.
Since the farmers' educational agencies have been engaged in
promoting better production methods there has been a con-
tinually growing problem of how to market the extra produc-
tion brought about through the improved methods which they
have advocated. The answer to this question lies largely in
the farmer's interest and observation of influences and condi-
tions which govern his market. Unlike most producers, the
farmer is not in close communication with his market. The
grower is the last to receive word of market changes, aiid this
has been increasingly true as production has moved farther
from the large growing consuming centers. Although there
have been tremendous advancements in the development of
communication, it was not until the introduction of radio
communication that the grower has been brought into close
contact with his market.
The common complaint of the farmer is that market news is
past history by the time he receives it. He is continually
demanding news at the time it is happening. Broadcasting
by radio has this possibility. Through its use there is no
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 33
reason why producers should not know the latest weather pros-
pects, the selling price of his product in the morning's market,
as well as the general condition of the market, such as price
trends, the supply, and the movement of the product.
With the complete development of radio communication,
sufficient facts will be available to the grower, who is now
shipping without timely knowledge of market conditions, to
determine within reasonable limits what are to be his returns.
The radio broadcasting of weather, crop and market in-
formation has constituted the outstanding development during
the past year in market news dissemination in Massachusetts.
Timeliness has always been emphasized as one of the essentials
to an efficient market reporting system. The utilization of the
mailing system often delays the information to the farmer
thirty-six to forty-eight hours. The employment of the daily
press has been hailed as a real improvement, especially when
the reports on morning markets have been carried by evening
editions. However, radio offers the greatest opportunity to
lessen the time between the hour when the market has been
determined and the time it is now reported to the producer.
The benefits to be derived by radio are unlimited, but like every
new discovery, patience must be exercised until perfection can
be attained. The first broadcast of market information in
Massachusetts was made by the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing Corporation on April 24, 1922, and was made
possible through the courtesy of the "New England Home-
stead," which paid the cost of transmitting a telegram from
Boston to Springfield. This service has operated continuously
until November 11, when it w^as discontinued.
The radio schedule for Massachusetts now includes a 10.30 a.m.
broadcast of the weather forecast from the American Radio
and Research Corporations at Medford Hillside; at 1.30 p.m.,
daily, except Saturday, the Boston Farmers' Produce Mar-
ket is announced by this station, together with the weather
forecast; and on Mondaj^s and Thursdays of each week the
United States Department of Agriculture "Agriograms" are
announced by this station. At 6 p.m. the Boston Wholesale
Fruit and Vegetable Market, the Boston Butter, Cheese and
Egg Market, and the Boston Dressed Meat Market are an-
nounced daily except Saturday. The Brighton Livestock
Market is broadcasted on Wednesday at this hour, and the
34 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTLTRE. [Pub. Doc.
Boston Farmers' Produce Market is repeated daily, except
Saturday, at this time.
The Worcester Farmers' Produce Market is broadcasted daily
except Saturday by Station W. C. N. at Clark University at
5.30 P.M. The United States Department of Agriculture
"Agriograms" are also broadcasted from this station, and the
weather forecast is broadcasted at 5.15 p.m.
The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company
announce their agricultural market reports at 7.45 p.m. The
Springfield Farmers' Produce Market, which is broadcasted
daily except Saturdays, is furnished by a representative of
this ofiice at Springfield. The Boston portion of the broad-
cast, which includes the Boston Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable
Market, the Boston Butter, Cheese and Egg Prices, the
Brighton Livestock Market, and the Boston Farmers' Produce
Market Report, is furnished this station through the courtesy
of the "New England Homestead," as noted above.
The New England Weekly Crop Report, issued by V. A.
Sanders, crop statistician for New England, is broadcasted
from four stations in New England, ■ — from Amrad, W. G. L,
at 6 p.m.; from Worcester at 5.30 p.m.; from Springfield at
7.45 p.m.; and from Hartford at 7.50 p.m., Saturday only.
As in former years, the Boston Farmers' Produce Market
Report, a bulletin giving the wholesale prices on fruits and
vegetables received by farmers on the Boston Farmers' Market,
has been mimeographed daily, except Saturday, and sent to a
mailing list of about 400 farmers, the recipients furnishing
postage. On Thursdays the Brighton Livestock Market Re-
port is included, as well as hay and grain prices furnished by
the Boston Chamber of Commerce. This information is also
sent out daily by the Associated Press. The "Manchester
Union," the "Lowell Courier Citizen," and the "Morning
Mercury," New Bedford, also carry our Boston market news.
The market reporting service in Boston is maintained
throughout the year, while the Worcester and Springfield
wholesale produce markets are reported only from July 1 to
December 1. Mimeographed sheets are prepared from both of
these cities and sent to a mailing list in a similar manner to the
custom prevailing in the Boston office. This information is
also published in newspapers of both these cities. It is the
practice of all of our reporters to summarize the week's market
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 35
on Friday. The Worcester and Springfield summaries are
carried in the newspapers of these respective cities, and the
Boston summary is forwarded to the mailing list. Request has
been received this year for special information on the apple
market of Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Liverpool.
Through the courtesy of the United States Bureau of Agricul-
tural Economics, we have been able to meet the request of the
Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association, and the "Springfield
Republican" publishes this information.
Market-News Service for Housewives.
A new type of market-news service is being furnished to
housewives by the Division of Markets. A list showing the
range of retail prices for foodstuffs charged by representative
retail markets of metropolitan Boston is published weekly.
This report includes prices of fruits, vegetables, butter, eggs,
cheese, lard, meat and fish. Thus at all times the housewife
may know approximately how much should be paid for any
particular article. By keeping in close touch wdth the market,
she is informed of the best time to can or to store certain
fruits and vegetables. The report also includes a paragraph
devoted to market news, ending with a seasonal recipe, or a
practical, economical household suggestion.
By means of radiophone the retail market forecast, indicating
weekly demand for certain commodities, and what is new on the
market, is broadcasted Wednesday mornings at 9.30 a.m. and
Fridays at 2 p.m.
Massachusetts Crops.
The winter of 1921-22, for the most part, was favorable to
meadows, pastures, fall-sown grains and fruits, so that they
began spring growth in good condition. Heavy rains came
early in April and water courses were high, but no considerable
damage resulted. Temperatures were unseasonably low during
April and May, but June brought warmer weather, and farm
work and plant growth became normal.
Some deficiency of moisture prevailed for a time in May, but
June brought plentiful and frequent rains which continued
above crop requirements until late summer. To some crops,
notably Connecticut Valley onions and tobacco, the rains did
great damage.
36 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Apparently the fruit crops this year were damaged somewhat
less by the ice storm of late November, 1921, than had been
expected. Chilling temperatures, frosts and freezes in late
April and May killed a considerable part of the apple fruit
buds, and early predictions were for a very short apple crop.
However, the prospect for the crop gradually improved.
Since July 1, 1921, the crop-reporting service for Massa-
chusetts has been conducted co-operatively with the other New
England States and the Federal Department of Agriculture.
The work is conducted from one central office located within
this State. This form of service is now effective in most of
the United States and the results have been very satisfactory.
Duplication and contradiction in the crop reports are pre-
vented, a superior service is built up, closer contacts within the
State are assured and the costs are kept at a minimum. Be-
sides general improvement in all parts of the service here, much
wider dissemination of the information and crop reports has
been obtained through the daily press and many agricultural,
financial and trade papers.
A new feature this season was the Weekly Crop Notes which
gave current information on leading crops, live stock and
related subjects of public interest. These notes were sent
out by radio, Saturday evenings, from stations at Medford,
Worcester and Springfield, and were furnished the press. One
of the most valuable parts of this service consists of special
surveys of cash crops. These furnish, in convenient form, an
inventory of exact information regarding such crops. Such
surveys have been finished for the acreage of Connecticut
Valley onions and tobacco, and one is under way for the cran-
berry crop. The program of work for the coming two years
includes surveys of the commercial apple and peach crops and
a livestock reporting service suited to New England's needs.
A great deal more use is being made of crop information by all
people concerned with agriculture, and every effort is made to
obtain the highest possible accuracy. Frequent reports were
issued covering truck crops outside New England but shipped
to markets here.
, The entire crop of apples was somewhat larger than the ten-
year average, being estimated at 3,010,000 bushels against the
short crop last year of 1,125,000 bushels and 3,575,000 in 1920.
The crop of commercial apples estimated at 461,000 barrels
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 37
also ran substantially above the six year average of 284,500
barrels, and compared with 172,000 last year and 375,000 in
1920. Summer and fall varieties were relatively better than
winter varieties. Excessive rains and cloudiness prevented
effective spraying and caused much of the crop to be of low
quality. While much high-grade fruit sold well the price for
winter fruit was discouragingly low, due to a large United
States crop.
Peaches turned out relatively better than apples, the crop
being estimated at 182,000 bushels against 185,000 last year
and 4,000 in 1920. The crop sold well, mostly. Pears were
estimated at 84,000 bushels against 45,000 last year and 83,000
in 1920. Cranberries showed steady improvement during the
season, and the production was put at 290,000 barrels against
189,000 in 1921 and 280,000 in 1920.
The area of corn for grain was put at 29,000 acres, about the
same as the past two years, while silage corn, with 25,000
acres, showed a small increase. The excess rains prevented
much cultivation, and the average yield of 40 bushels is con-
siderably below last year and the usual yield; production,
estimated at 1,160,000 bushels; silage production, 250,000 tons
against 288,000 tons in 1921.
Tame hay area, 431,000 acres, about the same as the past
two years; average yield, 1.35 tons per acre, and production
581,800 tons against 529,000 last year and 567,000 in 1920.
Area of oats for grain, 10,000 acres, which was slightly more
than the past two years. Average yield, 34 bushels; produc-
tion, 340,000 bushels against 279,000 last year and 306,000 in
1920. Berkshire County produces over 50 per cent of this
crop.
The area of Connecticut Valley onions up to June 20 was
4,559 acres, but some further abandonment was caused later
by heavy rains and lack of labor. Average yield per acre
w^as close to 300 bushels, and total production around 2,700
cars of 500 bushels each. Shipments are likely to be consider-
ably below this figure, because of rot, shrinkage, and low^ prices.
The United States onion crop w^as large and quality good.
Area of potatoes, 29,000 acres, about the same as in 1921,
but unfavorable weather reduced the average yield to 90
bushels per acre; production, 2,610,000 bushels against 3,335,-
000 last year and 4,000,000 in 1920. The yields and superior
38 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
quality obtained from certified seed potatoes this year bring
out strongly the advantages of using it. Such seed gave yields
ranging from 150 to 300 bushels and averaging around 175
bushels compared with only about half as much on home-
grown, unselected potatoes.
Tobacco area shrunk from 10,180 acres last year to 9,379
this year, due mainly to low prices for Broadleaf. Average
yield, 1,325 pounds per acre; production, 13,250,000 pounds
against 13,700,000 pounds last year.
Onion Grading Law.
For many years it was believed that if onions were graded
there would be a decided favorable reaction on the part of the
trade toward Connecticut Valley onions. As a result of this
feeling men interested in the growing and marketing of onions
were instrumental in having passed an act (chapter 438, Acts
of 1922) providing for a grading and inspection service for
onions. Hearings held in Northampton and South Deerfield
indicated that it was advisable for the Commissioner to
establish standard grades for onions. The Massachusetts
Commissioner of Agriculture has, therefore, established and
promulgated as the official Massachusetts grades for onions the
United States recommended grades for northern grown onions,
as the representative attendance and interest seemed to warrant
the establishment of standard grades and the inauguration of
the service.
Certification and inspection of Connecticut Valley onions,
provided for by the Massachusetts Division of Markets co-
operating with the United States Bureau of Agricultural Eco-
nomics, went into effect September 5, 1922. This service
establishes a standard basis for intelligent dealing, enabling
onion receivers to deal directly with growers, thus reducing
distribution costs, inasmuch as a certification service gives onions
of the same quality a uniform standing. The receiver is thus
placed in a position to know the quality of goods he shall have
for resale. Sales made on grade facilitate trade, prevent waste
by reducing the shipment of unmarketable products, and save
expense of sorting at market centers. Furthermore, the es-
tablishment of those grades and the accompanying service
enlarge the marketing possibilities of the Connecticut Valley,
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 39
while the resultant effect of shipping merchandise of standard
quality should react to the betterment of its trade reputation.
Furthermore, this service will establish a basis for adjustment
with transportation companies or others in case of damage
from frosts, heat or other cause, or in case of rejection by the
receiver. The receiver is enabled to obtain the quality of goods
which he desires, thus reducing expensive readjustment at
market centers.
A few weeks previous to the inauguration of this service the
United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics furnished a
supervising inspector for the purpose of assisting in the inaugu-
ration of the service and acquainting our inspection force with
the Federal system of carlot shipping point inspection. In so far
as a portion of our onion crop is marketed beyond the State
borders, it was emphasized that the advantage of the Federal
co-operative certificate should be obtained, if possible. We
were therefore pleased to become a part of a system which
is uniform throughout the United States and well known among
the trade.
Valuable assistance was rendered by the Massachusetts
Agricultural College Extension Service and farm bureaus of
Franklin and Hampshire counties in effecting the organization
of grading demonstration meetings which were held in the
principal onion-growing towns in the valley. The supervising
inspector of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, together
with the onion inspector of the Division of Markets, and the
county agent, attending these meetings, demonstrated the grade
classifications and discussed with the individuals the details of
the operation of the certification and inspection service.
Exhibits intending to show the standard grade for onions
and the operation of the certification and inspection service
were held at the Greenfield and Northampton agricultural
fairs. A portion of the display space of the Division of Markets
exhibit at the Eastern States Exposition at Springfield was
also devoted to this purpose. The meetings gave the Division
an opportunity to demonstrate and discuss the service to many
interested persons.
The inspectors give each applicant for inspection a certificate
and duplicate which contain a true statement of the grade and
condition of the lot inspected. Duplicates of these are filed in
40 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
the offices of the United States Bureau of Agricultural Eco-
nomics and the Massachusetts Division of Markets; extra
copies, not to exceed three, may be obtained at $1 per copy.
