6 P.D. 123 



Over 2,500 acres of land were plowed and put into condition for planting. 

 The deposit on land plowed varied from five to six inches deep on some farms 

 to as much as ten to twelve inches on others. The land was soft in most cases 

 and plowing difficult but with these unfavorable conditions to overcome the 

 work progressed rapidly and soon large tracts were ready to be put into con- 

 dition for planting. 



Over 400 farms received the benefit of Iftiis work and the owners were 

 thereby enabled to plant their crops as usual. Some of the land which had 

 been gullied out and thus made unfit for use was leveled, tihe holes filled with 

 available material and put in shape for cultivation. This was made possible 

 through the use of scoops and buldozers. 



The farmers proceeded to plant and fertilize practically as in previous years 

 and when the crop was finally harvested the yields per acre were in excess of 

 the previous year and in the case of potatoes, above the five year average. The 

 pounds per acre of tobacco were also above the previous year. 



REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF DAIRYING AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



The Daii-y Division carried on by rendering the usual service to producer and 

 dealer in the adjusting of complaints of improper tests of milk delivered to 

 the handlers. These cases, though in the hundreds, were all adjusted without 

 resorting to court action. 



The inspectors of barns and dairies were used for a period covering many 

 weeks, to correlate information compiled by the animal inspectors of the Di- 

 vision G-f Livestock Disease Control, with information secured by the former 

 group. In view of the time spent in the study of these records, the full quota 

 of dairy farm inspections was not made, and during the late fall the dairy in- 

 spectors visited Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and spent considerable 

 time at the milk plants inspecting the milk that arrived at these receiving 

 points. 



Following this period of correlating materials, a brief but thorough job of 

 inspection was carried out on dairy farms within the Commonwealth. It has 

 always been the policy of the Department to insist upon quality milk produc- 

 tion, and it is expected that our Massachusetts farmers will comply fully with 

 the requirements of the Milk Regulation Board and produce as much milk as 

 possible for our Massachusetts markets. It should be the purpose of our 

 Massachusetts dairy farmers to supply as much quality milk as the dairy 

 farms will normally yield, and the thoughtful milk dealer will always be 

 willing and anxious to purchase quality milk from our local farmers for our 

 Massachusetts consumers. 



The animal husbandry work of the division covered a very extensive field; 

 assisting Sheep, Goats, Swine, Horses, Dairy Cattle, Beef Cattle, Poultry and 

 Rabbit Growers. 



Sheep Demonstrations were run several times during the year; speakers 

 outlined methods found to be sound for good flock management. Practical 

 demonstrations of dipping, docking and castrating were used at the time of 

 these meetings. The growers in attendance indicated deep interest in the 

 talks given and the practical exhibitions shown. The increased attendance of 

 growers from meeting to meeting, as well as the questions they propounded of 

 a sensible nature, indicated without question, the good such practical group 

 contacts can do for growers. 



More beef animals were seen in use on our cheaper land, farms where 

 dairying had outworn its ability to yield a profit, by reason of remote location, 

 poor buildings, or inability to secure proper farm help at a wage which the 

 dairy could carry. Beef growing has shown that poorer buildings may be used 

 while very little supplementary labor is needed; thus utilizing the roughages 

 grown, buildings as is, and with enoug*h home grown com, a little purchased 

 concentrate feed in the form of molasses, cottonseed and linseed meal, a prime 

 finished animal may be produced here, close to good markets, on our sub-mar- 

 ginal farms, which should yield a profit to the grower if produced in conjunc- 

 tion with some other lines, such as small frnits, poultry, sheep, or the like. 



