®l)e ilommonrDcaltl) of itla00acl}U0ett0. 



SIXTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture. 



PART I. 



REPOET OF THE SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR 1916. 



To the Senate mid House of Representatives of the Commomvealth of 



Massachusetts. 



A review of agriculture the country over reveals similar con- 

 ditions in many sections. As a general rule, the spring was late 

 and accompanied by damp, cold weather; serious floods in the 

 south and middle west caused millions of dollars' damage to the 

 crops of those sections, and had a direct bearing on the light 

 yields reported. Seed germinated poorly and much reseeding 

 had to be done, especially in the corn and cotton belts. 



Yields in the great crops of the country show a decided re- 

 duction over 1915. 



In spite of adverse conditions the farmers of the country 

 have never been so seemingly prosperous. The continuation of 

 the war in Europe has stimulated a demand for all kinds of 

 American goods to such an extent that prices have risen in this 

 country beyond anything since the civil war. With wheat 

 nearing the $2 mark, corn, $1.25, cotton close to 20 cents a 

 pound, and all other staples in proportion, farmers are the least 

 likely to suffer by reduced crops. Another factor bearing upon 

 the low crops has been the labor situation, for with all of our 

 industries working at the maximum, labor ordinarily available 

 for farmers during the crop season has been employed in other 

 ways and at prices prohibitive to the average farmer. Planting 