An inspection report accompanies each car inspected, copies
of which are forwarded to interested parties. These reports
are useful in that they give an advance notice of the findings
of the inspector, the complete details of which will be found
on the formal typewritten certificate, which is prepared a few
hours later.
A fee of $3.50 is charged for inspection and certification of
carlots; $2.50 of this fee is paid to the Commonwealth and $1
to the United States Department of Agriculture. The money
received in this manner is returned to the State and National
treasuries and applied to the expenses of operation of this
service. Our co-operative agreement requires all inspectors
to be bonded for the collection of fees. This fee may be
lessened, if the number of inspections requested gives a return
sufficient to warrant the reduction.
Certificates issued under this agreement will be honored in
all markets and accepted in all courts of the Commonwealth
and of the United States as prima facie evidence of the truth
of the statements contained therein.
Our onion-growing area suffered severely this year on account
of a small local crop of less than average quality, which came
into competition with a nationally large crop of good quality.
The carlot movement has been very small this 3'ear, yet we
have certified to date 72 cars.
The system is new in Massachusetts, and its fair trial for a
few years will determine its adaptability to our conditions.
Favorable comment and the general use made of it under ad-
verse conditions, however, argue well for its continued usage.
It must be remembered that the inspection and certification
service for Massachusetts onions is a voluntary service fur-
nished upon request to those interested in the commercial
marketing of onions. Its object is to furnish interested parties
with an exact statement of the quality and condition of the
contents of the shipment, according to standard grades. The
full co-operation of all interested in the Connecticut Valley
onion crop has been urgently requested in order that the certifi-
cation and inspection service now available may gain for
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 41
Massachusetts onions the best markets and highest returns.
Suggestions for the improvement of the service will be cor-
dially received at any time.
Tobacco Grades.
The Legislature in 1922 directed the Department of Agricul-
ture to investigate present grading and marketing practices
among growers of leaf tobacco, with a view to recommending
a system of grading w^hereby the tobacco-growing industry of
this Commonwealth may be benefited through the adoption
of more economic and scientific marketing methods. The sum
of $1,000 has been appropriated for this purpose. Arrange-
ments with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the United
States Department of Agriculture have been entered into for
the employment of a man to carry on the work on a co-opera-
tive basis. A competent man has been employed and the
investigation is now in progress. Close co-operation is being
maintained with the Connecticut Valley Tobacco Association
and with the United States Department of Agriculture, in order
that the results of this investigation may be as accurate and
comprehensive as possible.
Apple Grading Law.
Because of the short crop and consequently limited shipping
season of last year, additional funds became available for work
on the apple grading law this fall. The shipping season began
early because of an abnormally large early fall crop, and ship-
ments have continued heavy through the season.
Realizing the added advantages to be had in shipping point
and farm-packing inspection, the principal growing areas in the
Commonwealth, especially in Franklin, Middlesex and Worces-
ter counties were frequently visited. This method of inspection
has certain advantages, not the least among them being the
opportunity to visit the grower himself and talk with him while
he is conducting his packing operations, and thereby rendering
him assistance as well as advice on the ways in which he may
improve his practices. Shipping point inspection has the added
advantage of preventing improperly packed apples from circu-
lating in the channels of distribution, whereas in terminal in-
spection much damage may be done before the goods are seen
42 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTLTRE. [Pub. Doc.
by the inspector. It is hoped to continue this practice in the
future.
Opened-packed apples which are often put up in a deceptive
manner are attracting the attention of packers. To the growers
of Massachusetts apples this practice offers a real problem,
as closed package goods come into direct competition with
apples in open packages, and the closed package is often dis-
credited because of the presence in the market of improperly
open-packed goods. But the greatest detriment comes in an
indirect way through the general market depression and dis-
satisfaction caused by the presence of these open packages
which are so often deceptively packed.
The practice of closing packages, common among merchants,
and made necessary by the rulings of transit companies, has
necessitated our close observation, as boxes closed in this
manner come within the jurisdiction of our grading law. Our
work at Boston has included daily observation of the wholesale
market and the examination of Massachusetts packed apples
for export, as well as periodical visits to the packing area in
Middlesex County. We have been able to assist in instructing
and inspecting in several large transactions, one involving
35,000 boxes. Compliance with Massachusetts grade require-
ments is gradually improving.
From the standpoint of the producer the apple situation in
Franklin County for the present season has been very unsatis-
factory. The quality of fruit has been much below normal, a
condition which was brought about by unfavorable weather
conditions during the growing season. Scab, sooty fungus and
Baldwin spot have been very prevalent. In addition to this a
very severe September hail storm in the Colrain section, and
an unprecedented early October freeze throughout the county,
have been factors in cutting down the total barreled apple
output.
Prices have been lower than those that have prevailed during
the last few years. The general orchard-run price has ranged
from SI. 60 to $2.50, mostly $2 per barrel. The price on A's
and B's has been S3 per barrel quite generally, with a few lots
that graded out a very high percentage of A's selling at $3.50.
All prices include barrel, which cost the grower about 55 cents.
The cider price has been 50 cents per hundredweight during
the entire season.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 43
It has been a buyer's market throughout the season. Very
few sales were made until picking time. Dealers and pedlers
from near-by cities have taken out some early fruit and the
poorer grades of winter apples. The motor truck is becoming
an important factor in the marketing of the county's apple
crops. One buyer has shipped several thousand barrels to
Providence, Rhode Island, in this manner, trucks taking as
many as 100 barrels per load. Speed in getting to market, the
shorter time required between picking and placing in cold
storage at terminal points, and the difficulty in obtaining cars
when needed are three factors which are encouraging the use
of trucks.
Distribution of carload shipments has been mostly to the
same points that have received the bulk of the county's crops
for the last five years. The largest buyer has shipped to
Ballston Spa, New York, for storage. Many of these apples
are orchard-run and will probably be repacked before being
marketed. Another large buyer has shipped to Providence,
Rhode Island, for storage and immediate market. Buyers
of smaller lots have shipped to Boston, Worcester, Springfield,
Holyoke, Hartford and New Haven. About 2,000 barrels have
been shipped to Boston docks for export. Comparatively few
lots have been graded, due largely to the poor quality of the
apples. Many lots have been sold orchard-run with the heads
put in the barrels just as they come from the orchard. With
such conditions existing it is a surprising fact that there have
been a greater number of violations of the grading law than
have occurred in either of the past two years. This is due to
the fact that several new buyers, who have professed unfamili-
arity with the grading law and inspection service, have been
operating in the county. Violations have been mostly because
of overfacing or because of the presence of apples in barrels
smaller than the designated minimum size. Up to the present
time 5 cars have been remarked in order to conform to the
law, 1 car has been repacked, and 3 cars are in the process of
repacking.
Standard Containers.
Standard containers for marketing fruits and vegetables are
of more interest to the average citizen than he generally
realizes. Not only is he defrauded frequently by the substitu-
tion of short-measure packages at full-measure price, which is
44 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
unavoidable if the difference in the size of packages is not
easily detected, but also the cost of marketing is increased
by the greater expense of manufacturing a large number of
unnecessary styles and sizes and by breakage in transit, some-
times attributable to the difficulty of loading odd-sized con-
tainers. These losses constitute a wholly unnecessary tax on
the fruit and vegetable industry.^
A move to standardize hampers, round-staved baskets and
other containers, which is now taking the form of national
legislation, has been endorsed by this Division. Passage of an
act standardizing boxes and half boxes for farm produce, passed
by the legislation of 1921, constitutes a local move directly in
line with the national standard container program. As an out-
come of this legislation a commission, composed of the Com-
missioner of Agriculture, the Director of the Division of Mar-
kets, the Commissioner of Labor and Industries and the
Director of Standards, was directed by chapter 8 of the Re-
solves of 1921 to investigate the expediency of revising the
schedule of bushel weights prescribed for fruits, vegetables and
other commodities by section 173 of chapter 94 of the General
Laws, and to make such recommendations for legislation in
relation thereto as may appear necessary, together with any
other recommendations for legislation that would tend to
establish a more satisfactory basis for retail sale of said com-
modities.
In order to determine as many facts as possible in regard to
expediency of the then present weight per measure system, a
number of weights were made of all varieties of fruits and
vegetables for which there was a legal weight per measure.
The relationship of such factors as variety, size, condition and
shrinkage in storage were considered and analyzed in these
investigations. A total of 532 weights were taken by the
investigators of this Division. The complete report of the facts
of this commission appeared in House Document No. 1021.
However, we quote here briefly the conclusion and recomrnen-
dations arrived at by this commission: —
The fallacy of attempting to remedy the conditions outlined ... by
any changes in the established bushel weights is apparent, as any weight
adopted must necessarily be arbitrary and cannot reasonably be expected
1 Farmers' Bulletin 1196, U. S. D. A.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 45
to represent the actual weight of a bushel of any commodity at the time
of sale. Experience teaches that a standard unit of measure must be
definite and constant, having a fixed and uniform value at all times and
under all conditions and circumstances. The avoirdupois jwund meets
with all these requirements, and there appears to be a substantial unani-
mity of opinion on the part of all concerned in favor of requiring all retail
sales of fruits, vegetables and grains to be made on the basis of avoirdupois
weight, exception being made in regard to certain fruits or vegetables which
have been carefully graded as to size, in which case the sale may be made
upon the basis of numerical count, and provided, also, that retail sales
may be made in any original unbroken standard container in which the
goods were received by the retailer.
The legislation which was finally passed abolished the w^eight
per measure system, substituting therefor retail sales by weight
or count, and brought about a situation where sales wdll be
made at either wholesale or retail in the original standard
containers without weighing and counting at the time of sale,
the term "standard container" as used in this connection in-
cluding only barrels, boxes, baskets, hampers or similar con-
tainers the dimensions or capacity of which was established
by law of this Commonwealth and by act of Congress, the
contents of which had not been removed or repacked by the
retailer and upon which is plainly and conspicuously marked
the net quantity of contents thereof in terms of weight, meas-
ure or numerical count.
The results of this legislation are far-reaching when it is
understood that this law brings about the adoption of national
standard containers for use in the Commonwealth.
Roadside Markets.
Massachusetts already has many roadside markets which
have been most successful in providing a means of marketing
farm products, enabling both the grower and the consumer to
profit from the ehmination of transportation and distribution
charges. Early attempts on the part of farmers to sell by sign
advertising did not produce the results that the roadside stand
has accomplished. The fact that such stands are being ap-
preciated by the buying public which frequents the automobile
highways is indicated by the great number of these markets
to the mile in some sections of the State.
Over 2,000 baskets of peaches last season is only a part of
46 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
what was sold across two barrels and a board, while some of
the larger roadside stands did from $8,000 to $15,000 worth
of business.
Comparatively new is the community roadside market with
near-by farmers supplying fresh vegetables, thus assuring a
large variety at all times. Home-made ice cream, candy,
doughnuts and cookies are an added feature.
Perhaps the most unique farmers' market is the moving
community market, where all the farmers in a community get
together and hire a man to go from house to house selling a
wagonload of fresh fruits and vegetables direct from the farm.
In profit sharing lies the secret of the success of these mar-
kets, for the failure to offer an advantage in prices and quality
are the principal causes of unsuccessful attempts at roadside
selling.
Produce Market Research Studies.
In the spring of 1921 the Legislature of Massachusetts
designated the Division of Markets to make analysis of costs
entering into the marketing of Massachusetts farm products.
After a preliminary survey of the situation, the Division of
Markets, in co-operation with the Bureau of Agricultural
Economics, United States Department of Agriculture, decided
to start with a study of the margins in the marketing costs of
Connecticut Valley onions, inasmuch as this is one of the most
important cash crops of interstate market importance produced
in Massachusetts.
The growing and marketing of Connecticut Valley onions
carries with it a high degree of financial risk. These can be
overcome to a large extent by the adoption of methods that
have already proved profitable. A means of establishing trade
confidence and eliminating some of the marketing hazards
became effective this year with the adoption of an inspection
and certification service on the basis of United States standard
grades.
Since the system of marketing potatoes is typical of that
employed in the distribution of other staple farm products, it
was thought that such an analysis would be valuable for com-
parison with other market studies. A survey was made of the
methods and costs entering into the distribution of Maine
potatoes in Massachusetts. The system of marketing potatoes
from the time they leave the grower until they reach the con-
No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 47
sumer was analyzed; the charges exacted by the various
agencies were ascertained; and actual margins, as far as
possible, were determined.
As a result of the study of traffic congestion in the Faneuil
Hall Market district, as it affects cost of food distribution,
opinions were given for reducing traffic congestion. Boston
dealers have become convinced that a terminal market is
necessary.
The question. Is it more profitable to ship the apple crop
of Franklin County, Massachusetts, to market by rail or truck,
was answered in the study made of the transportation of the
Franklin County apple crop to market.
As the work of determining marketing costs of agricultural
products progressed, it was considered advisable to make a
study of the retail margins of certain farm products, and to
make a brief analysis of the retail buying practices of metro-
politan Boston. Charts and maps have been made to illustrate
many phases of the market research work.
A project of interest to people connected with the milk
business, as well as to those interested in the advertising and
selling of other farm products, was also carried on in Boston.
This w^as a study of the various factors influencing demand
for milk. Especial emphasis was placed upon the analysis of
advertising and publicity and their importance in the marketing
scheme. While the study was only a preliminary step in the
investigation of farm products publicity, it is of interest because
it marks the beginning of research in a field where advertising
may prove a great benefit to consumer, producer and distribu-
tor alike.
Among the studies to be pursued this coming year is that of
retail and jobbing practices and the marketing of Massachusetts
apples. Already a study of the influence of the push-cart
vendor on the relief of glutted markets, as well as the influence
on other methods of retailing, is in progress.
Realizing that New England should be considered as an
economic unit, a counsel, designated as the New England Re-
search Counsel on Marketing and Food Supply, has been
created by State and Federal agencies for the purpose of
stimulating interest in problems relating to the distribution of
agricultural products, co-ordinating the work so far as possible
to eliminate all duplication.
48 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Co-operative Relations.
