36 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



An attempt has been made to secure statistics about Massa- 

 chusetts agriculture for a long period in order to develop in- 

 formation about changes in agricultural conditions and the 

 shift from generalized to specialized farming which seems to 

 have occurred generally throughout the State. It was found to 

 be impossible to get definite data earlier than 1840, because 

 no previous Federal census included any statistics on agri- 

 culture, and there was no general State survey of agriculture 

 until after the Civil War. Some studies of special agricultural 

 subjects were made under State authority as early as 1838, 

 but they do not throw any light on the general agricultural 

 situation. 



Statistics were compiled on various subjects, the most ex- 

 tensive compilation being made for a bulletin to be entitled 

 " Agricultural Statistics for Massachusetts and New England," 

 which was compiled largely from the censuses of population and 

 agriculture taken by the United States Census Bureau in 1920. 

 The contents of this bulletin include figures showing the area 

 devoted to the principal crops in all the New England States, 

 and the quantity and value produced, together with data on 

 live stock and live-stock products, the number, areas and 

 values of farms, etc. The statistics for Massachusetts cover all 

 these subjects and some additional subjects which are also 

 tabulated for each of the several counties. Statistics of pro- 

 duction were obtained for the State and counties from the 

 United States census for 1840, and detailed tables covering 

 temperatures, frosts and rainfall throughout the State were 

 compiled. 



Publications. 



This Division does not make up all the publications issued 

 by the Department, but it has charge of them after they have 

 been prepared, securing approval of the Supervisor of Admin- 

 istration for publishing them, performing any editorial work 

 that may be necessary, and determining any questions that 

 may be raised by the State printers. The material for a part 

 of the publications is prepared within the Department, and a 

 considerable proportion is written by authorities outside the 

 Department. Usually the Division endeavors to secure ma- 



