No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 25 



agricultural agents, it would not seem to be a difficult under- 

 taking to bring these two organizations together and get a 

 census which would give a true understanding of agricultural 

 conditions as they now are. This Board is called upon repeat- 

 edly for facts as to Massachusetts agriculture, and we have to 

 depend upon the government figures of 1910 or the State figures 

 of 1905, both of w^hich are now very much behind the times. 



In order to secure a census which will be of the greatest 

 value, the figures should be gathered by persons who know 

 something about agriculture, for there can be no doubt that 

 figures in relation to agriculture by a general enumeration 

 cannot be as correct as they would be were they taken for a 

 special purpose and by persons trained for the work. 



To this end, it is recommended that the Board support a bill 

 relative to taking an agricultural census this coming year. 



Exhibit at Panama-Pacific Exposition. 



As stated in the last report of your secretary, exhibits were 

 prepared for both the agricultural building and the horticultural 

 grouncis at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The exhibit in the 

 agricultural building was mainly designed to call attention to 

 the agricultural resources of Massachusetts, rather than to 

 display samples of our crops. This exhibit has attracted con- 

 siderable attention, and, as a result of it, the Board has received 

 a good many letters of inquiry concerning Massachusetts. 

 One gold medal was received for tobacco in this exhibit. 



In the horticultural gardens the following awards were re- 

 ceived : — 



First Seasonal Awards. 



Medal of honor to Bay State Nurseries, North Abington, for 

 evergreens and deciduous shrubs; gold medals to R. & J. 

 Farquhar & Co., Boston, for shrubs, pentstemon and buddleia; 

 Edward W. Gillette, Southwick, for woodland plants and ferns; 

 New England Nurseries, Bedford, for deciduous shrubs and 

 collection of conifers; to Thomas Roland, Nahant, for acacias; 

 Frederick J. Rea, Norwood, for phlox; silver medals to Forbes 

 & Keith, New Bedford, for Dennison dahlias; to Eastern 

 Nurseries, Jamaica Plain, for phlox; Breck-Robinson Nursery 

 Company, Lexington, for shrubs and evergreens; Cherry Hill 



