10 P.D. 123. 



stock. More attention has been given during the past year to breeding for 

 high fecundity than ever before. A number of very fine flocks have been es- 

 tablished in various parts of the state Avhieh serve as sources of stock of 

 superior quality. The adoption of sanitary methods, particularly for grow- 

 ing stock, has done wonders in the production of clean, healthy stock. In 

 years past, thousands of poultrymen felt that very little land was needed to 

 carry on a good-sized poultry project. Chicks were raised in limited or con- 

 gested quarters and, in some instances, with the old birds. Today it is the 

 common practice to carry on a three or four year rotation for raising poultry. 

 Perhaps no other practice has clone more than this to increase poultry profits. 

 Roadside marketing, a direct result of the automobile and our splendid system 

 of highways, has contributed much to the profitableness and stability of poultry 

 farming in this state. 



Ten or twelve years ago the soft roaster business that centered about Rock- 

 land, Massachusetts, Avas in a flourishing condition, but war prices for feed 

 almost completely wiped out the business. Very little has been done as yet 

 to reestablish it, although a few producers have made a start in this direction. 

 The duck business is in good hands and is flourishing. The fact that these pro- 

 ducers have their own warehouse and storage enables them to control production 

 and prices. The production of geese and squabs has not received the attention 

 it should have since the war. These are two industries that could be very 

 profitably increased. The success that a number of turkey raisers in this state 

 have had the past year deserves mention. There have been produced a number 

 of flocks varying from one hundred to three hundred or more with very few 

 losses. It appears that this most valuable industry, almost obliterated by the 

 ravages of blackhead, Avill be revived in the very near future. 



Perhaps it is not wise to publish or broadcast anything in the nature of an 

 alarm, but Massachusetts is doing a great deal along the line of elimination of 

 poultry diseases, particularly Avhite diarrhea, and it may be necessary sooner 

 or later to raise a barrier against the importation into the state of hatching 

 eggs, baby chicks, and adult birds for breeders, unless they have been inspected. 



REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 



The Division of Information collects and compiles agricultural information 

 and statistics; prepares, edits and distributes the publications of the Depart- 

 ment; has charge of the Department library; furnishes publicity material to 

 the press; answers inquiries on agricultural matters; acts as an advertising 

 and sale agency of farms; maintains an employment bureau of farm labor; 

 cooperates in an advisory capacity with the State departments having charge 

 of institutions which maintain farms; and maintains close relations with State 

 organizations that have to do A\ath agricultural education and with the depart- 

 ments of the Commonwealth which have agricultural activities. 



Agricultural Statistics. 



The collection of agricultural statistics has been chiefly concerning crop pro- 

 duction and live stock in cooperation with the New England Reporting Service 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture and with the Division of Dairy- 

 ing and Animal Husbandry of this Department. The crop statistics for the 

 years 1921 and 1922 have been published in Publication 124 of this Department. 

 The usual Dairy statistics have been collected but were not published for reasons 

 stated below. 



Publications. 



The law makes it plain that the Commissioner of Agriculture is responsible 

 for the performance of certain definitely assigned duties. Among these are 

 the " general distribution of such publications as he considers best adapted to 

 promote the interests of agriculture." Since its establishment and up to 18 



