12 P.D. 123 



the demand, and many thousand early spring lambs were shipped from 

 outside of New England to supply our market here in Massachusetts. 



We have been able to encourage a much larger percentage of our local 

 growers to sell direct to the retailers than in former years. Many calls 

 have been made for assistance in buying and selling small flocks. A growing 

 interest has been shown by some people who have bought small farms for a 

 part tim-e proposition and want to keep a small flock of sheep and sell the 

 lambs for the Easter market and have their wool made into a high grade of 

 Virgin Wool blanket for their local trade. 



There has been several calls to address meetings on sheep, lambs and wool 

 market problems, and much interest has been shown during the year in the 

 sale of early lambs, and the Virgin Wool blanket proposition. The wool 

 growers have pooled nearly 20,000 pounds of wool in 1929 and the number of 

 Virgin Wool blankets on hand at the close of the year is below the average, 

 which means there is a growing demand for these high grade blankets. 



Eastern States Wool Show 



Co-operating with the Eastern States Exposition and the New England 

 Sheep and Wool Growers' Association, the division conducted the first wool 

 show ever held in New England. Space for the exhibit was arranged for 

 in the Industrial Building, Eastern States Exposition grounds at West 

 Springfield. Forty fleeces were exhibited from five New England States. 

 Curtis L. Martin of Plainfleld, Vermont, won the championship on a Shrop- 

 shire fleece and was awarded a special trophy which was donated by the 

 Pacific Co-operative Wool Growers. George A. Simpson of East Milton, 

 Massachusetts, won first place for a Massachusetts fleece, also with a 

 Shropshire. 



The object of the show is to stimulate interest in better wool production 

 and to teach the wool growers the United States Wool Standards. George 

 T. Willingmyre of the United States Department of Agriculture judged all 

 of the fleeces exhibited. 



Massachusetts Certified Poultry Flocks 

 At the request of the Massachusetts Association of Certified Poultry 

 Breeders, a new grade for hatching eggs, baby chicks and breeding flocks 

 was established in January, 1929, known as "Massachusetts Certified." 

 The requirements of this grade are similar to those that have been in use 

 by the Massachusetts Association of Certified Poultry Breeders. The 

 Department, for a number of years, has been co-operating with this Organ- 

 ization in the inspection of flocks for certification. 



Massachusetts Certified Poultry Breeding Stock must meet the following 

 requirements : 



1. Free from Pullorum Disease (B. W. D.) 



(See Rules and Regulations for Pullorum Disease Free Flocks.) 



2. Inspected and leg-banded for 



a. Productive capacity. 



b. Health and vigor. 



c. Reasonable conformity to standard requirements. 



Massachusetts Certified Hatching Eggs must meet the following require- 

 ments: 



1. Produced only from Massachusetts Certified Breeding Stock. 



2. Reasonably uniform in size, shape, and color. 



3. Average weight 24 ounces or over per dozen, with minimum indi- 

 vidual weight of 23 ounces. 



Massachusetts Certified Baby Chicks must meet the following require- 

 ments : 



1. Produced only from Massachusetts Certified Hatching eggs. 



2. Normal and vigorous. 



