1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. ix 



be chosen by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and 

 the secretary of the Board of Agriculture. In the reorgani- 

 zation of the Board of Control, after this addition to their 

 number, the last-named member was chosen their secretary. 

 Thus have been brought together in this office the records of 

 the three State boards that have in charge the agricultural 

 interests of the State. This action seems suitable on account 

 of convenience of doing the business of these boards, but it 

 has resulted in very largely increasing the work of the office. 



It may not be out of place to refer in this connection to 

 the new department of vegetable physiology that has been 

 established at the Massachusetts Experiment Station. It is 

 devoted to the investigation of the diseases of plants. The 

 work accomplished in that direction is expected to be 

 especially valuable to the horticulturists and market gardeners 

 of the State. The large increase in the products of those 

 engaged in these special departments of agriculture justify 

 this enterprise. The value of the vegetables produced in 

 this State, as shown by the census of 1885, was $5,227,194 

 against $1,824,112 in 1845. This increase has been largely 

 in the finer vegetables. The last census shows of asparagus 

 $100,000; of celery $154,000; of green corn $239,000; of 

 lettuce $i09,000; of tomatoes $164,000; of dandelions 

 $55,000; and many thousands more for other delicacies in 

 the form of vegetables which were not produced for market 

 until within a few years. The sale of flowers is enormous 

 in comparison with the amount a few years ago. From the 

 best information obtainable we estimate the sales in Boston 

 alone at not less than $500,000 the past year. 



It is the duty of the secretary of this Board to visit the 

 incorporated agricultural societies at fairs and institutes as 

 often as the other duties of his office will allow. In fulfilling 

 his duty he has attended thirteen fairs where it was expected 

 that the secretary would at least extend the greeting of the 

 Board, and he has spoken at twenty- three farmers' meetings or 

 institutes during the year 1888. It is properly expected that 

 this department shall be interested in all matters relating to 

 agriculture which come before the committees of the Legis- 

 lature. In this line of duty the secretary has attended 

 several hearinn^s before leijislative committees. Invitations 



