200 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



agricultural press, various agricultural and horticultural societies, tlie dairy- 

 rueu's and breeders' associations, and other related bodies. 



The conference was addressed by President J. G. Schurman, of Cornell Uni- 

 A'ersity, and Hon. Seth Low, of the constitutional convention, and by several 

 others. It was pointed out that at the present time over 150 departments, 

 boards, commissions, and similar agencies are authorized to carry on the State's 

 business and the idea was suggested of a plan of reorganization into a few 

 great departments. The conference adopted resolutions advocating the estab- 

 lishment by a provision in the constitution of a State Department of Agri- 

 culture, and appointed a committee of ten with Dean Galloway as chairman to 

 consider the scope and functions of such a department. xVt an adjourned meet- 

 ing of the conference, held June 21, this committee submitted a series of reso- 

 lutions, requesting the establishment of the department of agriculture coordi- 

 nate with the other state departments, " the chief design and duties of which 

 shall be to administer the regulatory laws relating to agriculture and agricul- 

 tural production, marketing and distribution, lands, forests, fish, and game, and 

 to instruct the people in regard to the meaning and application of such laws." 

 These resolutions were adopted by the conference. 



Massachusetts Agricultural Development Committee. — According to a note in 

 Isleio England Homestead, an agricultural development committee is being organ- 

 ized with one member each appointed from the Massachusetts College, the 

 state grange, the state boards of agriculture and education, and three members 

 designated by them. This committee is to outline a plan for studying and 

 mapping the agncultural resources of the State and developing agriculture and 

 country life in a comprehensive waj', and to recommend a form of organization 

 and work for state-supported agencies necessary to this development, and for 

 correlating the various organizations, both public and private, designed to 

 benefit country life. It is also to index and codify all state laws on the subject. 



Agricultural Work in Cyprus. — The buildings of the department of agriculture 

 comprise a main building containing the offices, lecture rooms for the students 

 of the agricultural school, entomological and chemical laboratories, workshops 

 for students learning bee keei)ing and basket making, and outbuildings used 

 for the experimental distillation of oils, etc. 



The department maintains seven large and several smaller gardens through- 

 out the island and a model farm at Athalassa, near Nicosia, which is giving 

 increasing attention to the breeding of animals. It also directs agricultural 

 experiments in different districts; gives instruction in agriculture to teachers 

 during the summer vacations both in the classroom and by means of outdoor 

 demonstrations; and in collaboration with the department of education has 

 established about 50 school gardens which are under its general guidance and 

 observation. 



A series of weekly lectures on agricultural subjects is given at the Theologi- 

 cal College, Laruaca, and the officers of the department, when traveling in 

 their districts, advise farmers in regard to field and garden operations. 



The experimental garden at Nicosia is being reorganized to serve as an 

 experimental garden, a model orchard for practical instruction both to the 

 students of the agricultural school and the public, a nursery garden for raising 

 fruit seedlings for propagation, and a public promenade. 



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