6 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off . Doc. 



which the Department of Agriculture is established. He shall give 

 special attention to such questions relating to the valuation and tax- 

 ation of farm lands, to the variation and diversification in the kinds of 

 crops and methods of cultivation, and their adaptability to chang- 

 ing markets as may arise from time to time, in consequence of a 

 change of methods, means and rates of transportation, or in the 

 habits or occupation of the people of this State and elsewhere, and 

 shall publish as frequent as practicable, such information thereon 

 as he shall deem useful. In the performance of the duties prescribed 

 by this act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, as far as practicable, 

 make use of the facilities provided b}^ the State Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, the State Board of Agriculture and the various State 

 and county societies and organizations maintained b}' agriculturists 

 and horticulturists, whether with or without the aid of the State, 

 and shall, as far as practicable, enlist the aid of the State Geological 

 Survey for the purpose of obtaining and publishing useful informa- 

 tioh respecting the economic relations of geology to agriculture, 

 forestry and kindred industries. He shall make an annual report 

 to the Governor, and shall publish from time to time such bulletins 

 of information as he may deem useful and advisable. Said report 

 and bulletins shall be printed by the State Printer in the same man- 

 ner as other public documents, not exceeding five thousand copies 

 of any one bulletin. 



Section 3. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary to obtain and 

 publish information respecting the extent and condition of forest 

 lands in this State, to make and carry out rules and regulations for 

 the enforcement of all laws designed to protect forests from fires and 

 from all illegal depredations and destruction, and report the same 

 annually to the Governor, and as far as practicable, to give informa- 

 tion and advice respecting the best methods of preserving w^ood 

 lands and starting new plantations. He shall also, as far as practi- 

 cable, procure statistics of the amount of timber cut during each 

 year, the purpose for which it is used, and the amount of timber land 

 thus cleared as compared with the amount of land newly brought 

 under timber cultivation, and shall, in general, adopt all such mea- 

 sures as in his judgment may be desirable and effective for the pres- 

 ervation and increase of the timber lands of ^this State, and shall 

 have direct charge and control of the management of all forest lands 

 belonging to the Commonwealth, subject to the provisions of law 

 relative thereto. The said Secretary shall also be and hereby is 

 charged with the administration of all laws designed to prevent 

 fraud or adulteration in the preparation, manufacture or sale of ar- 

 ticles of food, the inspection, sale or transportation of agricultural 

 products or imitations tiiereof, and all laws relating to diseases of 