The Division of Markets has continued to maintain the same
cordial co-operative relations with the agencies who are con-
ducting similar lines of work. Increased unity of effort has
been brought about with the United States Bureau of Agri-
cultural Economics through the extension of the research
studies which were started a year ago.
The program for 1922 includes a study of the market costs
of Connecticut Valley onions; a survey of the methods entered
into for the distribution of Maine potatoes in Massachusetts;
a study of traffic congestion in Faneuil Hall Market districts;
a study including various factors influencing the demand for
milk; further studies on the marketing of Massachusetts
apples; also a study of the influence of the push-cart vendor
on the relief of flooded markets; as well as margin studies on
several principal commodities sold in the Boston markets.
The Division is co-operating with the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, in
conducting an investigation of the grading and practices in the
marketing of leaf tobacco. Co-operative relations with this
Bureau are also maintained in the operation of a shipping point
inspection service for onions. In market-news work we rely
on this Bureau for the furnishing of that portion of our Boston
farmers' produce market report w^hich quotes supplies and
prices on shipped-in fruits and vegetables and for the price
on butter and eggs. We are also co-operating with the local
office of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics in furnishing
to radio broadcasting stations a complete program of Massa-
chusetts agricultural market new^s. The Division is the
authorized representative of the Department in maintaining
co-operative relations with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics
Crop Reporting Service, New England States co-operating.
As in previous years we are co-operating with the Boston
Market Garden Association in issuing our Boston Price report,
with the Worcester County Extension Service, and with the
Hampden County Improvement League in the issuance of
reports from Worcester and Springfield. The Boston Chamber
of Commerce has made available price figures on hay and grain
which we disseminate through our Boston Produce Market
Report.
No. 128.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 49
The continued co-operation with the press in Springfield,
Worcester, Northampton, Greenfield, New Bedford and Lowell,
together with the Associated Press of Boston, has added greatly
in making available market news to our people. A mention
of co-oi)erative agencies is incomplete without the names of
the radio broadcasting stations which have this year, for the
first time, disseminated market news to our agricultural popu-
lation. Our news is broadcasted from the American Radio
and Research Corporation at Medford Hillside, from the Clark
University at Worcester, and from the Westinghouse Electric
and IManufacturing Company at Springfield. Co-operative
relations are maintained with the departments of the Agri-
cultural College, which are conducting lines of work similar to
our own.
Information on Marketing.
In the State of Massachusetts are approximately 4,000,000
people. Provided each person consumed 10 cents' worth of
vegetables a day, the total value of vegetables eaten in Massa-
chusetts each year would amount to $146,000,000. The census
credits us with a production in Massachusetts of about $15,-
000,000 worth of vegetables, including the estimated products
of home gardens.
It has been estimated that a sale from 150,000 to 250,000
bushels of produce a year from a single Massachusetts farm is
not unusual. The volume of crops varies from year to year,
but the steady sale is from the large greenhouse growers who
sell from 150 to 200 bushels of lettuce every day during the
winter season, following with their crops of cucumbers in early
spring, and outdoor crops in summer. The gross volume of
business of many of the market gardeners runs from $50,000
to $150,000 a year. The offsetting expense items, however,
must be taken into consideration. Without much question
the net profits have been much lower than for other types of
business of equal volume, with a turnover of only about twice
a year, as compared with a good many other lines of business,
where the turnover is from ten to twenty times a year.
The Boston market distributes from 3,500 to 6,000 carloads
of foodstuffs per month, depending upon the month. These
are in the form of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat
and poultry. Sound economic development, low-cost produc-
50 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
tion, high-quality products, efficient marketing, a proper stimu-
lation of popular interest and appreciation — all are essential,
and the advance must come step by step, built on a secure
foundation of service to the public.
The Division of Markets aims to assist individuals, and to
co-operate with organizations wherever possible, in the promo-
tion of the more efficient marketing of farm products.
Each week an article, covering the subject of marketing
problems and conditions, is written for publication, reaching
10,000 subscribers. Reprints are sent to agricultural leaders
and educators of the State, as well as to the county agents
throughout New England.
The Division has been represented at approximately 75
meetings during the year, at which the subject of better market-
ing has been discussed.
The exhibit work conducted at the Eastern States Exposition,
Springfield, Massachusetts, included a model market window,
displaying Massachusetts farm products in a unique, different
and interesting manner, in order to catch and hold the attention
of passersby. Through the courtesy of S. S. Pierce Company,
Boston grocers and importers, a map display, indicating Mas-
sachusetts dependence upon the other States and foreign ports
for her food supply, furnished data concerning the origin and
carlot receipts of foodstuffs shipped into the Boston market.
The total production of food products in Massachusetts is only
about one-sixth of the consumption. The recently established
grades for onions were demonstrated and the certification and
inspection service explained. Through the co-operation of the
New England crop statistician maps, charts and educational
material were arranged to show the importance of crop market
information.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 51
REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY.
Publications of the Year.
The following publications have been issued from this Divi-
sion in 1922: —
Report of the Division of Ornithology for 1922. 41 pages. 4 illustrations.
Department Bulletin No. 9. The Utility of Birds. (Reprint.) 84 pages.
34 illustrations.
Department Bulletin No. 8. Some Under-water Activities of Certain
Water Fowl. 50 pages. 15 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 112. Bird Houses and Nesting Boxes. A
reprint. 28 pages. 41 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 113. Two Years with the Birds on a Farm.
A reprint. 42 pages. 9 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 114. The English Sparrow. A reprint.
20 pages. 9 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 115. Outdoor Bird Study. A reprint.
52 pages. 26 illustrations.
Department Publication No. 116. Food, Feed and Drinking Appliances
and Nesting Material to attract Birds. A reprint. 38 pages. 30
illustrations.
Department Publication No. 117. Plants that attract and shelter Birds
and some that protect Cultivated Fruits. A reprint. 31 pages. 3
illustrations.
No leaflet for the use of the schools on Arbor and Bird Day
was published, as the Department could not supply a sum
sufficient to print and distribute it. It is improbable that this
publication will be continued unless the Legislature provides
adequate means for the purpose.
]\Iaterial in Preparation for Publication.
Work authorized by the Legislature on the first volume of
the publication on the Birds of Massachusetts has been con-
tinued, but has not advanced beyond the Anatidae. Six of the
colored drawings for illustration have been completed thus far
by the artist, Mr. Louis Agassiz Fuertes. The Director hopes
52 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
that persons who have notes on the habits, nests, migrations^
moults, etc., of New England birds will correspond with him.
Any new information for the work will be gladly received and
credit will be duly given the contributors.
Investigations.
Investigations regarding the nesting habits of tree-nesting
wild fowl and the underwater activities of diving birds were
continued during the year. The Director visited Nahant,
Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard for the purpose of observing
some of the habits of the latter birds. Space will not permit
the inclusion of the results of this investigation in this report.
A continued study of the migration, habits and distribution of
Massachusetts birds was conducted. Inquiries also were made
regarding the present status of the Heath Hen, and of the
breeding gulls and terns along the Massachusetts coast, while
much was learned regarding the food of birds by observers
acting for the Division of Ornithology. Mr. John A. Farley
spent parts of the months of June and July in an ornithological
reconnaissance in the hill country of western Massachusetts.
The Heath Hen.
During the period in April most advantageous for taking a
census of the Heath Hen on Marthas Vineyard, the Director
could not spare time for a visit to the Island, and Mr. Farley
took the census. He could locate only "117 birds as present or
accounted for" as against 314 birds found there by the Di-
rector in three days of April, 1921. His report seems to indicate
that within a year the birds decreased at least one-half in
number. This diminution may be accounted for in part by
the fact that very few young were reared in 1921, as recorded
in the last annual report of this Division; but this fact, to-
gether with deaths from other natural causes, would hardly
explain this apparent excessive and alarming decrease. The
birds on the reservation are well guarded against man and their
natural enemies, but it seems probable that the law protecting
them is not respected by some of the people in other parts of
the island. Heavy rains occurred during the breeding season
of 1922, and possibly further decrease will have to be recorded
in 1923.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 53
On one farm where formerly these birds were common several
cats were acquired and naturally there the Heath Hens disap-
peared. Althou<jh roaming vagrant cats are continually de-
stroyed by the superintendent on the reservation, they are
abundant in many parts of the island, and are without doubt
the worst single menace to the welfare of the Heath Hen. If
general diminution continues, the Heath Hen will soon be
extinct.
Condition of the Gulls and Terns on the Massachusetts
Coast.
The larger colonies of mingled Common, Roseate and Arctic
Terns in Massachusetts no longer show an annual increase in
the number of individuals. On the other hand, gulls continue
to multiply. The increasing gulls seem to be inimical to the
terns. On Skiffs Island, where many Common Terns formerly
bred, this species has been much reduced in numbers since the
Herring Gulls began to breed there. Similar conditions have
been reported from Maine islands formerly occupied by terns
which have disappeared following the invasion and nesting of
Herring Gulls. The great multiplication of Laughing Gulls on
Muskeget Island has been accompanied by more or less diminu-
tion in the numbers of the terns which have always summered
on the island. Herring Gulls also are now nesting on Muskeget.
Owing to the excessive increase of Herring Gulls on Maine
islands, and because of the complaints regarding their depreda-
tions, the National Association of Audubon Societies has dis-
continued its warden service on several of the larger breeding
places of the species. The protection of these gulls became
necessary at a time when their extinction was threatened by
the millinery trade, but it seems that now they have recovered
their normal numbers. These gulls are useful as scavengers.
If they become too numerous, however, they may attack grain
in the fields, as they did in the British Islands, where they
increased unduly under protection.
During the past summer the terns breeding at Chatham suf-
fered much from heavy rains at hatching time, and later, when
the young were nearly fledged, many died from lack of sufficient
food. This greatly restricted the annual increase. At Mono-
moy the birds seemed to find an adequate supply of food,
54 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
while they were protected from their natural enemies by Mr.
Charles Ives, employed by the Department of Conservation,
who killed cats and skunks which in recent years had greatly
reduced the colony. The terns had little success on the We-
pecket Islands, where it is said that storms and rats destroyed
the eggs and young. At Wellfleet and Truro, also, very few
young were reared. We have no definite report from Penikese.
On the other hand, Least Terns which recently have been de-
creasing seem now to be increasing. At Monomoy many were
reared, probably owing to the protection from their enemies
afforded by Mr. Ives. The species now seems to be scattering
along the beaches in the breeding season, like the Piping
Plover. This expedient has been successful this year, but the
birds will have to move from time to time as their enemies dis-
cover their breeding places. Having long had a precarious
existence in New England this species has begun to increase
now not only in Massachusetts but also locally all along the
Atlantic coast. It may be that under protection the species
is coming in from the south; at any rate, it is now extending
its range northward. Conditions here, however, will become
more and more inimical to its safety as the summer population
increases, with its accompanying multiplication of house cats
and dogs. Unless special protection from man and other
enemies can be provided, it will become increasingly difficult
for this species to maintain itself in Massachusetts.
Bird Banding.
Trapping and banding of birds is by far the most important
method in ornithology that has been developed in many years.
During the past year the Division of Ornithology has co-
operated with the Biological Survey of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture in encouraging the tagging of birds by
means of numbered bands. Most of the official observers of
the Division have taken up bird banding.
A meeting to form a bird banding association for this section
of the country, to co-operate with the Biological Survey, was
held Januar}^ 17, 1922, in the lecture room of the Boston So-
ciety of Natural History. The meeting was attended by many
New England people and resulted in the formation of the New
England Bird Banding Association. This body now includes
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 55
in its membership naturalists in the eastern Canadian prov-
inces, New York and New Jersey, as well as many from all
parts of New England. The following officers were elected: —
President, Edward H. Forbush.
Vice-Presidents, Dr. Charles W. Townsend and James Mackaye.
Secretary and Treasurer, Laurence B. Fletcher.
Recording Secretary, Mrs. Alice B. Harrington.
Councilors, John E. Thayer, A. C. Bent, Dr. .John C. Phillips, Charles
L. Whittle, William P. Wliarton and Aaron C. Bagg.
Within a few months the New England Bird Banding Asso-
ciation numbered over 300 members. Great interest was shown
in banding, but unfortunately early in the summer the supply
of bands gave out, and thus many were deprived of further
opportunity to band birds. Now, however, a machine has been
perfected which turns out bands at a rapid rate, and these can
be supplied in any number by the United States Biological
Survey at Washington.
Notwithstanding this lack of bands, the members of the
association have banded to date about 4,000 birds, of over 100
species. Some of the birds banded have been heard from
several months after banding. Young Night Herons banded
on Cape Cod were picked up later, one at Kennebunkport,
Maine, another at Fryeburg, Maine, and still another at
Marblehead, Massachusetts. A Night Heron banded at Ips-
wich, Massachusetts, was found at North Andover, Massachu-
setts, A Junco banded in March at Sandwich, Massachusetts,
was captured in April by a cat at Buckland, Massachusetts,
nearly 100 miles to the westward. A Song Sparrow banded in
1921 at Cohasset, Massachusetts, returned and was taken in a
trap in the spring of 1922. In November and December some
winter birds which had been banded in Massachusetts last
winter or spring, and had gone north to breed, came back to the
same localities where they had been banded. Mr. Aaron C.
Bagg of Holyoke, one of the councilors of the association, had
a flock of about 40 Tree Sparrows last spring on his place, all
of which he succeeded in banding. Some of those banded dis-
appeared in February, and the last one left late in March.
Early in December two banded Tree Sparrows returned and
one went into the trap. It was one of those banded in the
56 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
spring; since then three more of these banded birds have been
taken.
In October, during the session of the American Ornithologists'
Union in Chicago, the Inland Bird Banding Association was
formed, which will include in its field of operations the great
area included in the Mississippi River Valley, from Canada to
the Gulf of Mexico.
With an adequate supply of bands assured, the officers of the
New England Bird Banding Association plan to direct the
activities of the members toward the solution of certain definite
problems in field ornithology, particularly that greatest puzzle
of all — the immemorial mystery of migration.
Bird Migration and Distribution during the Year.
(Summary compiled from reports of divisional observers and office records.)
This report begins December 1, 1921, as this date is the first
day of the fiscal year covered by all Massachusetts reports.
