No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xlv 



The bulletin on " Dairying," which is now in press, is one 

 which has been needed for some time. It contains articles 

 by some of the leading dairymen of the country, and covers 

 the field fairly well. The bulletin has about 140 pages, in- 

 cluding an extensive bibliography. A fairly wide scope is 

 covered by the bulletins now published, which are of great 

 help to the farmer. Bulletins should also be issued on animal 

 husbandry and beekeeping. The supply of Bulletins ISTos. 

 1 and 5, on " Poultry Culture " and " Vegetable Growing," 

 respectively, is getting low, and they will need to be reprinted 

 the coming year. 



Crop Reports. 



The monthly Crop Reports were published this year as 

 usual, with the exception of the October issue, the issuance of 

 which has been postponed owing to lack of money. A num- 

 ber of interesting and helpful special articles were contained 

 in the various numbers, including " Peach Growing in West- 

 ern Massachusetts," by Mr. L. W. Rice, " Co-operation," by 

 Mr. C. R. White, " Diversified Farm Accounting," by Mr. 

 L. A. Sloman and " Farm Ice Houses," by Mr. B. S. Pickett. 



The May issue was the quarter century number of the 

 Crop Report, and contained the names and a sketch of all 

 active correspondents, together with their terms of service. 

 The editions were as follows : May, 8,000 ; June, 6,000 ; July, 

 5.200; August, 5,600; Septemi3er, 6,000. Copies of the 

 June, August and September issues are still available at this 

 office. 



After carefully considering the question of Crop Reports, 

 your secretary has come to believe that it would be wise to 

 discontinue the printing of these. The ground regarding 

 the crops is fairly well covered at the present time by the 

 papers and the United States government, and while these 

 agencies may not get at the same source of information as 

 do our correspondents, the reports are quite complete. As at 

 present conducted we have no paid correspondents, and it is 

 becoming increasingly difficult to get correct data from our 

 correspondents, and, further, to get it printed quickly enough 

 to be of value. In many ways it is to be regretted that 

 work of this sort should be given up, but unless we can get 



