P.D. 123 9 



producers' organizations, milk dealers, milk inspectors, county agricultural agents 

 and the Federal government, especially its Department of Agriculture and Public 

 Health Service. 



Certification' of Poultry Flocks Prove Popular 

 At the beginning of the year a change was made in the plan for handling this 

 work. iVlr. Flint, who had been inspecting for the Massachusetts Association of 

 Certified Poultry Breeders, started as an employee of the Association and the work 

 was done free of charge to the poultry breeders. A letter was sent out to all poultry 

 breeders interested over the State, notifying them of the new arrangement. At a 

 meeting of the directors of the Certified Poultry Breeders' Association at Worcester, 

 no objection to the plan was manifested, but during the Boston Poultry Show 

 there was some dissatisfaction expressed with free certification and it was decided 

 to hold a conference at Worcester during the Union Agricultural Meeting. Twen- 

 ty-five telegrams were sent to leading poultrymen representing members of the 

 Association, and others interested, asking them to meet at the Hotel Bancroft on 

 the morning of January 8, as a preliminary to a general meeting of poultrymen in 

 the afternoon. At the morning conference, it was decided to discontinue free 

 certification and make a charge of eight cents per bird for the service. The change 

 in plan was explained at the general meeting in the afternoon to the apparent 

 satisfaction of everyone. 



January 1.5, 1930, letters notifying poultry breeders of the change were sent 

 out. Mr. M. F. Delano and Mr. C. E. Brett were engaged to assist Mr. Flint in 

 completing certification of the poultry flocks. 



During the inspection season for the winter of 19'-29 and 1930. sixty-three flocks 

 were certified. Only a part of the birds in these flocks were banded. A certificate 

 of certification was issued to the owner of each flock. New England Quality labels 

 identifying Massachusetts Certified Flocks were used by twenty-six flocks. Dur- 

 ing the spring all of the flocks were inspected for uniformity of hatching eggs as 

 to size, weight and color. The result of this inspection was very satisfactory. 



At a meeting of poultrymen held in the State House in July, a revision in the 

 general plan for certification was made, involving some changes in the rules and 

 regulations and the lowering of the cost of certification. For the inspection season 

 of 1930-31 the cost is to be: 



Five cents per breeding bird for flocks less than 1,000. 



Four cents per breeding bird for flocks 1,000-2,000. 



Three cents per breeding bird for flocks over 2,000. 



The work of inspecting flocks for certification for the 1930-31 season was started 



in October and up to December 1, nine flocks were inspected, containing 13,5o3 



birds. This season all birds are being banded. Two inspectors are at work and 



the demand for the service seems to be as good as could be expected for the season. 



Horses Show Improvement at Exhibitions 

 Assistance was again given in conducting a Commercial Horse Show at the 

 Eastern States Exposition at Springfield and the Boston Horse Show at Boston. 

 There was quite a remarkable improvement in the quality of horses exhibited at 

 both shows. The classes were larger and a greater interest shown on the part of 

 owners. The value of such work is very apparent. The Dynamometer Contests 

 at Springfield and Worcester were very successful, both having a large number of 

 entries of excellent quality. 



Eastern States Wool Show 



For the second year the Division has co-operated with the management of the 

 Eastern States Exposition, the United States Department of Agriculture and the 

 New England Sheep and Wool Growers' Association in conducting a wool show 

 at Springfield during the Eastern States Exposition. This year the show was held 

 in connection with an exhibit of woolen textiles put on by the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture. 



Oleomargarine Inspections 



A larger total number of stores were inspected than for several years. An 

 effort was made to cover as completely as possible the four western counties of 