December, 1921.
In 1921 there were about three hundred and fifty days in
which the temperature averaged much above normal; therefore
the year on the whole was perhaps the warmest on record in
southern New England. But the last half of December brought
a change, with temperature lower than normal and with severe
weather in the North.
Numbers of Wild Fowl and Sea Birds. — Large numbers of wild
fowl and sea birds appeared on the New England coast during
the month. Brants were abundant early. Canada Geese
continued to pass, and many remained along the coast.
Numerous Dovekies, Razor-billed Auks, Black Guillemots
and Brunnich's Murres were reported in the coastal waters,
and later a few Puffins began to come south.
Many Owls. — In the coastal region there was a great flight
of Long-eared and Short-eared Owls, while a flight of Barred
Owls reached its height in the interior. Storms which pre-
vailed on the North Atlantic drove ashore many ducks, Dove-
kies and other sea fowl. Some of these birds were exhausted,
dead or dying because of the rough seas, while others were
dead or disabled from contact with waste oil pumped out of
oil-burning steamships.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 57
Canada Jays. — In Maine and Ontario a southward move-
ment of Canada Jays was indicated in November, and during
November and December five of these birds were reported in
Massachusetts.
A Wood Pewee was reported December 1 in Plymouth
County, Massachusetts. A great flight of Redpolls worked
down through Maine and many appeared in western Massachu-
setts. Goldfinches and Siskins migrated in increasing numbers.
Late in the month Evening Grosbeaks were very widely dis-
tributed, but there were fewer Pine Grosbeaks and very few
Crossbills. The number of Northern Shrikes was almost un-
precedented. Along the coast some White-throated Sparrows,
Mockingbirds and Catbirds remained, and on Cape Cod there
were many Mourning Doves, Red-winged Blackbirds, Cowbirds
and Myrtle Warblers. On the 8th a Bohemian Waxwing was
seen and taken in Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
January, 1922.
January, 1922, was more nearly normal than January, 1921,
though in many places in southern New England the thermome-
ter did not reach the zero mark during the first half of the
month. From the 23d to the 27th, however, the temperature in
northern New England reached the low mark of 30 to 40 degrees
below zero, while in southern New England zero temperatures
were quite general. In the coastal region there was little snow,
but more fell among the hills of the interior. The month was
notable for fair weather on land, storms at sea, and an extreme
scarcity of small land birds.
Sea Birds Driven Ashore. — Easterly storms in the North
Atlantic continued to drive sea birds upon the coast. Gales
with a velocity of 95 miles an hour were reported. Dovekies,
Razor-billed Auks, Black Guillemots and Brunnich's Murres
were seen all along the Massachusetts coast. The Puffin was
recorded as far south as Block Island, Rhode Island. Many
Geese were reported wintering along shore. Many Mourning
Doves wintered on Cape Cod.
Snowy Owls. — A flight of Snowy Owls was the vanguard of
a greater number in February. Many were reported from
Maine to Long Island. A flight of Pine Grosbeaks, Redpolls,
Siskins and Crossbills, which left the North in December, passed
58 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
in January through southern New England. A few of these
remained in Massachusetts. Evening Grosbeaks were common,
though not so abundant as in the winter of 1920-21. On the
coast a few Fox Sparrows and Swamp Sparrows remained,
while a very few Chipping Sparrows were reported on Cape
Cod. During the last week of January the number of Gold-
finches, Purple Finches and Siskins seemed to increase along
the coast of southern New England. A few Catbirds, Blue-
birds and Hermit Thrushes were noted. A Prairie Horned Lark
was singing on January 20 at Block Island, and Meadowlarks.
also sang there on mild days.
February, 1922.
February temperatures averaged above normal in southern
New England, with less than the usual amount of snow. There
were only two cold waves, but in northern New England there
was much snow, and low temperatures prevailed. The south-
erly seaboard of southern New England was without snow
most of the month, and during the last half small land birds
increased in numbers there and some began mating and singing.
A Northward Movement. — On the eastern seaboard of Massa-
chusetts and on Long Island, New York, a slight northward
spring movement of land and water birds began during the
last ten days of the month, while both along the coast and in
the interior boreal land birds began to work toward the North.
Along the coast Canada Geese began to move. Storms at sea
again drove many sea birds ashore during the month, but na
Puffins were reported during the last half.
Many Species Wijiiered. — A Hooded Merganser wintered
in or near Boston and Baldpates passed the winter on Marthas
Vineyard. Apparently more Night Herons than usual wintered
in the coastal region of southern New England, and at least
one Great Blue Heron seemed to survive the winter in eastern
Massachusetts, another in New York, and still another in
Maine. Several Killdeers wintered in Connecticut. Mourning
Doves stayed through the season on Cape Cod and Marthas
Vineyard. Short-eared Owls were reported all winter in
southern New England, and at least one Long-eared Owl. Cow-
birds, Red-winged Blackbirds, some Field Sparrows and Swamp
Sparrows, Song Sparrows (but fewer of these than usual),,
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 59
some Catbirds and one Vir<i;inia Rail apparently came through
the winter in the Cape Cod region. There were two reports of
Bohemian Waxwings in northern New England, but no sign of
an early northward movement of Cedar Waxwings. On
February 24 on Long Island, New York, there were some
returning Song Sparrows, and on the 26th there was an increase
of Meadowlarks.
March, 1922.
It was said of March that "it came in like a lion and went
out like a lamb." March weather was practically normal with
storms, winds, sunshine, a little of spring and a taste of summer.
On the 7th, with mild weather, a "bird wave" was noted in
southern New England, and during the 8th this increased
somewhat in numbers. It consisted largely of Red-winged
Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, Robins, Bronzed Grackles and
Meadowlarks. On March 12, in Middlesex County, Massa-
chusetts, Crows were observed migrating by moonlight until
9 P.M. After that date the numbers of birds increased, par-
ticularly Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles which were seen
in immense flocks. Juncos and Brown Creepers passed north
early in the month. On March 4 Fox Sparrows were noted in
southern Connecticut, while singing Snow Buntings in nearly
perfect spring plumage were seen on the same day in northern
Vermont.
Winter with much snow prevailed until the 22d in the
northern parts of northern New England. In northern Vermont
there had been one hundred and twenty-one days of sleighing
up to March 11, and 88.06 inches of snow had fallen. The
weather was very severe in the Maine woods. Squirrels which
were plentiful in the autumn in northern Aroostook County,
Maine, almost disappeared during the winter. On March 25
and 26 a warm wave quickly melted the snow and broke up
the ice in many northern streams. During this time a flood
of bird life swept northward.
A Flood of Migrants. — Canada Geese were moving all along
the coast. The great wintering flocks in Nova Scotia moved
on to Prince Edward Island. A large flight of Brants appeared
at Nantucket and Muskeget Island, Massachusetts. Gannets
were seen from Long Island to Cape Cod and a few Ospreys
were heard from along the coast of New England. White-
€0 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
winged Scoters and Holboell's Grebes were moving during the
latter half of the month. The bird wave on the 26th included
many land birds; Robins, Phnebes, Fox, Song, Vesper, and
Savannah Sparrows, and a few Field Sparrows. Most of the
boreal winter birds had moved on into the North by April first.
Tree Swallows, which usually arrive very early at Plymouth,
Massachusetts, were there by the 19th in large flocks. But
it was not until the 26th that this species was widely reported
in Massachusetts. Cowbirds had wintered locally in large
numbers on Cape Cod. Some appeared in migration March 1
on Block Island. One was reported on the 8th from Maine.
An immense flock of Bronzed Crackles moved along the Mas-
sachusetts coast. Mockingbirds had been noted all winter in
unusual numbers along the seashore. A Canada Jay passed
the winter near Boston. On the 28th a Murre was picked up
dead on the Massachusetts coast, the second recent authentic
record for the State.
April, 1922.
In southern New England April was cool and backward with
excessive rains and floods caused by rain and melting snow.
There were but few warm days. During the warm periods
bird migration moved rapidly; in cool weather these move-
ments were less noticeable.
A Retrograde Movement. — During the cold wave and snow-
storm which began on the last of March, Canada Geese were
seen flying southward in New York State, along the Connecti-
cut Valley and in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. In this
county, also, large numbers of small birds flew south during
the storm, and many returned after it had passed. In the
Connecticut Valley region birds from the hills seemed to con-
centrate in the valleys, while swarms of birds apparently
retreated to the coast of Connecticut. A foot of snow with a
severe drop in temperature proved too much for many birds.
All over southern New England flocks of Fox Sparrows, Juncos
and Song Sparrows, checked or turned back in migration,
gathered wherever food could be found. Thousands of birds
sought shelter in barns, cellars and open sheds.
Birds Die of Starvation and Cold. — Many died of starvation.
Others, fully fed and apparently in good condition, were found
dead. A farmer reported 25 dead birds about his buildings.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 61
Others found such victims later when removing? piles of brush
under which stormbound birds had sought shelter. Bhiebirds^
Juncos, Tree Sparrows, Fox Sparrows and Robins were picked
up, some dead, others in a weakened condition. Many were
caught by cats, some were eaten by hungry crows and others
were killed by flying against buildings in the storm; but the
great majority came through alive. Gradually with warmer
weather the chill produced by melting snows passed away and
by the 5th migrants were again moving northward.
Birds Rush Northward. — On the 9th there was a touch of
summer in the air, and on the 10th this terminated in Massa-
chusetts with a mid-day temperature of from 80 to 88 degrees..
During that week the birds rushed northward. Barn Swallows
were reported April 9 on Long Island, and after that date
became common there. From the 9th to the 12th they were
recorded in Maine and Ontario. On the 8th Chipping Sparrows
in small numbers began to appear on Long Island and in
southern Massachusetts. On the 9th this species was seen on
Prince Edward Island. From the 14th to the 19th a few Brown
Thrashers and House Wrens were heard from in southern
Connecticut. A few Thrashers and Catbirds were reported here
and there throughout the month. Probably some of these had
wintered in southern New England. A cold wave beginning
on the 19th reached its climax on the morning of the 21st.
Many severe frosts occurred throughout New England follow-
ing a "blizzard," which reached northern New York on the
20th, and brought a little snow to most of New England. On
the 24th and 25th another brief warm wave started migration
again, but the month closed with cold northerly winds and night
frosts. No early northward flight of Cedar Waxwings was
reported. This species had been very rare in Massachusetts
throughout the winter. There was an unusual flight of Winter
Wrens which at one time were reported throughout the Atlantic
coast region from South Carolina to northern Ontario. Broods
of Black Ducks were hatched in Massachusetts by or before
May 1.
Maij, 1922.
May was a disappointing month to the student of birds.
During the first half of the month there was much cool weather
and migration seemed to be somewhat delayed. Although
most of the species due at that time appeared, they were in
62 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
smaller numbers than usual. The month was notable, particu-
larly in the coastal region, for the small number of individuals
of migrating warblers, and several species were unusually rare.
The scarcity of birds was not so noticeable, however, in extreme
western and northern New England. There was an immense
flight of shore birds along the New England coast. Hawks
also were more numerous than usual.
Bird Waves. — On the 2d there was a warm wind which
brought a flight of early warblers in Maine. On the 10th, with
warm weather and south winds, the northward movement was
again accelerated, and a considerable migration of Sharp-
shinned Hawks occurred. At this time a large flight of Knots
appeared on Nantucket. On the 12th one of the greatest
flights of shore birds seen within the last forty years was re-
ported on the coast of Essex County, Massachusetts. For
several days sandpipers and other shore birds continued in
abundance along the coast. The flight of land birds also
increased, and between the 12th and 17th the main migration
of northern warblers passed through southern New England.
The crest of this northbound wave apparently reached Ontario
on the 14th and 15th and northern Vermont and Northern
Maine on the 18th and 19th. A few Canada Geese and Brants
lingered along the coast of southern New England until the
20th, which was a warm day. After the 20th Cedar Waxwings
began to appear in abundance. In western Massachusetts and
northern New England a flight of land birds was noticed on
the 21st. On the 23d there appeared a great arrival of Greater
Yellow-legs and Turnstones at Nantucket and on Cape Cod.
Black-breasted Plovers came in numbers until the 30th. Some
Loons, Scoters, Mergansers and Brunnich's Murres remained
throughout the month. Probably some of these delayed water
birds were more or less disabled by oil and were too weak to
go north. The 26th was cold with north winds, followed in the
night by sharp frosts. The month closed, however, with high
temperatures. Although a large flight of Red-breasted Nut-
hatches went south early in the autumn of 1921, but few were
reported in southern New England on their return in the spring.
Two Blue Grosbeaks were reported in Massachusetts during
the month, and there were reported a few Blue-gray Gnat-
catchers. A considerable increase in nesting Killdeer Plovers
was noted in many parts of New England.
No. 12.3.] DIVISIOxX OF ORNITHOLOGY. 63
Jtme, 1922.
The deficit in precipitation during the twelve months prior
to June, 1922, must have been made up during this month.
Tempestuous electric storms and torrential rains prevailed over
a large part of New England.
Storms destroy Young Birds. — Destructive hailstorms also
occurred. These elemental disturbances were fatal to many-
eggs; some young birds were destroyed by rain and wind, others
w^ere drowned by floods. The continuous rains in some sections
made it difficult for the parent birds to obtain food for their
young, which in consequence starved.
Quite a number of Loons were noted on the coast, and in at
least two cases young birds were seen with them. Many Red-
breasted Mergansers and a few Old-squaws and Holboell's
Grebes were reported from Cape Cod, and a few Bonaparte's
Gulls along the New England coast. Black-breasted Plovers,
both species of Yellows-legs, Knots and Least and Semipalmated
Sandpipers were noted locally throughout most of the month
in New England. Four Brown Pelicans were reported June 7
in Essex County, Massachusetts. A male Gallinule was seen
from May 30 to June 10 in Connecticut. On the latter date
a Blue Grosbeak was recorded in Norfolk County, Massachu-
setts. On June 12 a Lark Sparrow was seen on Long Island.
