THE FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



SECRETARY 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of 



Massachusetts. 



The season of 1895 was a peculiar one for Massachusetts 

 farmers. The markets were well supplied with all neces- 

 saries and luxuries, at prices within the reach of all classes 

 of consumers. The yield of nearly all crops was abun- 

 dant, and where, as in the case of the apple crop, the yield 

 was small, the supply from other parts of our own country 

 and from Canada prevented the rise of prices. According 

 to the reports of our crop correspondents, the season, not- 

 withstanding the abundant crops, proved to be anything 

 but a profitable one. Many correspondents November 1 

 said they could tell what crops had turned out to be most 

 profitable, and others said there had been no profit in any- 

 thing. This condition was due chiefly to the low prices 

 which have prevailed and the slow sale of produce. Prices 

 have been almost universally reported as lower than for 

 some years. Only seven of the one hundred and four cor- 

 respondents making returns November 1 spoke of prices 

 as average and only two as above average; while several 

 spoke of them as lower than ever before in their recollec- 

 tion. The cause usually assigned for these low prices was 

 the unprecedented yield of many crops raised for market all 

 over the country. Some correspondents spoke of drought 



