Commissioner of Agriculture 161 



cultivation. This fact so clearly demonstrated was a triumph for 

 the Department of Agriculture in the position which it has taken 

 as to the possibilities of the cheap farm lands of the state. 



EXTENT OF WORK 



This, in a general way, is an outline of the work of the bureau 

 for the fiscal year closing September 30, 100!>. In no year of the 

 history of the bureau lias the correspondence been so large or the 

 information gathered and given to the public so accurate and so 

 great in volume. 



Every line of investigation taken up by the bureau, for the 

 purpose of enlarging and completing its information concerning 

 farm conditions has been rich iu its revelation of the vast possi- 

 bilities for agricultural advancement throughout the state. The 

 true interpretation of conditions, as shown by the large number of 

 unoccupied farms and desolate farm houses, has been found and 

 the information given to the public. The true interpretation of 

 these conditions is that New Ynrk State is not loaded down with 

 farms whose soil is exhausted, and the poor condition existing 

 throughout the state is not because the owners of these farms 

 have turned from them in despair through the impossibility of 

 obtaining a comfortable living thereon, but from other causes by 

 no means so alarming. From the exhaustive soil surveys made 

 by the United States Department of Agriculture comes the assur- 

 ance that there are no farm lands in New York State, however 

 long they may have been unoccupied and abused, that cannot be 

 brought back to a state of fertility and productiveness. It is 

 asserted with emphasis that the cheap farm lands of New York 

 State form the basis of a future prosperity almost beyond compu- 

 tation. The testimonv of the highest authorities in the country 

 on soil declares that the cheap but fertile farm lands of New York 

 State afford a better selection and a more advantageous choice 

 than can be found in the West or South or in the northwestern 

 portions of Canada. They do not hesitate to say that the thou- 

 sands seeking farm homes in the localities mentioned would do 

 better if they settled on the low priced but productive lands in 

 New York State. 



