No. 4.] KEPORT OF SECRETARY. xvii 



The work already done has directed attention to this 

 office as a source of help and information to those desiring 

 to sell such farms as may properly come under the title 

 "partially abandoned," and to those desiring information 

 concerning such properties. A small annual appropriation 

 for the carrying on of this line of work, with authority 

 granted this office to serve as a bureau of information, would 

 be of great assistance to those desiring to purchase or sell 

 farms within our borders, with a large resultant benefit to 

 the State. 



Dairy Bureau. 



The annual report of the Dairy Bureau to the Legislature 

 will be found printed on pages 389-415 of this volume. 

 There has been no change in the personnel of the Bureau, 

 except that of the executive officer, caused by the change in 

 the secretaryship of the Board of Agriculture. 



Agricultural College. 

 The report of the examining committee of the Agricult- 

 ural College will be found printed on pages 224-230 of this 

 volume. The twelfth annual report of the Hatch Experi- 

 ment Station of the college is by law bound with the report 

 of the secretary of the Board of Agriculture in this volume. 

 Those desiring further details of the college are respectfully 

 referred to the president, Dr. Henry H. Goodell, Amherst, 

 Mass. 



Board of Cattle Commissioners. 



The annual report of the Board of Cattle Commissioners 

 is by law printed in the annual report of the secretary of the 

 Board of Agriculture , and the report for 1899 will be found 

 printed on pages 419-514 of this volume. 



Massachusetts Crop Reports. 



The publication of monthly crop reports or bulletins was 

 continued in 1899, and six in all were issued (May— Octo- 

 ber), aggregating 230 pages of printed matter. The edition 

 was 2,500 copies, excepting Nos. 1 and 3, of which 2,700 

 copies were printed. 



The special articles printed were : Bulletin No. 1, •' Spray- 

 ing of crops for profit," by Prof. S. T. Maynard ; Bulletin 



