1920.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 45a 



from August 23 to the close of the fiscal year, Nov. 30, 1919. 

 In providing this amount for three and. one-half months' work 

 the Legislature was extremely liberal in its appropriation, ex- 

 ceeding by a generous sum the pro rata amount asked for by 

 the petitioners. 



In accordance with the provisions of the legislative act the 

 necessary literature, consisting of a circular letter and appli- 

 cation forms, w^as prepared in August and sent to the m.any 

 poultry keepers throughout the State. The generous response 

 to the letter was indicated by the early receipt of applications 

 calling for the testing of nearly 15,000 birds. Since that time 

 additional applications have brought the number up to nearly 

 25,000. 



Mr. Oliver S. Flint, a graduate of the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural College, class of 1917, was engaged to collect blood 

 samples. He reported for duty on Sept. 9, 1919. After the 

 preliminary work connected with the application of the test 

 had been carried out, the collection of blood samples from 

 flocks throughout the State was started, and has been con- 

 tinued to date. On an average 700 samples have been col- 

 lected and tested each week. On account of the suspension 

 of the work during 1918 the collection of blood samples has 

 been somewhat difficult and expensive. It has been found 

 that pullets that have not laid will not respond to the test; 

 hence, it has frequently been necessary to visit a poultry farm, 

 take samples from the adult birds, then at a later date return 

 and procure samples from the pullets. If the work is carried 

 along continuously from this time on, much of the labor and 

 expense in the future will be eliminated, as each poultryman 

 will carry over from year to year much of the stock tested 

 the previous year. 



From the date in September when the work of testing was 

 resumed until November 30, the close of the fiscal year, there 

 was expended in salaries, travel, express charges and equip- 

 ment the sum of $1,193.97. The receipts for the same period 

 from tests and sale of leg bands amounted to S401.96. 



