Commissioner of Agriculture 313 



We believe that it will be greatly to the advantage of the Depart- 

 ment and the State to expend a considerable sum for this purpose 

 during the coming year. Correspondence has been carried on 

 with the Scandinavians and Germans who have during the past 

 few years purchased farms in this State, and their letters indi- 

 cate that the change has been a decided advantage to them and 

 they express general satisfaction with all conditions. 



During the early fall of 1914, a train was fitted up by the New 

 York Central Lines and this Department for the purpose of ad- 

 vertising the agricultural and horticultural advantages of this 

 State along the lines of that company. This train consisted of 

 three cars, one of which exhibited the principal grains, fruits, 

 forage, and vegetables produced in the State, also the literature 

 issued by this Department for general distribution. Another car 

 was loaded with apples, donated by the fruit growers of Western 

 New York, to be distributed free along the route; the third car 

 was used for the representatives of the Department and the E ail- 

 road company. 



Great interest was manifested throughout the whole route by 

 the fanners of the vicinity, who visited the train in large num- 

 bers. Each visitor carried away a sample of New York State 

 apples, with the result that, within a few weeks from that time, 

 practically every station along the route traversed was purchasing 

 New York apples by the carload. Up to the middle of December, 

 Terre Haute had received 263 carloads and Indianapolis nearly 

 500. The advertising done by this train materially assisted in 

 finding a market for the great apple crop raised in this State that 

 year. Several tons of literature was distributed along the route. 

 Many of the young men who visited the train, especially those who 

 were renting farms, expressed their intention of thoroughly in- 

 vestigating conditions in this State. They have already done so, 

 and a large number of them have purchased farms here. There 

 seemed to be a general lack of information concerning agricultural 

 production and possibilities, especially of the great markets pos- 

 sessed bv the farmers of this State. 



There is considerable inquiry from capitalists concerning sec- 

 tions where contiguous farms can be purchased, in order to estab- 

 lish larsre stock farms. TJndoubtedlv within a few vears the 



