P.D. 123. U 



months ago the Department, followang in the steps of its predecessor, the 

 Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, issued publications covering the whole 

 field of agriculture. Early in 1922 as explained in the report of a year ago ^ 

 it Avas agreed between the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture and the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College that the Department should limit its publi- 

 cations to such subjects as are primarily promotional of agricultural interests 

 and opportunities and that publications which are primarily instructional shall 

 be issued by the College. 



With the present year the new Commission on Administration and Finance 

 began to function. Manuscripts and outlines of proposed publications were 

 submitted to them, but they held that their judgments as to the needs of agri- 

 culture were paramount to that of the Commissioner and most of the publiea- 

 ions presented to them and all of the plans for publications were refused. The 

 list below shows the publications authorized during the year: Nos. 120 and 121 

 were approved before the Commission assumed its duties. Nos. 123, 125 and 

 126 are required by law. 



With the agricultural depression in the middle west some of the people who 

 originated in Massachusetts or whose ancestors did, are increasingly turning 

 their thought toward Massachusetts as a possible farm home. Large numbers 

 of inquiries from these people, relative to agricultural conditions and possibili- 

 ties are received. As there is no adequate literature such inquiries can be only 

 very imperfectly answered by lengthy, time consuming and unsatisfactory let- 

 ters. There is a pressing need for publications on the general problems of 

 production, statistics, marketing, soils, climate and the location of the different 

 types of agriculture, crops, and animal husbandry adapted to different sections 

 of the State. It is through no fault of this Division that these books have 

 not been ready for the applicants. Outlines and in some cases manuscripts of 

 such proposed publications have been submitted, but the Commission on Admin- 

 istration and Finance refused their publication. 



List of Publications in 1923. 



Department Publication No. 



120 Rules and regulations governing the allotment of State Prize Money 



through Agricultural Societies and Poultry Organizations. 4 pages. 



121 Everyday Essentials of Beekeeping (Reprint of Bulletin 14). 32 pages. 



4 pages of plates. 



122 . Massachusetts Farms for Sale 1923. 72 pages. 



123 Report of the Department (Agriculture of Massachusetts). 96 pages. 



124 Crop and Live Stock Statistics for 1921 and 1922. 12 pages. 



125 Report of the Commissioner for 1922. Reprint from No. 123. 10 pages. 



126 Report of the Division of Ornithology, 1922. Reprint from No. 12ci. 24 



pages. 



The Library. 



As outlined in the Report of this Division for 1922 the library of this de- 

 partment has been consolidated with the State Library. Only a few books 

 of immediate reference are shelved in this Department. 



It was estimated that when duplicates had been eliminated and deficiencies 

 filled as far as possible, the total collection would approximate four or five 

 thousand volumes and pamphlets. Completed, the record shows about 8,112 

 titles and 11,834 volumes and pamphlets. 



Books and pamphlets on agriculture and allied subjects in the Massachusetts 

 State Library collection are now re-catalogued. 



They represent the following publications of interest to the Massachusetts 

 Department of Agriculture : — 



^ (Agriculture of Massachusetts 1922 — pages 22 and 23) 



