58 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



has been large, and at the present writing the available supply is 

 about gone. The method of printing the articles of the annual 

 report in separate form, and distributing them in this way to the 

 members of the Legislature and agricultural organizations, was 

 used again this year. 



The publications of the Board now cover a wide range of 

 agricultural subjects, and there are over 150 different publica- 

 tions now in print; but with the renewed public interest in 

 farming during the last decade, there is an insistent demand 

 for authoritative publications on the agricultural resources and 

 possibilities of our State. 



Two of the most popular booklets issued by the Board during 

 the year were "Opportunities for Fruit Growing in Massa- 

 chusetts," by Professor F. C. Sears of Amherst, and "Oppor- 

 tunities for Poultry Culture in Massachusetts," by Professor 

 J. C. Graham of Amherst. These booklets were prepared as 

 part of the Board's exhibit at the Panama-Pacific Exposition, 

 and did not pretend to give cultural directions on fruit growing 

 or poultry raising, but rather to point out wherein Massa- 

 chusetts excelled other parts of the country as a location for 

 these two branches of farming. These two articles are to be 

 reprinted in the year book for 1915, and it is possible that one 

 or two more bulletins in this opportunity series will be prepared. 

 A booklet describing the land in the various parts of the State, 

 similar to the farm catalogue last issued four years ago, is also 

 needed. 



Many of the other States get out publications of this sort, 

 and in order to attract settlers to our farm lands, we must be 

 able to tell them of what we have to offer. Calls for such 

 publications, both by mail and in person, continue to come to 

 the office many times a day. 



Another notable addition to the Board's publications during 

 the past year was the bulletin on "Rats and Rat Riddance," 

 written by Mr. Forbush, the State Ornithologist. This bulletin 

 contained the results of Mr. Forbush's experiments in rat 

 extermination, covering a number of years, and more especially 

 his work on the once rat-infested Thompson's Island in Boston 

 Harbor. 



It is believed that this treatise is as complete and up-to-date 



