COMMISS'IONEK OF AgKICULTUKK 17o 



Boards and departments of immigration in several states have 

 made efforts to secure good immigrant settlers, and some of them, 

 Maryland in particular, have induced many who had gone to the 

 West, to return to that state, after discovering the very high 

 prices which they would be obliged to pay for western farms in 

 comparison to those of Maryland. In examining the names of 

 those purchasing property in certain counties of that slate we find 

 that about 80 per cent, are foreigners, it seems most desirable 

 that this department should lend its efforts to securing both 

 classes, the western farmer and the immigrant, for the farmer 

 who comes to us from the West to buy land needs the strong arm 

 of the immigrant to assist him in tilling his soil. 



Immigration is again becoming normal and the year 1910 will 

 probably see one million or more laud upon our shores. The duty 

 of the state to these people is apparent if Ave are to make of them 

 one of our most valuable assets. Their help is needed in agri- 

 culture, in manufacturing, in the construction of new enterprises, 

 in mining. Upon landing in this country they need a guiding 

 hand to prevent them from falling into the hands of the un- 

 scrupulous and to protect and direct them to places where their 

 services are most needed, and where conditions exist that will be 

 most beneficial to them. 



HORTICULTURAL INSPECTION (Articles 6, n, 14) 



The amount of work performed during the year was largely 

 in excess of previous years, owing to the extra demands on our 

 force of inspectors because of brown-tail moth nests shipped in on 

 nursery stock from abroad, and also because of blister rust on 

 pine seedlings imported from Germany in the spring of 1909. 



Seventeen inspectors and 10 assistants have been engaged in the 

 work during the year, though this force was not fully occupied 

 owing to sickness and other causes. The time spent for the whole 

 year would equal about 15 inspectors and 5 laborers. Four agent? 

 are engaged in the bee disease inspection. The detective work 

 involved in tracing violations of the fruit barrel law was done 

 in divisions of the state by agents under the care of assistant 

 commissioners. 



