arije Commontuealtf) of JWasis^acljusiettss 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



To the Honorable Senate and House of Repi-esentatives : 



In compliance with the provisions of Chapter 128 of the General Laws, I am 

 herewith making my annual report for the year ending November 30, 1939, for 

 the Department of Agriculture. 



Respectfully submitted, 



William Casey, Commissioner. 



PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT 



Commissioner of Agriculture — William Casey, Spencer. 

 Executive Secretary to the Commissioner — Michael J. Carroll. 



Advisory Board Appointed by the Governor and Council 



Stuart L. Little, Newbury, Term expires November 30, 1939. 



George A. Wells, Worcester, Term expires November 30, 1939. 



John T. Goggin, Seekonk, Term expires November 30, 1940. 



James O'Brien, Lee, Term expires November 30, 1940. 



John Bursley, Barnstable (West), Term expires November 30, 1941. 



Herbert N. Shepard, Warren, Term expires November 30, 1941. 



Divisions and Organizations 



Livestock Disease Control — Director, Mark H. Galusha, Williamstown. 

 Dairying and Animal Husbandry — Director, Lester T. Tompkins, Essex. 

 Markets — Director up to October, 1939, George O'Brien, Braintree; Director 



from October, 1939, Louis A. Webster, Blackstone. 

 Plant Pest Control — Director, R. Harold Allen, Taunton. 

 Reclamation, Soil Survey and Fairs — Director, Robert F. Cross, Oster- 



ville; Assistant Director, A. W. LOMBARD, Arlington. 

 Agriculturist — Daniel J. Curran, Marlborough. 



State Reclamation Board 



Chairman, Daniel J. Curran, Marlborough 



Edward Wright, Dedham Robert F. Cross, Osterville 



Secretary, George R. Stratton, Hopkinton 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER 



Agriculture in Massachusetts continues to be an important industry with 

 a cash farm income from marketing and government payments of more than 

 $73,000,000. The farmers of Massachusetts have concentrated on specialized 

 farming and have produced maximum crops on available land. In the past 

 year the cash income has increased on the following crops : potatoes and truck 

 crops, pears, grapes, cranberries, small fruit, other fruit crops, maple sugar 

 and miscellaneous crops (including forest, nursery and greenhouse). Our 

 tobacco crop has shown less cash farm income, but there remains a large part 

 of the 1939 crop which has not been sold, and sale of this carry-over at pre- 

 vailing prices will give the tobacco crop a substantial increase over the 1938 

 cash farm income. 



In a large part, our $73,437,000 income to Massachusetts farmers results 

 from the sale of dairy products at a value of $24,763,000 and this amount is 

 $1,000,000 greater than 1938. Prices for poultry products during 1939 were 

 lower than during any year for the past five years, and while the production 

 of eggs increased in Massachusetts, the value of poultry and eggs dropped 

 approximately $3,000,000. 



Massachusetts has exceptional market outlets and all farmers have a large 

 consuming center within a radius of twenty-five miles in which to market 