On the 13th a Cerulean Warbler was seen in Franklin County,
Massachusetts. A nest of this species was found in New York
State. Two pairs of Slate-colored Juncos were reported breed-
ing in Connecticut. Notwithstanding the fact that the latter
part of May was favorable to migration, some land birds were
not reported from some localities until from the 1st to the
20th of June.
July, 1922.
There was less precipitation in July than in June, but the
rainfall still was excessive. Along the seacoast of eastern Maine
and in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick the rains of the first
part of the month were even heavier and more continuous than
in June. Fogs prevailed there for many days. The storms and
cold in that region caused practically a total loss of young
terns in some places and local Chimney Swifts disappeared.
Early Migration. — Southward migration began early. On
64 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
the 4th a Nashville Warbler was seen well out on Cape Cod,
and on the 6th a Bay-breasted Warbler. In the stormy weather
beginning July 10 a great migration of shore birds of many
species landed at various points on the New England coast.
On the 10th and 11th warblers were reported moving down
the Maine coast. Several species of northern warblers were
seen on the 13th in Brooklyn, New York. Bobolinks and Tree
Swallows began moving after the first week in the month.
Red-breasted Nuthatches appeared in localities in Maine, from
which they had been absent in the breeding season. There
was other evidence of movement among land birds. On July
26 at Mingan on the St. Lawrence River, in the Province of
Quebec, Tree Swallows were observed bound west along the
coast. Crossbills were moving in the same direction. A few
days later reports from Maine indicated an accession of Cross-
bills of both species there. Immediately afterward both species
appeared in New Hampshire and Vermont.
The rains caused a terrible destruction of Chimney Swifts
in Maine. In one locality it w^as reported that two wheel-
barrow loads of these birds were found dead at the bottom
of a great unused chimney. (A similar occurrence happened
in 1904 in Massachusetts, but from that time until 1922 nothing
like it has been reported.) Considerable mortality among
young terns occurred at this time in Massachusetts. Mean-
while in northern Vermont dry weather prevailed.
August, 1922.
August was not an excessively hot month in southern New
England, but as with the other summer months there was an
excessive rainfall. Fog and rain prevailed along the coastal
region of southern New England for nearly all the first part
of the month, and interfered with the observation of bird
migration. Winds from the South and Southwest prevailed..
The greatest rainfall of the month came on the 27th, with high
winds, thunderstorms and floods which did great damage to
roadbeds and bridges. During the prevailing southwest winds
and fine weather of the previous week many shore birds passing
south were keeping well out to sea, but with the long storm
which began on the 26th the wind changed to southeast and a.
great flight swung in over the coast.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 65
A Great Flight of Shore Birds. — Thousands of shore birds
representing nearly all species that migrate along our shores
passed over Cape Cod and Nantucket and later many appeared
on the shores of Buzzards Bay. All day on the 27th and all
night the birds were passing. This flight was notable for the
large number of Golden Plovers; more were observed than
have been seen in Massachusetts for many years. On the 28th
the greatest flight of shore birds seen for years passed over
Block Island. Loons were scattered all along the coast. On
the 5th and 9th of August a few Crossbills were recorded in
Massachusetts. During the first week in August large flocks
of Killdeers were reported in New York, Massachusetts and
Connecticut. Rather unusual numbers of Black Terns were
seen on the Massachusetts coast. Northern Ducks began to
arrive. A few ducks, including Mallards and Pintails, appeared
as early as August 17 on Long Island, New York. On the
17th, also. Blue-winged Teals were observed on Block Island,
and a Green-winged Teal \yas recorded in Nova Scotia. A
number of Little Blue Herons were reported in the Middle
States and a few in Massachusetts, but only a very few Egrets
were noted this year in New England. The August migration
was not so early or so general as in 1921. Many small birds
having lost their early broods by storms bred later than usual.
Immense Flocks of Martins. — Immense flocks of Martins
were noted during the first week of August in Nova Scotia,
Virginia and South Carolina. This furnished abundant evidence
of their migration. Several northern warblers appeared August
6 on Long Island. After August 12 the reports of southward
movements in New England increased. Kingbirds and Night-
hawks were migrating in considerable numbers from the 16th
in Maine to the 28th in Massachusetts. There was a large
flight of Kingbirds on Long Island. Many small birds were
heard passing on many of the cooler nights in northern New
England. By the 19th northern warblers were more commonly
reported from Long Island.
Among the birds noted migrating southward were the Veery,
Bluebird, Chebec, Great Crested Flycatcher, House Wren,
Brown Thrasher, Chimney Swift, Pigeon Hawk and Duck
Hawk. Two Marbled God wits were taken August 19 on the
coast of Virginia. Hudsonian Godwits appeared in Massachu-
66 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
setts. A large flock of Wilson's Petrels, appearing "like a low
black cloud about a mile in length" was seen on August 3 off
the Long Island coast.
September, 1922.
The month of September brought a change in the weather.
In the first half of the month there were many rainstorms,
but the last two weeks were dry. There were few frosts and
the winds were mostly southerly and southwesterly.
A General Movement. — Notwithstanding contrary winds
birds were heard migrating every night, but until the 25th and
26th comparatively few migrants were reported during the
day. A severe frost on the night of the 26th in northern New
England, following strong northwest winds, started a great
migration of land birds, many of which alighted the next
morning in southern New England. At the same time a flight
of water birds and shore birds appeared along the coast and in
the river valleys. The latter half of the month brought a
considerable migration of Wood Ducks. The first Mergansers
and Scoters at Block Island were reported on September 18.
On the 28th there was an immense flight of waterfowl on the
Massachusetts coast. They were mostly Ducks and included
all three species of Scoters. The local game birds bred well
for the most part, but floods interfered with the breeding of
Snipes and Woodcocks. Very few Snipes were reported until
the frost of the night of the 25th, when a considerable flight
appeared. The high water in early September made conditions
inimical for them in their usual haunts in the meadows, and
many of them went to uplands and to the higher parts of salt
marshes. During the great mid-September flight Black-throated,
Green, Blackpoll and Myrtle Warblers were reported in great
numbers, while Pipits, Winter Wrens, Brown Creepers and
Kinglets appeared in abundance during the latter part of the
month.
Crossbills Abundant in Maine. — Following the wet summer a
great crop of fruit and seeds developed in the woods of northern
New England, providing abundant food there for winter birds.
Crossbills were abundant in these woods as the month ended,
but few had appeared in southern New England.
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 67
October, 1922.
The warm weather and southerly winds of the last days of
September seemed to delay migration somewhat. October in
southern New England was mainly bright and clear with no
long storms. The first fifteen days were principally mild or
warm. The latter half of the month was cool or cold and
w^ndy, with some northerly or northwesterly gales. On the
night of October 19 a snowstorm occurred over a large part
of Maine. On several nights small ponds in northern New
England and some in southern New England were skimmed
with ice, thawing again in the sunlight of succeeding days.
During the mild weather of the first half of the month there was
much bird song, late strawberries ripened in the sun, and here
and there a fruit tree began to put forth a few leaves and
blossoms.
Many Cormorants, Kittiwakes and Horned Grebes appeared
during the month off the Massachusetts coast. Brants and
Geese were rather slow in coming. They appeared in small
numbers compared with those of 1921, and few young of either
species were seen or taken. This led to the belief that the
breeding season in the north was disastrous. Northerly gales
during the last part of the month sent along some ducks,
among them great flights of the three species of Scoters. A
few Barred Owls and Horned Owls appeared from the north.
About October 1 a large flight of White-throated Sparrows
was reported from western Massachusetts and eastern Middle-
sex County, and many Juncos invaded Berkshire County.
Tremendous Flocks of Crows. — On October 3 tremendous
flocks of Crows were seen going south, and about this time
large flights of land birds appeared passing through eastern
Maine. Many sparrows of various kinds appeared. Two
Three-toed Woodpeckers were reported from western New York.
Great flights of land birds passed through eastern Maine in
the fine weather following October 2. They left that region
on the 5th before a storm which threatened on that day and
burst on Massachusetts on the 7th and 8th, with a terrific
downpour of rain accompanied by thunder and hghtning.
During this storm great numbers of birds appeared in Massa-
chusetts. There were hundreds of Cedar Waxwings, Myrtle,
Parula and BlackpoU Warblers, Kinglets, Creepers and Tree
68 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Swallows, and many sparrows and blackbirds. A drop in
temperature following the snowfall of the 18th and 19th in
Maine sent along a considerable flight of northern species, such
as Siskins, Fox Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Juncos,
Kinglets and Hermit Thrushes.
A Great Movement of Woodcocks. — During this cold wave,
which was general over New England, there was a great flight
of Woodcocks. On the 20th and several subsequent days many
of these birds were seen and shot, from the coast well to the
westward of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts. At the
same time, Woodcocks were reported as few in southern Con-
necticut, where, however, many appeared a few days later.
During the month there were unusual numbers of Golden-
crowned Kinglets that appeared from Maine to Pennsylvania.
A migration of Arctic Horned Owls was reported in northern
Ontario and an influx of Woodpeckers in Maine. There was
a great flight of Wilson's Snipes on October 5 at Block Island,
and on October 6 a small flight of Crossbills.
November, 1922.
November was generally pleasant, rather cool in southern
New England with frosty nights, which occasionally were quite
cold in northern New England, but there was little snow. Zero
was reached on the 27th in northern Vermont. The winds
were mainly northwesterly or westerly, with only a few warm
"southerly" days. During the first week a great flight of
northern water birds appeared along the coast of southern New
England. There were many Loons and Red-breasted Loons,
Kittiwakes, Black-backed Gulls, Eider Ducks, Red-breasted
Mergansers and Old-squaws.
Birds Blown out to Sea. — Fresh northwest winds in northern
New England blew many migrating wild fowl out to sea.
Comparatively few Canada Geese appeared during the month
except off shore, where fishermen and sailors saw many migrat-
ing southward over the sea. It was only on our farthest sea-
ward outpost, Nantucket, that many Geese were seen.
The still, cold nights of the last half of the month closed
most of the ponds and small lakes, and sent many wild fowl
southward or to the coast. In the last days of October Snowy
Owls appeared in the Maritime Provinces and a few reached
No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 69
New England, where in November many were seen. On
November 9 a large flight of Red-tailed Hawks and some
Rough-legged Hawks passed through southern New England.
The flight of Owls continued and many Great Horned Owls and
Barred Owls were reported. A number of Acadian Owls and
a few Hawk Owls and Richardson's Owls were recorded in
Maine. Among the Horned Owls taken was one very dark
bird and one of an extremely light phase, probably an Arctic
Horned Owl. This southward movement of northern Owls,
both great and small, seemed to indicate a scarcity of mice and
rabbits somewhere in the North.
During the first two weeks of the month land birds passed
in large numbers. These gradually grew fewer until by the
last of the month most of them had disappeared. The immense
flight of Siskins and Crossbills in Maine began to move west-
ward. Large numbers of Siskins appeared in southern New
England, but few Crossbills were reported. The number of
Pileated Woodpeckers recorded in New England exceeded that
of all reports for the previous few years. Immense flocks of
Crackles and Crows were seen in Massachusetts, and a flock of
about 100 Great Blue Herons was seen November 16 in Middle-
sex County, Massachusetts. Apparently this was a part of the
great November flight that passes annually but rarely is ob-
served in New England.
Outstanding Events of the Year.
Among the outstanding events of the year was the abundance
of Great Northern Shrikes in the winter of 1921-22 in New
England. No equal abundance of these birds has been reported
from the western United States. Apparently there was a slight
southward movement of Canada Jays. We have no previous
report of such a migration. Reports from New England reveal
almost no north^^ard movement of Egrets during the late
summer, although some Little Blue Herons appeared. Albinos
or partial albino birds which were recorded in very unusual
numbers during 1921 appear to have decreased greatly in
1922. Only a few were reported, not more than the normal
number. Albinos are marked birds; they are attacked by
many enemies and probably are short-lived. There was a great
increase in the numbers of Golden-crowned Kinglets in New
70 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
England in the breeding season. There has been an apparent
increase during the year in the number of Northern Pileated
Woodpeckers. This may indicate a southward migration. The
autumnal flight of Geese and Brants showed a great falling off
from that of 1921. Apparently this was partly due to the fact
that few young were raised, and in part to off-shore winds that
drifted the coastal flight out to sea.
A Comparison of the Work of the Downy Woodpecker
WITH THAT OF THE SaPSUCKER.
A careful comparison has been made of perforations in the
bark of two apple-tree limbs cut from the trees by Mr. A. A.
Cross of Huntington, Massachusetts. One of these shows holes
which the Sapsucker itself was seen to make. The other shows
somewhat similar perforations which were made by a Downy
Woodpecker while under observation. The examination of
these two specimens was made to see if any difference could
be observed by which the work of each species could be recog-
nized. Unfortunately the bark on the limb perforated by the
Woodpecker was more than twice as thick as that on the Sap-
sucker limb. Therefore the holes made by the Woodpecker
averaged about twice as deep as those made by the Sapsucker.
They are arranged irregularly in horizontal rows, but rather
more regularly than those of the Sapsucker. These perforations
look much alike, but close examination shows a recognizable
difference. The holes made by the Downy, although deeper,
are no larger; in fact, they average smaller, and are more
uniform in size than those made by the Sapsucker. Their ex-
ternal diameter varies somewhat in accordance with the thick-
ness of the bark. These perforations are more or less conical
in section, being smaller at the end and larger at the beginning.
The sides of the perforations are roughened by projecting fibers
of the bark, and are not as clean-cut as those made by the
Sapsucker. In no case do these perforations penetrate through
the bark into the wood, and many of them apparently do not
reach the cambium; also, some of them seem to slant a little
upward. The perforations of the Sapsucker, on the other hand,
vary in size from a small hole, much like that made by the
Downy, to one more than half an inch in diameter. The sides
of the perforations are nearly rectangular to the surface of the
No. 128.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 71
bark, and in some cases the edges even overhang. Thus the
hole is larger inside next the wood than outside, and gives
evidence that the Sapsucker sought the inner bark, for in every
case the perforations go down to the sapwood.
