No. 4.] KEPOKT OF 8ECKETAKY. xiii 



Nursery Inspection. 



The second year of this Avork lias been completed, with 

 excellent results. All the nurseries of the State have been 

 inspected by the Nursery Inspector or his deputies, and the 

 conditions found much improv^ed over those shown by the 

 inspection of the first year. Where the insi)ect<)r has been 

 unable to issue a certiticate of freedom from insects or fun- 

 gous diseases, the requirement of the law that all stock sold 

 be fumigated Avith hydrocyanic acid gas has been complied 

 with, with the result that stock from Massachusetts nurseries 

 is now as safe to purchase as from those of an}^ other State, — 

 a condition not existing prior to the passage of this laAV. A 

 few slight perfecting amendments to the law seem desirable, 

 and if it should ai)pear upon further consideration that the 

 law has been suiBciently tested, thc}^ will be introduced at 

 this session of the Legislature. , The rei)ort of the Nurser}^ 

 Inspector will be found on pages 241-245. 



Dairy Bureau. 



During the year the newly elected general agent of the 



Bureau has made the office of the Board his headquarters, 



beino: re£:ularly at his desk when not eno;a»'ed iu field or 



educational work, or in trvino; cases before the courts. He 



has also o-iven his whole time to the work. These two 



changes in policy haye brought the work of the Bureau into 



closer touch with the Board than was possible as previously' 



conducted, and have added oreatly to the efficiency of the 



work. The secretary of the Board is the executive officer 



of the Bureau, and the work has been carried on with his 



advice and direction. Details concerning the year's work 



will be found in the report of the Bureau, printed on pages 



355-373. 



Cattle Bureau. 



This is a Bureau by itself, over which the Board has no 

 control, and for the actions of which it is in no way respon- 

 sible. This condition of affairs should be changed, and this 

 Bureau brought under the control of the Board of Agricul- 

 ture, or the alternative course adopted, and a separate Cattle 



