128 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



effort to have every garden in the infested area cleaned up, and of 

 course this is a tremendous task and probably cannot all be done 

 this winter. Representations are being made to the Federal Con- 

 gress for a large appropriation to work with in Massachusetts for 

 next year, as it is felt that this pest must be stamped out here 

 and now. If it is once allowed to get away and into the great 

 corn belt it will be useless to attempt to eradicate it. This 

 work is being carried on under the direct supervision of the State 

 Nursery Inspector. 



During the past year Dr. Burton N. Gates, formerly State 

 Apiary Inspector, has resigned and gone to Canada as provincial 

 apiarist for the Province of Ontario. Dr. Gates' work among the 

 beekeepers in this State is well known, and his work has been very 

 beneficial to the horticultural interests. So far his place has not 

 been filled. 



The new Department of Agriculture has elected Wilfrid Wheeler 

 of Concord as Commissioner of Agriculture for a term of three 

 years. Mr. Wheeler was for five years Secretary of the old State 

 Board of Agriculture, and before that was delegate from the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society to the Board. 



During the year three conferences were held of representatives 

 from all the New England States to draft a uniform apple grading 

 law for the six states. Five of these states now have such laws, 

 Rhode Island being the only one which has not. The laws, how- 

 ever, differ in important particulars, and as Boston is the principal 

 market for the six states, it has been felt that it would be of great 

 advantage to the fruit growing interests if the laws could be the 

 same. An interstate committee, of which Mr. Wilfrid Wheeler 

 was chairman, has finally worked out a law which has met with 

 the approval of all the fruit growing bodies of these states, and this 

 will be introduced at the coming session of the Legislature. 



The State Board of Agriculture carried on an important emer- 

 gency piece of work during the past year, in the operation of State 

 farm machinery. An appropriation of $100,000 was made, to be 

 used in the purchase of farm machinery in order to increase food 

 production. This money was used in the purchase of thirty-six 

 tractors, twelve binders, ten threshing machines, two bean threshers 

 and a hay baler. The machinery was distributed in parts of the 