With only two specimens of the work of these two species at
hand, and these varying considerably in the thickness of the
bark, no generahzations can be made, but the diflPerences be-
tween the two are evident to the naked eye and more so when
examined under a lens. However, the roughness shown on the
sides of the perforations made by the Downy may be due in
part to the greater age and more fibrous quality of the bark.
If the Downy Woodpecker was taking cambium, it must
have secured very little in comparison with that taken by the
Sapsucker, which evidently ate or pecked out much more by
enlarging the perforations as they neared the wood. Most of
the holes made by the Downy either ended or tapered to a mere
point before the wood was reached.
Dr. Joseph Grinnell of the University of California, Berkeley,
California, sends some manuscript describing his experience
with a pair of Willow Woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens
turati). Dr. Grinnell and Mr. Tracy I. Storer watched a Willow
Woodpecker at work. They shot one bird, and found bits of
inner bark fibers adhering to the bristles about the bill, but
do not report that they have examined the contents of the
stomach. Their comparison of the work of the Willow Wood-
pecker and that of the Sapsucker follows: —
A pair of Willow Woodpeckers proved to be regular tenants of Curry's
apple orchard on the floor of the Yosemite Valley. They or their ancestors
had evidently worked there for some years, with the result that most of
the 150 trees in the orchard showed marks of their attention, and many of
the trunks were fairly riddled with the somewhat Sapsucker-like drillings.
On November 8, 1915, two of us made a study of the site, with findings as
follows : —
A measured area 6 inches (15 cm.) square, 4 feet (130 cm.) above ground
on a trunk 12 inches (32 cm.) in diameter contained 17 fresh pits and 30
old ones, of last year's digging or older. These pits were horizontally
elliptical, each about 2.5 by 4 mm. in surface extent, thus distinctly dif-
ferent in size and shape from true Sapsucker drillings. They were arranged
in irregular horizontal rows, with spaces of 6 to 14 mm. between individual
pits and 3 to 8 cm. between rows. On this particular trunk the pits
occurred over a vertical distance of 41 inches (105 cm.) so that there were
about 2,100 pits in all on this one tree. Limbs less than 4 inches (10 cm.)
72 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
in diameter were not usually found to have been worked upon. However
destructive this drilling would seem to be, it does not seriously affect the
vitality of the trees; the pits are but 4 to 5 mm. deep, penetrating only
the outer layers of the bark, which after a time scale off. We would judge
that all evidence of this woodpecker's work is thus removed in natural
process within about three years. The heartwood (sapwood?) seems to
be not damaged at all, as is the case with most true Sapsucker work.
Our inference is that the Willow Woodpecker feeds on the inner layers of
bark, which the bird exposes through the perforations above described.
No. 123.] PLANT PEST CONTROL. 73
REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF PLANT PEST
CONTROL.
The Division of Plant Pest Control has devoted the greater
part of its time during the past year to the inspection of nurs-
eries, European corn borer, white pine blister rust and apiary
inspection. The nursery inspection has been carried on chiefly
along the lines that have been followed during the past few
years, 180 certificates having been issued to nurserymen, and
250 licenses to agents. The European corn borer is proving a
more serious problem each year, and the white pine blister
rust is also consuming more time and much greater attention
from this Department.
Nursery Inspection.
Earl> in the spring a large number of interstate shipments
were inspected and the bulk of them were found to be in ex-
cellent condition. Probably the practice we have pursued
in past seasons, of refusing to accept inferior shipments, has
become so well known to out-of-state dealers, that only first-
class stock is in most cases consigned to this State. Several
inspections of the nurseries, especially the larger ones, have
been made for various insects and diseases even though these
pests have not in previous years been found in them, it being
our policy to keep a careful check on the nurseries rather than
to intensify the inspection after an infestation of some serious
pest becomes well established.
The European pine shoot moth, a few years ago quite preva-
lent, has apparently been eradicated from our nursery stock.
The San Jose scale, which was one of the first pests and prob-
ably the most serious that we had to contend with fifteen years
ago, is very seldom found in any large amount, it being very
unusual for us now to find a block of stock infested. When
this insect is found we usually, with the permission of the
nurseryman, destroy the stock, as it is ordinarily present on
74 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
too few trees to warrant spraying. Probably this practice has
aided greatly in keeping this insect in check. A small amount
of oyster-shell scale has been found for the last few years, but
the amount has decreased each season. This insect is more
difficult to control than San Jose scale, in that it passes the
winter in the egg stage under the scale, making it very difficult
to use an effective spray during the dormant season.
The satin moth, which is the latest imported insect to be of
serious consequence in the nurseries, was found in a few in-
stances this season. This pest may be controlled easily by
spraying with arsenate of lead at the time the young cater-
pillars start feeding. It passes the winter as a small larvae in
the crevices of the bark, and in that stage there is danger of
its being shipped on nursery stock either during the fall or
spring shipments. For that reason the Federal government
placed an absolute quarantine on willows and poplars, pro-
hibiting them from being shipped out of the infested area.
After a special hearing before this Department, it was decided ,^
with the advice of some of the nurserymen, to place a State
quarantine on willows and poplars, with the exception that they
might be shipped from the infested area to other points within
Massachusetts under permit, said permits, however, to be
void after May 1. This plan seemed to work out very well,
and the same practice will be invoked next season.
The gypsy moth inspection was very gratifying, and it was
necessary to withhold fewer certificates on account of this pest
this fall than any season for the past ten years. The egg
masses were not present to any great extent in any of the
nurseries, and where they were at all numerous the nurserymen
were very pi'ompt in taking care of them. The absence of these
egg masses was due probably to several factors, one of which
was the partial winterkilling of the eggs; and another, the
death of large numbers of small caterpillars caused by the cold
damp weather which prevailed at the time of hatching. The
damp summer, too, caused considerable disease to develop in
the caterpillars, which, with the results of spraying, largely
account for the smaller number of egg masses found this fall.
It is hoped that as the nurseries are now apparently free from
this pest, careful control methods will be practiced.
No. 123.] PLANT PEST CONTROL. 75
European Corn Borer.
Th*^ European corn borer work in Massachusetts has been
curtailed because of the hick of Federal funds. This Depart-
ment realizes the seriousness of this problem, but we feel that
the State of INIassachusetts cannot afford to handle it alone;
neither do we believe that it is entirely a State problem. It
is the consensus of opinion of those concerned with this insect,
that it is largely a Federal problem and should be handled by
the Federal government. When the insect was first discovered
in Massachusetts, the State Legislature immediately made
available $100,000. Following that the Federal government
appropriated additional funds, and considerable clean-up work
was done in the badly infested area. However, in the past
two years this clean-up work has been abolished and the small
appropriation at our disposal has been used for quarantine
and scouting work. Partially because the clean-up work has
been neglected, we find the situation that confronts us to-day
much more serious than at any time. The conditions in Arling-
ton, Medford, and some of the other points where the infesta-
tion has been present for several years is at this time very
serious. Fields of corn, spinach, beets, celery and several other
vegetables were in some instances so badly infested that the
crop was not marketable. The weed areas throughout some
of these towns are in no small measure responsible for the above
conditions, and we hope that sufficient funds may be made
available whereby they may be remedied.
In view of the seriousness of the present situation we have
submitted to the Legislature two bills, one recommending the
policy by which this work could be carried on most efficiently,
the other applying to field methods which might assist in
greatly reducing the infestation. This latter w^ould make it
compulsory that all corn stubble be plowed under by Decem-
ber 1.
The Federal government is well aware of the damages of
which this pest is capable, it being much more serious because
of the fact that it is two-brooded here. While the European
corn borer has been found in New York, Ohio, Michigan and
Canada, it is in these localities single-brooded, and it is our
belief that if the two-brooded corn borer is allowed to enter
the corn belt unchecked, it will cause incalculable loss. It is
76 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
for this reason that we are strongly urging the Federal govern-
ment to assist to their utmost at this time in fighting the corn
borer we have in New England. We have had a large force
of men inspecting in the Boston produce market and also in
the flower market. These inspections at all times are made in
co-operation with the Federal Horticultural Board. The quar-
antines are operated from June 1 to January 1, as it is only
during this period that the stock grown within the infested
area is marketable. It was found that it was very expensive
to make field inspections, as at that time we could not deter-
mine how much of the material would be shipped out of the
area, while by following the plan now in practice, that is,
inspecting the produce in the Boston market, we are called
upon to inspect only that going out of the area. It seems at
the present time that this inspection will soon be uncalled for,
as the area infested by the corn borer is rapidly increasing, and
it will soon be so large as to include most of the markets where
Boston produce is shipped.
The inspection of cut flowers, such as chrysanthemums,
dahlias and gladioli, is by no means a small task, as large
quantities of these flowers are shipped daily out of the infested
area. The inspection for corn coming into Massachusetts from
New York, where the single-brooded corn borer is present, is
one more precaution to be taken. It is sincerely hoped that
some drastic action may be taken that will assist in checking
this pest.
Each year finds a larger number of insects and plant diseases
sent into the office for identification. Usually these are the
more common household and garden pests, but occasionally
an unusual species is sent in for determination. A year ago
we received hundreds of complaints in regard to the common
stalk borer. Most of the specimens received were sent by
persons who thought it was the European corn borer. This
season there have been very few such cases called to our atten-
tion. This is probably due to weather conditions, as this
insect is more of a southern pest, and it may have been that
it was unable to withstand the winter weather. However, this
insect is found in small numbers in this State most every year.
During 1922 there has been an abundance of oriental moths,
doing considerable damage to fruit and shade trees in greater
Boston. Several cases were called to our attention in Boston,
No. 123.] PLANT PEST CONTROL. 77
Dorchester, Squantum and Quincy. We are very glad at all
times to receive specimens for identification, and to do all we
can toward recommending or even supervising control measures.
White Pine Blister Rust.
The present status of the white pine blister rust in this
country presents a situation which is both discouraging and
encouraging. It is discouraging because the disease has become
generally distributed in New England, northeastern New York
State, and in sections of Wisconsin and Minnesota, and has
just been reported for the first time in the Pacific Northwest
in the State of W^ashington. Even the most skeptical are willing
to admit that the disease has proven particularly fatal to young
white pines, — the type which is of prime importance in any
consideration of the production of the pine crop of the future.
The encouraging phase of the situation, however, is that inten-
sive experimental work has demonstrated that the further
spread of the disease can be prevented effectively and at a
reasonable cost by the systematic destruction of the currant
and gooseberry bushes that may be growing on or within 900
feet of pine-producing lands.
The real problem in the situation, however, is one of educa-
tion. In other words, the average pine owner has no knowledge
of the nature and characteristics of the disease, the damage it
may do, and the comparatively simple methods by which its
further spread can be prevented. In appreciation of this fact,
a new^ policy, effective May 1, 1922, was formulated for the
conduct of blister rust control work. In accordance with this
plan, the L^nited States Department of Agriculture, through
the Office of Blister Rust Control, agreed to conduct an inten-
sive educational campaign by the assignments of Federal agents
to the more important pine-producing counties throughout
the State. The State Department, in carrying out its obliga-
tion, agreed to aid pine owners in the performance of control
w^ork by furnishing a number of men to assist the educational
agents in the work of inspecting pine lands.
For purposes of administration the State has been divided
into 9 districts, and 8 Federal agents have been assigned this
year. These men have been assisted by 21 temporary em-
ployees cf this Division, acting in the capacity of scouts, crew
foremen or supervisors of control work. Through the courtesy
78 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
of the Director of Extension Service, the local farm bureaus,
and other similar organizations the educational agents have
been provided quarters in the office of the county agricultural
agents. The co-operation of the county agents has been a help
in conducting the work.
Although there were many delays incident to the organiza-
tion of the new plan of work, active control work has been in
progress in five districts in the State, namely, District I in
Essex, III in Plymouth, IV in Bristol, V in Worcester and
VIII in Hampden. In conducting this work the general plan
followed has been to first examine the land of a co-operating
pine owner without charge. If the examination disclosed the
presence of Ribes (currants and gooseberries) in any numbers,
a report has been made to the owner and he has been requested
to furnish additional men to perform the eradication work
under the supervision of a State foreman or scout. In some
instances Ribes have been so abundant that crew work has
been essential, in which cases the owners have borne the expense
of the crew members, the State Department paying for the
services of the foreman. In most cases the owner has not
only paid for the work on his own lands, but has also borne
the expense involved in the establishment of a necessary pro-
tection zone outside his holdings. In northern Worcester
County, however, Ribes have been found in such abundance
that the State Department has guaranteed a protection zone
without cost to the owner. This practice cannot be continued
in the future. In Plymouth and Bristol counties, on the other
hand, Ribes have been so scattering that the few bushes found
have been pulled by the State scouts without expense to the
owners.
During the field season, approximately 61,600 acres of land
have been examined at an average cost per acre of 18 cents.
In this work 1,565,662 Ribes (1,563,294 wild and 2,368 cul-
tivated) have been destroyed. Nearly 200 pine owners have
actually performed control work on their holdings, and have
expended the sum of $3,222.67 in protecting their pines.
The most important accomplishment of the year, however,
has been the successful dissemination of the facts concerning
blister rust to pine owners and other interested parties, and
although many delays were experienced in building up an
entirely new organization, 1,185 personal interviews were made
No. 123.] PLANT PEST CONTROL. 79
during; the short season. It is also interesting to note that for
the first time in Massachusetts the active interest of lumber-
men has been obtained, and plans for another year already call
for the practice of control work on the holdings of a number of
concerns interested in the lumber industry.
In connection with the educational program, a very special
effort has been made to have a complete blister rust exhibit
at the more important community fairs throughout the State.
At each fair, pine owners have been urged to have their lands
inspected, and as a result, the names of prospective co-operators
have been obtained from nearly every town in the State. Ex-
hibits have been shown at 39 fairs. The county agricultural
agents have been of great assistance in connection with this
phase of the season's work.
A new illustrated circular has been published during the year
to replace the original 2-page leaflet. A small, inexpensive card
has also been prepared for general distribution at fairs, the
larger circular being reserved for distribution direct to pine
owners.
