No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 47 



Because of the increased number who have become active in 

 these lines since the passage of the law granting money for 

 State premiums, it seems advisable that the amount should be 

 increased. 



Exhibitions and Contests. 



As usual the Board appropriated S500 for the Massachusetts 

 Dairymen's Association, and this was used at the milk, cream 

 and butter show held at Amherst during what would have been 

 farmers' week. Farmers' week was canceled on account of the 

 foot-and-mouth disease. 



The Board also purchased some moving-picture films which 

 were duplicates of the films sent as part of our exhibit to the 

 Panama-Pacific Exposition. These have been in considerable 

 demand, and have been used in the school centers in Boston, 

 at Springfield by the Hampden County Improvement League, 

 at the community picnic at Westfield, and at poultry week at 

 Amherst. 



At the summer field meeting at Leominster a horse-judging 

 contest was held, at which prizes were awarded as follows: — 



Class L — For practical farmers: first, R. E. Monk, Pratts Junction, 

 S12; second, J. A. Williams, Isorthbridge, $8; tliird, H. G. Worth, Nan- 

 tucket, S-i. 



Class 2. — For boys eighteen years of age or under: first, Leo Don- 

 nelly, North Leominster, SIO; second, A. H. Harris, North Leominster, 

 So; third, Gordon Nightingale, Petersham, S3. 



In the spring the Board conducted a tent caterpillar contest 

 for school children, in which cups were offered to the towns 

 whose school children should collect the largest number of 

 egg clusters. This contest was very successful, and a total of 

 2,303,331 egg clusters were collected. The first prize in the 

 class for towns of over 5,000 inhabitants was won by the town 

 of Xorthbridge, for 276,801 clusters; second, by the town of 

 Abington, for 212,191; first prize in the class for towns under 

 5,000, by the town of Sutton, for 197,932 clusters; second, by 

 the town of Medfield, with 122,563. 



The New England Fruit Show, which has now become a 

 biennial event in Boston, was held at the Mechanics Building 

 from October 23 to 30, and the Board took care of the IMassa- 



