1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 329 



the State to assume responsibility, would it not be well for 

 the Board to take some steps to bring both city consumer 

 and country producer together in some efficient organization 

 that shall better protect the public health as well as the 

 farming interest? 



Abandoned Farms. 



As has been stated, there are 36,000 farmers in Massa- 

 chusetts, and in round numbers say 45,000 farms, or appar- 

 ently 9,000 in excess. Should we not ascertain how many 

 of these farms are actually abandoned, and try to build them 

 up again ? The New Hampshire Board of Agriculture has 

 taken up this question, and the Boston press is constantly 

 speaking of the abandoned farms of New Hampshire. As 

 a result of this discussion, coupled with the efforts of the 

 Board, nearly 400 have been sold in New Hampshire within 

 the last year, many of them for country homes of city 

 people who read about them in the Boston papers. Why 

 not set the Massachusetts press to talking about the farms 

 of Massachusetts, many of which are just as beautiful, and 

 richer, than those in New Hampshire, and so keep the money 

 within our own State? I am told that it is contemplated to 

 introduce a bill into the Legislature, establishing a commission 

 to investigate this subject. If this matter is placed in other 

 hands than this Board, what a sad reflection it will be 

 upon it. 



No Call for Original Work. — Dispense with Annual 



Report. 



There is no call for this Board or the societies to do 

 original work, as heretofore. The agricultural experiment 

 stations and colleges are occupying that field, and it seems to 

 me that it is now a part of our business to popularize the 

 results which are obtained by these institutions, standing, if 

 you please, between the scientist and the practical farmer, — 

 to sift the wheat from the chaff and sow the good seed 

 throughout the State. 



Instead of expending $7,000 or $8,000 a year in printing 

 the annual report of the secretary, let the same money be 

 used in sending to certified lists of farmers, abstracts in 