At the beginning of the year blister rust as previously re-
ported within the State seemed to be confined particularly to
several rather well-defined areas, in which the condition might
be described as local-general-infection, meaning that the disease
can be found quite extensively within a township or any large
portion thereof. Such areas are found in sections of Berkshire,
Essex, Hampden and Plymouth counties. In addition to these
areas there are scattered spot infections consisting of an isolated
tree or groups of trees.
On January 1, 1922, the records indicated that the disease,
in at least one of its stages of development, had been found
in 269 towns out of the total of 353 cities and towns in the
State, in 92 of which it had been reported on pine. Since that
time, however, although no extensive scouting has been in
progress, the disease as it appears on pine, has been found in
32 additional towns. In Essex County infection on pine has
been found in every pine lot examined this year, and has been
reported in all but 7 of the cities and towns in the county.
In Plymouth County the disease has been reported in every
township. In northern Worcester County infection has been
so abundant on Ribes for the last two years that there must
be a serious pine infection area somewhere in that section of
80 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
the State, although its location is not apparent as yet. In
western Hampden County an infection area has just been found
in the town of Chester, in which the pines show a high percent-
age of young cankers. This seems to indicate a recent spread
of the disease in this part of the State, where practically no
control work has ever been performed.
The blister rust work in Massachusetts has been conducted
under the direction of Mr. C. C. Perry of the Federal Office
of Blister Rust Control, in co-operation with the Director of
this Division.
Apiaey Inspection.
The apiary inspection has been carried on under the super-
vision of Dr. Burton N. Gates, and the following report has
been submitted by him.
The inspection of apiaries in 1922 has encountered no unusual
problems. Besides the writer, who has directed the work,
former Deputy Inspectors Edwards Thorne of Worcester and
Ivan Rawson of Pittsfield have served. Mr. O. F. Fuller was
employed as usual on a temporary basis to cover important
points in southern Worcester County, east and southeastern
part. Mr. Fred Challet of Northampton was employed for
the first time. Each of these have given efficient service.
Berkshire County was thoroughly covered by Mr. Rawson,
who found no unusual outbreaks of disease. The type most
frequently encountered in his territory is European foul brood.
There are a few local spots of infection in Berkshire County
which ought to be followed up closely in 1923.
For the first time in several years it was possible to cover
a large part of Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
This was accomplished by Mr. Challet. European foul brood
is the type most frequently encountered in this section, al-
though late in the season our attention was called to a localized
infection of American foul brood. This has been dealt with as
fully as the late season would allow, and we believe is con-
trolled, although an early inspection of the apiaries in the
locality in 1923 is imperative. On the whole, the Connecticut
Valley was found in a satisfactory condition.
Worcester County was covered as thoroughly as possible^
selecting towns most in need of assistance, by Messrs. Thorne
and Fuller. Mr. Thorne also worked in Middlesex County, as
No. 12:^.] PLANT PP:ST CONTROL. 81
did Mr. Fuller in the three southeastern counties. Diseases
have always caused more concern in Worcester County and
eastward, possibly because of a more dense and urban popula-
tion who buy and sell bees freely. Avocational beekeepers live
largely in the eastern part of the State, who we find are not
infrequently in trouble with bee disease before they realize it.
It was not possible to work in Essex County nor on Cape Cod.
There is always considerable work in this eastern half of the
State — too much to be accomplished by one inspector, even
though he is assisted by part time of another. The field is
large enough for full service of two men, even with the help
of a part-time man. For this reason it has seemed necessary
to request the apportionment of additional funds.
Formerly the annual fund available was $2,000. This was
reduced some years ago to $1,500, since which time expenses of
travel and all other items have increased. It is evident to any-
one that to-day $1,500 cannot possibly be made to do the work
that $2,000 did before the rise in expenses. Moreover, the
former appropriation was never adequate to cover the State
in any given year. It has been respectfully urged that the
appropriation be increased to $2,500, which sum it has been
explained can be made to supply regular service in the Con-
necticut Valley (heretofore only partial and periodic); will
enable more extended work in Worcester County (much
needed); and make possible the appointment of an inspector,
resident in eastern Massachusetts either north or south of
Boston, to cover territory now reached but occasionally, or in
case of an outbreak, as well as support the service as a whole
more adequately.
In the report of 1922 it was mentioned that in two localities,
at least, there were persistent infections. These we are glad to
report are wiped out and the localities relatively clean.
One exhibit of honey was made for the Department at the
Union Meeting in January. The writer has also prepared and
presented a general bulletin on beekeeping for publication by
the Department. In directing the work the writer has given
part time as needed.
82 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF RECLAMATION,
SOIL SURVEY, AND FAIRS.
Reclamation.
The work of the Division of Reclamation has been this year
combined with that of the State Drainage Board, the Director
of the Division being also secretary of the Board. The report
of the Board follows: —
Repoet of State Drainage Board.
The personnel of the Board for 1922 has been the same as for
1921, Mr. Warren C. Jewett of Worcester, chairman, represent-
ing the Department of Health, and Mr. Leslie R. Smith of Had-
ley, secretary, representing the Department of Agriculture.
The work of the Board has increased rapidly during 1922.
Six new petitions to form drainage districts have been received
since the last report, and all but one of those projects have been
examined. Inquiries leading toward the formation of six addi-
tional districts have also been received and answered. Three
new district organizations have been completed and constructive
work on two projects started. The Board has also prepared
for the guidance of districts, standard forms for district articles
of association, for district by-laws, for petitions to county com-
missioners and for meeting calls. Two hundred copies of the
amended law with accompanying explanations were printed and
have been nearly all distributed to interested persons. The
Board has held 7 public hearings and made 8 engineer examina-
tions on projects this year. The Board has furnished advice to
the districts on organization and on design of proposed structures,
and has conferred with the officers of various departments of
the United States, the State, the counties and of some railroads
in the interests of these districts.
Projects on which petitions have been received are noted below.
The organization of five of these has been authorized by the
State Secretary.
No. 123.] RECLAMATION, ETC. 83
Salisbury Drainage Project.
Progress in this project was delayed by the necessity for ob-
taining legislative authority to purchase land in New Hampshire
needed for the proposed dike. This authority was granted by
the last Legislature and the formation of the district proceeded
with, and designs have been prepared for the necessary struc-
tures. The roadbed of an abandoned street railway company,
now a highway, just inside the New Hampshire State line, will
be used as the dike. Tide gates and a weir will be constructed
for regulating the water in the marsh. It is expected that con-
struction work on the project will be completed next spring.
Green Harbor Drainage Project.
The project originated in 1872, when the owners of the marsh
lands built a dike about a mile above the mouth of Green Harbor
River. The sluices there provided partial drainage for this land
but friction with the users of the harbor below prevented the
success of the project. The first sluice, becoming defective, was
abandoned and a new sluice of smaller capacity was installed.
This being unsuccessful, a district was formed under the present
drainage laws. During the fall of 1921 a new sluice of about
100 square feet area was designed and plans for laterals outlined.
The district drainage commissioners presented the project to the
Plymouth County commissioners for financing according to law,
but up to the present time the county commissioners have re-
fused to approve the project. Proposals of various compromises
have been offered, but none as yet agreed upon.
Weweantic River Drainage District.
Weweantic River Drainage District, as noted in the last annual
report, is located in the town of Carver, and is the first to actu-
ally reach the constructive stage. A large, concentrated area
of cranberry bogs, lying at the headwaters of the Weweantic
River, had been badly damaged through lack of drainage be-
cause the river channel below had become clogged. The first
work undertaken was the clearing and digging out by hand of
the half mile of channel just below these bogs. The expense was
less than $250, but the results were very satisfactory. The water
level at the bogs after draining was lowered about 13^ feet, which
fulfilled all the requirements at this point. It is planned to
extend this work down stream, also to construct some small
84 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
reservoirs for holding water to flood the bogs in case of frost,
and to improve the waterways of certain highway bridges. The
Board feels highly gratified at the results obtained so far on this
project.
North Marblehcad Drainage District.
The original petition for this project received late in Decem-
ber, 1921, called for the drainage of 100 acres of land in the
" Lower Division Pasture and Tillage." Examination revealed
that the small creek valley concerned consisted of a succession of
small wet pockets; that only a small portion of these wet lands
were required for agricultural purposes; and that drainage for
building purposes and to abate an alleged nuisance were the
principal needs involved. As the petition did not appear entirely
to cover the needs of the situation, the Board at a hearing
advised the preparation of a new petition broad enough to cover
the entire valley of this creek and its tributaries. This new
petition has been received, and at a meeting held on November
10 the new project was reported upon favorably and district
drainage commissioners appointed.
Assabet River Drainage District.
Owners of the Assabet River marshes in Westborough and
Northborough petitioned in February, 1922, for the formation of
a district to drain about 500 acres of land. Examination showed
that for the main portion of the land involved, straightening,
deepening and widening of the channel and the rebuilding of one
highway bridge would relieve the main difficulties. Extension of
the project to Northborough as first proposed would involve
expensive changes in the culvert under the New York, New
Haven & Hartford Railroad and the lowering of two dams at
Northborough. This extension has therefore been omitted for
the present. District drainage commissioners were appointed,
the district formed, and the Worcester County commissioners
petitioned to finance the project to the extent of $40,000. The
county commissioners have not as yet passed on this petition.
The project will drain a marsh adjacent to the upland of the
petitioners which is now in productive cultivation. The drained
land will be used principally for raising hay and for pasturage.
Shelburne Drainage District.
A petition received in April, 1922, for the draining of about 30
acres in Shinglebrooks Meadows, Shelburne, could not be acted
upon as the land involved had but two owners. The Attorney
No. 123.] RECLAMATION, ETC. 85
General ruled that the provision of the drainage law, stating
that "several proprietors may petition," requires three or more
owners to make the law applicable.
Cherry Rum Brook Drainage District.
The owners of about 600 acres of wet lands lying along Cherry
Rum Brook at the northern limits of Greenfield petitioned for
a drainage district in April, 1922.
The lower portion of this valley is controlled during the winter
months by the ice pond dam of the Greenfield Ice and Trucking
Company. This portion of the project will eventually be con-
verted into house lots, but for the next few years will be used
for agricultural purposes with which the dam will not interfere.
The upper portion of the project is controlled by a concrete cul-
vert through the State highway to Bernardston. This culvert is
of ample size, but sets about 3 feet too high to permit of fully
draining the wet land above. In addition, the brook itself is
narrow, shallow, crooked and not of sufficient size to carry the
water from this area. The Board approved the project to the
extent of $7,000, appointed district drainage commissioners and
organized the district. The county commissioners have financed
the project and construction is partially complete. By agree-
ment with the Greenfield Ice Company work ceased by Novem-
ber 4 to let that company raise its crop of ice for the coming
season. Work will be resumed after March 1, 1923, and probably
be completed in the early spring.
Wessagussett Drainage District.
At North Weymouth and bordering on Fore River is a small
valley of about 13 acres surrounded by high knolls. The valley
floor is below the height of extreme high tide. A highway along
the beach acts as a dike, and a poorly constructed culvert
through it provides very poor drainage for this valley. The
surrounding land is developed as a summer colony, and it is
desired to also build cottages in this valley. Mosquitoes from
the wet valley lands also constitute a nuisance. The owners
therefore petitioned the Board in May, 1922, to form a drainage
district. The Board held hearings on the petition, have approved
the project to the extent of $1,500, and appointed district drain-
age commissioners. The district has not yet been formed. A
new and lower culvert with a tide gate is required, and the
present ditch should be enlarged and deepened to accomplish
the objects desired by the petitioners.
86 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Malagasco Drainage District.
Just south of Boylston Center and east of the Waehusett
Reservoir is a marsh of about 90 acres at the headwater of
Malagasco Brook, a tributary of the Reservoir. The marsh
owners in September, 1922, petitioned to have this marsh drained,
as it comprises the most valuable portion of their farms. This
area is known on the Metropolitan Water Board records as
swamp No. 1, and in 1889 that Board planned to drain the land,
but the inability to arrange for rights across the outlet of the
marsh resulted in the work being held up, and only a portion
of the ditches then planned were constructed. The formation
of a district clears away the legal obstructions to its drainage.
The Metropolitan Water Board decided not to proceed with their
previous plans. Organization under the petition has therefore
been carried out along customary lines, the hearing held, and
the district drainage commissioners have been appointed.
Summanj of Expenditures for Year.
Appropriation $2,200 00
Cost of work of Drainage Board for year 1,975 12
Balance unexpended $224 88
Leslie R. Smith,
Secretary, Drainage Board.
Soil Survey.
The field work on the soil survey of Worcester County was
completed in October. This year the northern part of the
county was surveyed. The official report, to be prepared and
published by the Bureau of Soils of the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture, will not be ready for some time, but some
of the general results can be stated.
The county was found to have a large variety of soils, at
least fifteen classes, each appearing in one to five or six types.
One or more of these may be different from any soil class yet
found in any other part of the country. In the valleys they
are largely gravels, sands and gravelly or sandy loams, with
occasional areas of swamp, meadowy muck and peat. The tops
and slopes of the hills are largely covered with loams and stony
loams, and in some localities the hills are so steep or rocky as
No. 123.] RECLAMATION, ETC. 87
to be wholly unsuitable to any kind of tillage, although they
may be valuable for pastures or forestry. The sandy loams in
the valleys are often of types suitable for market gardening,
especially if irrigation can be provided. The most extensive
areas of these soils are in the eastern towns of the county.
Several classes of the loams on the uplands are of the best
quality for tree fruits, especially apples, and some for potatoes,
while others of heavier texture are more desirable for corn,
forage crops and pasturage. The best fruit soils extend across
the country in a wide belt, from the south central part to the
northeastern corner. The heavier soils, suited to corn and
forage crops, lie west of this belt, largely in the central and
southeastern parts of the county. The soils of various classes
will, of course, often produce good crops of other things than
those for which their use is particularly recommended. The
predominantly rocky areas are most extensive in the southern
and northwestern parts of the county. The land surface is so
broken and irregular that no one type or class of soils tends
to dominate in any given locality. A considerable proportion
of the good soils in the county are not in use, and many areas
are unoccupied. Altogether, the soils found are ample in quality
to serve as the foundation of a much greater farming industry.
