272 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



placed in operation September 1 and discontinued November 10. This 

 covers the Blue Hill Reservation and a large area of adjoining forest land 

 in many towns. 



We also have Robbin's Hill station in the town of Chelmsford, with 

 an elevation of 400 feet, covering a large area of forest lands and protect- 

 ing the watersheds of the Concord and Merrimac rivers. We were obliged 

 to install telephone service here connecting with the New England Tele- 

 phone Company at Chelmsford. We have also erected at this station a 

 steel tower 40 feet high, with an observatory at the top. This station was 

 placed in operation October 16 and discontinued November 10. In order 

 to completely cover this district we are yet to establish a station in Essex 

 County, in the vicinity of Bald Pate Mountain. 



District No. 2. ■ — In this district we have but one station in operation, 

 Plymouth Observatory, which was placed at our disposal free of charge, 

 we paying the observer for the time he is in charge of our work. This 

 station covers a large tract of valuable forests, and was placed in opera- 

 tion September 11 and discontinued October 1. 



We have also completed our telephone line on Shoot Flying Hill in 

 Barnstable County, 200 feet elevation; but, owing to the rains and the 

 lateness of the season, it was found unnecessary to place this in operation 

 before spring. This station will cover a large portion of the Cape country. 

 It will also be necessary to establish at least one more station in this 

 district, and I think Richmond Hill in Dighton would be the most de- 

 sirable selection, as it covers a large portion of Bristol County. 



District No. S. — We have in this district three stations in operation: 

 Wachusett in Princeton, Fay in Westborough and Steerage Rock in Brim- 

 field. 



At Wachusett we were very fortunate in being allowed the free use 

 of the observatory at the Summit House on Wachusett Mountain, with 

 an elevation of 2,018 feet, and covering a radius of 20 miles, or an area of 

 nearly 1,000,000 acres. From this station can be seen Boston harbor in 

 the east and Greylock Mountain in the west. This station was the first 

 to be placed in operation, August 14, and was discontinued November 

 10. Sixty-four fires have been observed and reported from this station 

 alone. The watersheds of the Nashua, Miller, Chicopee, Thames and 

 Blackstone rivers are protected by this station. 



At Fay Mountain, with an elevation of 707 feet, we were obliged to 

 install a telephone service connecting with the New England Telephone 

 Company at Westborough. It will be necessary to erect a steel tower 

 40 feet high in order to completely cover the territory desired. The water- 

 shed of the Blackstone River and a large area of forest land are protected 

 by this station, which was placed in operation October 8. 



Steerage Rock, with an elevation of 1,240 feet, protects the water- 

 shed of the Connecticut and Thames rivers. At this station we were 

 obliged to install a telephone service connecting with the New England 

 Telephone Company at Brimfield. Arrangements have been made for 



