REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. LVII 



ried on where more interest has been manifested and more use has 

 been made of the work than in this State. Possibilities have been 

 shown, particularly in Prince George, St. Mary, and Calvert counties, 

 of the specialization of crops in the line of fruit growing, trucking, 

 and general farming and dairying, which would very materialh^ benefit 

 the people and add greatl}' to the prosperity of the communit}-. 



While much work has already been done in this State, it is believed 

 that the intelligent interest and appreciation shown in the results of 

 the work justif}^ the Department in pushing the surve3^s and giving 

 the people the information the}" seem to need, and which they appear 

 ready to benefit by in the practical extension of their agricultural 

 interests and in developing the prosperity" of the State. 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



No work has been done in this State since 1899, and the establish- 

 ment of the profitable Sumatra tobacco culture has aroused a decided 

 demand for the extension of the survey of 1899 in the Connecticut 

 Valley northw^ard to the State line and on either side of the area which 

 has already been surveyed. It is proposed to spend three months 

 during the next field season in the extension of this work, in the inter- 

 est particularly of the tobacco growers. 



MICHIGAN. 



During the past fiscal year Allegan County, covering an area of 

 828 square miles, has been surveyed under the direction of Mr. E. O. 

 Fippin. This work was undertaken particularly in the interest of the 

 fruit growers along the lake shore and of the sugar-beet and general 

 agricultural interests. This appears to be one of the most valuable 

 pieces of work the Bureau has done, and it is believed that the results, 

 which form a part of the report of the field operations for 1901, will 

 be of very great value to the people in the extension of their present 

 industries, the improvement of methods of cultivation, and the devel- 

 opment of new crops, which it is believed can successfully be intro- 

 duced. The experience of the people of this section will also prove of 

 value to other communities, and the lessons taught by the soil survey 

 will, it is believed, have value outside of the area. 



No work is contemplated for this State during the next field season, 

 but strong demands have come for an extension of the survey, and it 

 is believed that it should be resumed at the earliest practicable time, 

 particularly in the interest of the sugar-beet and fruit growers. 



MINNESOTA. 



No work has been done in the State, but strong demands have come 

 for the extension of the soil survey, and it seems desirable to assign 

 a party there for six months during the coming field season, the first 

 area to be surveyed being probabl}- Lyon County. 



