P.D. 123 23 



over their individual holdings and instruct them in the simple method 

 of eradicating currant and gooseberry bushes most efficiently and most 

 effectively. In doing this, the Department is endeavoring to prevent seri- 

 ous losses not only to such owners, but indirectly to the Commonwealth 

 as well. 



In all this work, the department seeks the active co-operation of every- 

 one in a particular community and has received general support. The 

 only difficulty encountered, relates to the removal of the cultivated vari- 

 eties of currant and gooseberry bushes. A few individuals refuse to 

 destroy these bushes when urged or requested to do so. In such cases, 

 it becomes necessary to exercise the legal authority of the Department 

 and remove them forcibly. The objecting owner then has the statutory 

 right to present a claim for damages. Each season, a few claims of this 

 nature are submitted to the Department and during 1926 the right was 

 exercised by 23 persons. These claims represent requests for reimburse- 

 ment for the loss of 3,824 bushes valued by the regulations of the De- 

 partment at $1,644.75. Although these claims involve a larger sum than 

 in previous years, it is gratifying to record the fact that since cultivated 

 bushes were removed from the properties of 827 individual owners, these 

 claims actually represent less than 3% of all the cases involved. This 

 record in itself, attests to the effectiveness of the campaign of education 

 and to the wisdom of the policy of the Department, to conduct the work 

 on the basis of persuasion rather than compulsion. 



During the season of 1926, the Division rendered assistance to 1,845 

 property owners and made examinations on 189,080 acres of land. From 

 this area of land, 1,083,039 wild and 25,596 cultivated currant and goose- 

 berry bushes were uprooted at an average total cost of 14c per acre. The 

 co-operating land owners expended the equivalent of $9,617.16 in pro- 

 tecting their white pine trees. 



The blister rust control work in Massachusetts has again been con- 

 ducted under the direction of Mr. C. C. Perry who represents both this 

 division and the Federal Department. He has been assisted in the field 

 work by the following named men, who are designated as Blister Rust 

 Control Agents: 



Earle M. Brockway 

 William Clave 

 G. Stanley Doore 



William J. 

 Edward J. 



Endersbee 

 McNerney 



District III-IV Southeastern Massa- 

 chusetts 



District VI Worcester (North) 

 County 



District VII Franklin-Hampshire 

 (North) County 



District IX Berkshire County 



District V Worcester (South) 



County 



District I-II Essex County-Mid- 

 dlesex County 



District VIII Hampdfen-Hampshire 

 (South) County 



The Director wishes to express his appreciation of Mr. C. C. Perry's 

 splendid co-operation. His work in the control of the white pine blister 

 rust has been most efficient and satisfactory. 



William T. Roop 

 Ralph E. Wheeler 



