4 P.D. 123 



in fanning is a very necessarj^ qualification to successful accomplishment. The 

 history of Massachusetts agriculture abounds with failures in farming ventures by 

 persons who enter into the field of agriculture without adequate preparation. It has 

 been necessar}^ to call to the attention of those entering the field of agriculture, for 

 the first time, that farming is a business and requires a certain amount of capital 

 for a successful start and a definite program for a successful continuation. It is 

 not now possible, and never has been possible, for the ordinary employee in our 

 factories to attempt farming without experience and without capital and provide 

 for himself and his family for any great length of time. It is especially difficult 

 during these times of low prices for farm products for a person not well acquainted 

 with farm practices and not equipped with the facihties for farming to enter upon 

 an agricultural project -with, any great degree of success. 



We have received manj- requests for financial assistance during the past year 

 from those out of employment and desirous of settling upon small farms, and we 

 have been obliged to explain that the commonwealth could not provide free land, 

 free seeds or fertilizer, free machinery or mone)^ for the purpose of assisting needy 

 persons in the development of agricultural projects. We are, however, prepared to 

 advise qualified persons relative to the prospects and advantages of Massachusetts 

 agriculture, and we have considerable literature on all phases of agricultural enter- 

 prises that we distribute free to persons who are interested in farming in this Com- 

 monwealth. 



There seems to be a very definite trend in the state towards renewed activity on 

 the part of our agricultural organizations. The attendance at our Union Meeting 

 at Worcester was larger than ever before and the meetings of the different com- 

 modity groups indicated very plainly that the farmers were alive to the serious 

 situation that confronted them and were working as a unit to bring about necessary 

 changes. Constructive suggestions w^ere in evidence at this annual meeting of the 

 farmers of the state and their interest in bringing about better marketing condi- 

 tions and more economic methods of production has been clearly shown at frequent 

 gatherings and meetings during the year. 



The market gardens have been busy on a development of their marketing pro- 

 blem that would eventually mean the establishment of a new market providing 

 more space and better conditions for selling their products. 



The fruit growers are engaged in a strenuous campaign to eliminate, insofar as 

 possible, the apple maggot, plum curculio, coddling moth, and various other insects 

 and diseases. Our progressive fruit growers are concerned with the very difficult 

 competition which they must meet with reference to fruit infested with insects and 

 diseases and offered for sale at very low prices on our local markets. An intensive 

 campaign has been planned to control the situation insofar as possible. Fruit 

 growers in all parts of the state, under the supervision of the State Department of 

 Agriculture, the Extension Service and the Massachusetts State College, will par- 

 ticipate in a program which includes three principal phases: 



1. Cutting down of neglected trees or trees that are known to have 

 been infested with the apple maggot, commonly known as the "railroad 

 worm". 



2. A spraying program that will definitely tend to control dangerous 

 insect pests and diseases. 



3. A clean-up of fruit that has fallen to the ground during the fall 

 months. 



It is expected that the cooperation of the fruit growers with reference to this 

 program will relieve the situation with regard to the large amount of cull or poor 

 grade apples that are being dumped each year onto our local markets. 



The dairy farmers are attempting to organize their industry in the hope that 

 the price that they receive for the milk product will enable them to maintain their 

 dairy farms and provide a continuous supply of quality milk product to our con- 

 suming markets. 



The most important legislation that was enacted during the past year was the 

 dairy farm inspection bill which provided for the establishment of a Milk Regu- 