As last year, the soil survey field party consisted of two
persons, a specialist assigned by the Bureau of Soils and an
assistant employed by this Division. The total expense charged
to the Department appropriation was $1,207.90.
Since the soil survey work was begun in 1919 the field work
has been finished in four counties, — Barnstable, Bristol, Nor-
folk and Worcester. Plymouth County was surveyed in 1911
and the Connecticut Valley in 1903, but it is possible that the
latter survey will be revised because of changes in soil survey
methods and classifications since it was made.
Fairs and P^xhibits.
Agricultural prize money was allotted to 109 agricultural,
horticultural, grange and community fairs and poultry asso-
ciations.
The special exhibitions of the Department were carried out
on a much larger scale than ever before. At the Union Agri-
cultural Meeting, Horticultural Hall, Boston, January 17 to
88 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
20, inclusive, exhibits of honey and bee products, dairy statis-
tics and corn were made, and the sum of $375 cash and eight
special ribbons were offered as corn show prizes.
At the Home Beautiful Exposition, Mechanics' Building,
Boston, April 15 to 29, a comprehensive exhibit of Massachu-
setts agriculture was made. A 12-cow dairy in operation, with
complete milk and wash room equipment and a milk laboratory
for the chemical, physical and bacteriological analysis of all
milk produced and handled, was shown. Two beef breeds of
cattle were showm, — Aberdeen Angus and Hereford. Colony
poultry houses showing 4 utility breeds, — Leghorns, Plymouth
Rocks, Wyandottes and Rhode Island Reds, — baby chicks
with electric brooders, and a bank display of Massachusetts
eggs completed the poultry exhibit. Food and fur rabbits and
hares were also shown. Floriculture and horticulture had a
prominent place, and a model greenhouse showing indoor
vegetable growing attracted much attention. A model garden
laid out with walks, green plots, flowering plants and shrubs com-
pleted the exhibit. The model dairy and milk plant were of great
value in showing the consumer how^ to produce clean, pure milk.
In the State Building at the Eastern States Exposition,
Springfield, September 17 to 23, inclusive, each Division of the
Department put up a much larger exhibit than ever before, and
as a result it became necessary to go outside the State grounds.
Through the courtesy of the Eastern States management space
was furnished and a dairy barn, with tie-ups for 15 cows, and
4 poultry houses were installed. The grounds about the build-
ing have been beautified to a great extent, and the setting is a
very beautiful one.
At the Brockton Fair, October 3 to 7, a general agricultural
information booth was established, and the Department as-
sisted in the arranging, staging and installing of all the exhibits
in the horticultural department of the fair.
The Department allotted the sum of $100 to the Essex
County Corn Show at Hathorne March 16.
Sixteen poultry associations and one rabbit club received
prize money allotments. Department medals were offered at
23 fairs and 3 poultry shows, and the Boys' and Girls' Club
Camp at the Massachusetts Agricultural College was financed
by the Department.
The 109 fairs mentioned as receiving allotments of State
No. 123.
RECLAMATION, ETC.
89
prize money may be classified as follows: major fairs, 27; com-
munity fairs, 12; grange fairs, 51; poultry shows, 16; rabbit
and cavy exhibit, 1; junior exhibits, 2. The major fairs are
held by societies owning their own grounds, building and equip-
ment. The community fairs are those held under the auspices
of a local organization and frequently take in several towns.
The grange fairs are conducted by the subordinate granges
with competition open to the public.
All fairs have been inspected by a representative of the De-
partment and a detail record sheet filled out. A great improve-
ment has been noted in the character of the midway concessions
and the cleanliness of eating places. The attendance figures
have been large this year and the quality of exhibits high.
Lantern slides have been made from photographs taken of out-
standing exhibits and live stock, and an illustrated lecture on
fairs prepared. The demand for this talk has been good, and
it has been given many times in different parts of the State.
A demand for an improvement in the judging at some fairs
has brought out the suggestion that the Department carry on
each year a judge's school and thereby help establish a more
efficient judging system. We are getting more closely in touch
with the fairs each year, and the result should be of great
benefit to both the fair and to the Department, and conse-
quently to the agriculture of the State.
Agricultural Prize Money awarded to Societies and Fairs.
Name.
Acton Agricultural Association .
Ana wan Grange (Rehoboth)
Ashburnham Grange ....
Athol Grange
Barnstable Agricultural Society
Becket Grange
Bedford Grange .....
Blackstone Valley Agricultural Societ.v
Bournedale Agricultural Society .
Braintree Grange
Brimfield Grange ....
Bristol County Farmers' Association .
Brookville Grange ....
Award.
$300 00
24 00
25 00
25 00
603 00
30 00
40 00
400 00
45 50
35 00
27 50
100 00
22 00
90
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Agricultural Prize Money axvarded to Societies and Fairs — Continued.
Name.
Award.
Cheshire Grange
Chesterfield Grange
Concord Grange
Dedham Grange
Deerfield Valley Agricultural Society . . . . .
Essex Agricultural Society (Topsfield) . . . .
East Bridgewater Grange
Falmouth Agricultural and Horticultural Society
Franklin County Agricultural Society . . . .
Franklin Grange
Flintstone Grange (Dalton)
Garden City Grange (Newton)
Gardner Riding and Driving Association . . . .
Garfield Grange (North Dana)
Gill Grange
Greater Lynn Fair
Groton Farmers' and Mechanics' Club . . . .
Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society
Harwich Agricultural Society
Heath Agricultural Society
Highland Agricultural Society
Hillside Agricultural Society
Hingham Agricultural and Horticultural Society
Hinsdale Grange .........
Holliston Grange .........
Hoosac Valley Agricultural Society
Housatonic Agricultural Society
Lanesboro Fair (Newton) .......
Lawrence Horticultural Society
Lee Grange ..........
Leverett Grange
Lunenburg Farmers' Club
Marsh field Agricultural Society
Marthas Vineyard Agricultural Society . . . .
Maynard Grange
Monomoy Grange (Chatham)
Millers River Grange (Orange) ......
Merrimac Grange
Nantucket Agricultural Society . . . . .
$20 00
18 50
20 00
38 50
700 00
501 00
25 00
45 00
1,000 00
25 00
10 00
25 00
160 00
30 00
29 00
403 00
450 00
1,000 00
36 50
83 50
700 00
700 00
98 50
25 00
28 00
400 00
999 50
18 00
36 00
35 00
25 00
51 00
550 00
500 00
20 00
20 00
25 00
341 00
No. 123.
RECLAJMATION, ETC.
91
Agricultural Prize Money awarded to Societies and Fairs — Concluded.
Name.
Award.
Needham Grange
New Salem Grange
Northfield Grange
Norton Grange
Norwood Grange
Otis Grange
Oxford Agricultural Society ......
Pembroke Grange
Plymouth County .\gricultural Society ....
Ponkapoag Grange
Randolph Grange ........
Ray n ham Center
Reading Grange .........
Riverdale Grange (Gloucester) ......
Rockland Grange
Sandwich Agricultural Society
South boro Grange
Stockbridge Grange ........
Southboro Cattle Club
Stonehani Grange
Stoughton Grange ........
Templeton Grange ........
Union Agricultural Society ......
Wachusett Grange (Leomin.ster) .....
Ware Agricultural Society .......
Warren Grange .........
Wendell Grange .........
Westminster Farmers' and Mechanics' Club
West Newbury Grange — "Laurel"
Westport Agricultural Society
West Stockbridge Grange .......
Weymouth Agricultural Society ......
Williamsburg Grange ........
Worcester -Vgricultural Society
Worcester County West Agricultural Society
Worcester North Agricultural and Driving Association
Worcester Northwest .Agricultural and Mechanical Association
Worcester South Agricultural Society .....
Total
$35 00
25 00
40 00
30 00
25 00
29 50
500 00
32 00
380 00
25 50
30 00
25 00
25 00
25 00
50 00
38 00
173 00
35 00
700 00
25 00
82 25
31 50
30 50
36 50
31 00
500 00
25 00
. 250 00
38 00
999 50
699 00
650 00
701 00
650 00
$17,841 25
92
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
Medals.
Through a number of fairs, State medals were offered for
special meritorious exhibits, and in certain cases a limited
number of medals were placed in the hands of the fair inspectors
to be awarded by them for individual accomplishment.
At the Eastern States Exposition and Brockton Fair, medals
were offered for the champion dairy cow of each of the five
dairy breeds, bred and owned in Massachusetts. One gold
medal was offered for the grand champion dairy cow at the
Worcester Fair. Medals were awarded as follows: —
Acton Agricultural Society
Brockton Agricultural Society
Eastern States Exposition
Essex Agricultural Society
Franklin County Agricultural Societj'' . . . .
Groton Farmers' and Mechanics' Clul) ....
Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural
Society
Highland Agricultural Society .
Hillside Agricultural Society
Hoosac Valley Agricultural Society .
Housatonic Agricultural Society
Marshfield Agricultural Society
Marthas Vineyard Agricultural Society .
Union Agricultural Society
Westport Agricultural Society .
Worcester Agricultural Society
Worcester County West Agricultural Society
Worcester South Agricultural Society
Eastern Massachusetts Pigeon and Pet Stock Associa^
tion
Boston Poultry Association
United Rabbit and Caw Club
1 silver medal
1 bronze medal
4 gold medals
5 gold medals
3 silver medals
5 silver medals
/ 1 silver medal
\ 1 bronze medal
3 silver medals
2 bronze medals
1 silver medal
2 silver medals
1 silver medal
5 silver medals
1 silver medal
1 bronze medal
1 silver medal
[ 1 gold medal
I 5 silver medals
[ 2 bronze medals
1 silver medal
1 silver medal
2 bronze medals
2 silver medals
1 bronze medal
Boys' and Girls' Club Work.
Camp Gilbert at the Massachusetts Agricultural College was
conducted this year and the expense of same paid by this
Department.
No. 12;^.]
RECLAMATION, ETC.
93
Camp Gilbert and boys' and girls' club work expense
Framingham Boys' and Girls' Club
Junior exhibits at Eastern States Exposition
Ex-penses of Speciol Ex},ihi(s
Special exhibit at Union Agricultural Meeting
Special exhibit at Home Beautiful Exposition
Special exhibit at Eastern States Exposition
Essex Corn Show
$1,731
10
51
75
93 00
$1,875 85
$942 39
3,010 87
2,302 76
72 50
$6,328 52
Poultry Shows.
This Department offered prizes at 16 poultry shows and 1
rabbit and cavy exhibit during 1922. Each of these shows is
inspected by a representative of the Department, and the
report is on file. The prize money was awarded as follows: —
Name.
Award.
Boston Poultry Association (rabbits) . . . . ,
Eastern Massachusetts Poultry and Pigeon Association
Gardner Poultry Association
Great Harrington Poultry Association . . . .
Holyoke Poultry and Pet Stock Association
Holyoke Poultry and Pet Stock Association
Hub Poultry Association, Incorporated ...
Lenox Poultry Association
Milford Poultry Association
Needham Poultry Association
Needham Poultry Association .....
New England Poultry Association, Incorporated
New England Poultry Association, Incorporated
Northampton Poultry Association, Incorporated
Springfield Poultry Club, Incorporated . . . .
Stoughton Poultry and Pigeon Association
United Rabbit and Cavy Club
Southeastern Massachusetts Rabbit Breeders Association
$40 00
225 00
75 00
117 50
168 00
122 00
111 00
75 00
34 00
- 1
175 00
-1
155 00
174 00
-1
60 00
42 00
$1,573 50
1 Show held, but no award made up to December 1.
94 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc.
SUMMAKY OF EXPENDITURES.
Appropriation $29,374 05
Paid:
Prizes at fairs ....
Special exhibits
Boys' and Girls' Club (camp)
Poultry and rabbit shows
Inspection of shows
Badges, medals and banner .
Postage
117,841 25
6,328 52
1,875 85
1,573 50
25 05
870 82
302 31
28,817 30
Balance $556 75
Control Work.
In March a change was made in the organization of the
Department whereby the handUng of all cases arising under the
laws which the Department administers was assigned to a single
official. Previously these cases had been handled by the several
divisions which make inspections of apples, dairy products,
nursery stock, etc. The attorney appointed for this purpose
and to render other legal service to the Department was
assigned to this Division.
Appearances have been made in 5 cases, all in Fall River
and New Bedford, and all for violations of the oleomargarine
laws. Three of these were original complaints and 2 were
before the Superior Court on appeal. The defendants in the
first 3 cases pleaded guilty and were fined in the district
courts; 2 paid their fines and 1 appealed. In the appealed
cases the findings in the district court were sustained. In one
of these the sentence of the lower court was affirmed; in the
other the fine was somewhat reduced.
During the session of the General Court the counsel prepared
various bills, and followed the progress of legislation on agricul-
tural subjects and that concerning the powers and duties of the
Department.
Advice has been given on several legal questions, including
suggestions on the apple-grading regulations, the operation of
the drainage law . ^nd„ othel' departn;iental problems. In some
instances assistance has been rendered to agiicaltural organiza-
tions and to individual farmers.
No. 123.] RECLAMATION, ETC. 95
Material for two publications has been prepared, one on
agricultural legislation of the year in Massachusetts, the other
on the drainage law, presenting the complete text of the law
and a brief explanation. Further work has been done on a
manual of agricultural laws, but this cannot be finished until
a complete index of the recent compilation of the General Laws
is available.
During the year investigations were made of two doubtful
promotion schemes which seemed likely to result in loss to
Massachusetts farmers. The information secured warranted
action against both these enterprises. One of them had been
represented here by a salesman who left New England before
we were notified of his activities. A general warning against
his concern was sent out to agricultural authorities in all the
New England States. The second had an office in Boston. An
informal complaint against it was sent to the Commission on
Public Utilities, which was soon after notified that the concern
would not attempt to sell more stock in Massachusetts. Warn-
ings against this second concern were also sent to agricultural
authorities throughout this section. The detailed investigation
of this enterprise was conducted by the Division of Dairying
and Animal Husbandry.
The counsel has continued the collection of information about
the vegetable growing industry which was begun in another
division. This is not yet completed.
Massachusetts
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