SIXTEENTH AISTjNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



SECRETART 



T 



OF THE 



BOARD OF ACxllICULTURE. 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Common- 



ivealth of Massachusetts. 



The past season has been one of peculiar characteristics. A 

 long and severe winter, during which the ground was generally 

 well covered with snow, and the temperature more than usually 

 uniform, was followed by a wet and somewhat backward spring, 

 a hot, dry and short summer, and an autumn of constant mois- 

 ture, with early frost. The rainfall of September exceeded 

 thirteen inches, and the snow and freezing cold came so early 

 in November as to endanger the late harvested root and fruit 

 crops. 



Witli these general and well marked meteorological features, 

 the season has been one of more than ordinary prosperity to the 

 farming interests of the Commonwealth. Many of the crops of 

 the farm, the orchard and the garden, like Indian corn, hay and 

 fruit, were abundant and fine in quality ; and though farm labor 

 throughout the fall was greatly interrupted by the constant rains, 

 the results of farming operations must, on the whole, be regarded 

 with general satisfaction. The aggregate farm products of the 

 State for the year exceed forty millions of dollars. 



The stock of the farm has been healthy, with the exception 

 of a temporary visitation of the Texas cattle fever, which was 



