xiv BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



lation of which he was very likely entirely ignorant. The 

 latter course savors too much of persecution to be one which 

 this Board can commend. 



There is one suggestion which I have to offer, which I hope 

 will result in legislation at this session. At present, when a 

 contagious disease is reported on the farm of a milk pro- 

 ducer his milk is shut off from the market, and he is obliged 

 to lose it entirely. It would be much better if the State 

 would pay for the milk in all such cases. Such a course 

 would do away with any disposition on the part of the pro- 

 ducer to conceal the true condition of affairs, and would 

 therefore lead to the better protection of the consuming pub- 

 lic. I would recommend that the Board authorize its secre- 

 tary to prepare such a bill and present the same to the 

 General Court, and instruct him to urge its passage to the 

 best of his ability. 



Changes in the Board. 



The Board lost during the year one of its most valued 

 members by the decease in March of Hon. William H. 

 Spooner, delegate from the Massachusetts Horticultural So- 

 ciety. Mr. Wilfrid ^^'lleeler of Concord was chosen to fill the 

 vacancy. 



Mr. l^oah Sagendorph of the Spencer Farmers' and Me- 

 chanics' Association has resigned, after two years of service- 

 Governor Curtis Guild, Jr., retires after six years of service. 

 Mr. Wm. ]Sr. Howard of the Bristol County Fair, Inc., re- 

 tires after one year of service, because of the failure of said 

 society to hold a fair in 1908 and so become eligible to State 

 bounty and a delegate on this Board. 



Changes in membership resulting from elections by the 

 several societies will be given in the report of the committee 

 on credentials in the proceedings of the annual meeting. 

 Members retiring because of expiration of term of service 

 are: Samuel B. Taft of the Blackstone Valley Agricultural 

 Society, after eleven years of service; Edmund Hersey of 

 the Hingham Agricultural and Horticultural Society, after 

 thirty-two years of service ; William A. Bailey of the Hamp- 

 shire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society, A. M. 



