KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 



Recommendations for Legislation. 



In the course of apiary inspection work, certain violations of the regula- 

 tions made and issued under section 32 of Chapter 128 of the General Laws 

 have been noted. Usually such violations are corrected without prosecution, 

 but during the past year one such violation could not be so corrected. Prose- 

 cution was contemplated when a review of the Apiary Inspection Law 

 showed that no penalty was provided for violation of apiary inspection 

 regulations. This defect in the Apiary Inspection I^aw led to an examina- 

 tion of other laws which the Department is required to administer with the 

 result that similar defects were found in the sections relating to plant pest 

 control (General Laws, Chapter 128, sections 16-31 A, inclusive) and in the 

 sections concerning the grading and packing of apples (General Laws, 

 Chapter 94, sections 100-114, inclusive). I therefore recommend that these 

 statutes be so amended as to permit enforcement of the rules and regulations 

 which they authorize. The examination of the Apple Grading and Packing 

 Law also disclosed that no penalty is now provided in cases where the Com- 

 missioner or his assistants are obstructed or hindered in making inspections 

 and performing other duties under the law. The desirability of such a pro- 

 vision is apparent and I recommend a further amendment to remedy the 

 existing defect. 



Changes in the Staff. 



During the year, the Department lost through death, the services of Dr. 

 Charles D. Woods, Director of the Division of Information, and through 

 resignations the services of Mr. Osmun M. Camburn, Director of the Divi- 

 sion of Dairying and Animal Husbandry; and Mr. Ralph W. Harwood and 

 Miss Dorothy H. Goodwin, Investigators of the Division of Markets. 



Dr. Wood's death is an irreparable loss, not only to the Massachusetts 

 Department of ^Agriculture, but to the country at large. He was a scientist 

 and administrator of international reputation, a graduate of Wesleyan 

 University, and for many years was Director of the Agricultural Experiment 

 Station for the State of Maine. 



The Commission on Administration and Finance refused to sanction the 

 appointment of an adequate successor of Dr. Woods. The Division of 

 Information which had been so useful to the farmers of the state has ceased 

 to exist as a Division, and has been merged with the general office and its 

 personnel decreased. 



On June 30, 1925, Professor Camburn resigned to become Professor of 

 Dairying at the University of Vermont, Mr. Camburn made very many 

 personal friends, and through his energy and efficacy did much to build up 

 the livestock and dairy interests of the state. The vacancy caused by Mr. 

 Camburn's resignation is being ably filled through the appointment on 

 July 1, of Mr. J. C. Cort. Mr. Cort is a graduate of Iowa State College, 

 has taught at the University of Minnesota and has in addition, broad and 

 successful experience in commercial farming in the West. 



Mr. Harwood resigned on June 8, to enter business at a considerably ad- 

 vanced salary. A graduate of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, and 

 an exceptional man he had done efficient service in the Division of Markets, 

 especially organizing its valuable market reporting service. His place was 

 filled on June 9 by the appointment of Mr. Walter E. Piper, Jr., who was 

 formerly an apple inspector in this Division. Mr. Piper has taken up 

 actively his enlarged sphere of usefulness. He commands the confidence of 



