38 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



During the year ending November 30, five cases were entered 

 in court, all of which were won by the Commonwealth, and 

 fines imposed. One of these cases was carried over from the 

 previous season, and six cases in the present season have been 

 tried since November 30. This makes a total of fourteen cases 

 sinces the law has been in effect. When compared with the 

 number of apple growers in the State, and the number of in- 

 dividual shipments, the number of court cases is remarkably 

 small. Five of the New England States now have an apple 

 grading law, Rhode Island alone being without it. As Boston 

 is the principal New England market, it has been evident for 

 some time that greater uniformity among the laws would be of 

 advantage to the business in general. For this reason a meet- 

 ing was called in Boston, in May, of representatives of all the 

 New England States to consider the subject. Representatives 

 of Massachusetts were your commissioner, who was made 

 chairman of the committee, Mr. W. A. Munson, president of 

 the Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association, Professor F. C. 

 Sears of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, Mr. A. W. 

 Otis of Boston, and Mr. R. E. Annin, Jr., of this Department. 

 The laws of the five States were carefully compared and the 

 differences ironed out. Two later meetings were held, one in 

 Boston in July, and one in Portland in November, at the time 

 of the New England Fruit Show. As a result a uniform law 

 has been drafted and has been agreed on by all six States, 

 including Rhode Island. This law has been referred to leading 

 fruit growers in each State, and has the backing of fruit growers' 

 associations and buyers, dealers and exporters. 



The law differs very little from the- present Massachusetts 

 law, the two main changes being that A grade apples will here- 

 after have to be handpicked, and the term "ungraded" will be 

 changed to "unclassified." The passage of this uniform law in 

 all the New England States will be another step forward in our 

 fruit-growing industry, and I recommend its passage in this 

 State. 



Boys' and Girls' Club Work. 



Owing to the demand for greater food production, boys' and 

 girls' clubs were stimulated to a marked degree, and the follow- 

 ing were organized : — 



