No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 51 



some of his prize winners. There was also a demonstration on 

 beekeeping, and a talk on the use of concrete. 



There was also a very interesting demonstration of two farm 

 tractors, both of w^hich seemed to do fairly satisfactory work. 

 The conditions were good, as the machines were plowing on a 

 field of oat stubble which was level and free from stone. A 

 great deal of interest has been manifested throughout the 

 State this year in the farm tractor proposition, and a number 

 of demonstrations have been held by several different manu- 

 facturers. There is no question but that on some of our level 

 lands, which now only need drainage to render them tillable, 

 a farm tractor could be used to advantage if these lands were 

 worked in large areas. A cheap and satisfactory substitute for 

 horses for the small farmer, however, does not seem j^et to have 

 been found, but it is certainly the province of this Board to 

 keep actively in touch with this farm tractor movement. 



Owing to the fact that this year our Public Winter Meeting 

 is being held in January instead of December, there is, of 

 course, nothing to report about it at this time, as the Public 

 Winter Meeting of 1914 was covered in my last report to you. 



Co-operation with Other Organizations. 

 The Board this year has maintained very pleasant relations 

 with the various agricultural organizations in the State, par- 

 ticularly so with the Massachusetts Dairymen's Association, 

 Federation of Farm Bureaus, Milk Inspectors, the State 

 Grange, Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association, New Eng- 

 land Alfalfa Growers' Association, and the Massachusetts 

 Asparagus Growers' Association. 



Work of the Office. 

 The one feature to be mentioned first under this heading is 

 the passage of the act appropriating $5,000 for clerical assist- 

 ance, thus putting all office employees under the control and 

 direction of the secretary, and confining to one fund salaries 

 which had previously been paid out of five different appropria- 

 tions. The difference between the appropriation and the sum 

 of the salaries of regular employees has been used for extra 

 help during rush periods, and for the employment of an expert 



