No. 1.] RP:P()RT of secretary. ix 



into such shape as to make thora marketable to prospective 

 purchasers. 



Second. — A system of banking must be established 

 whereby farmers may obtain money on as easy terms as other 

 business men do. 



Third. — There must be a large publicity movement 

 started, similar to those inaugurated bv other States, callino- 

 the attention of the whole country to our land and its re- 

 sources. 



Undoubtedly there has not been as widespread an interest 

 in agriculture for years as at the present time. Our ever- 

 increasing population has caused a corresponding increase in 

 the amount of food consumed and in the proportion of our 

 food supply that is drawn from distant sources. By these 

 facts, together with the prevailing high prices of all food to 

 the consumers, the public is being led to look more and more 

 to the Massachusetts farmer for help in solving the very 

 much vexed question of domestic economy. The public little 

 realizes, however, that the increase of our population has 

 been accompanied by no increase in the number of farmers 

 of the State, and that there has been an actual decrease in 

 the acreage farmed and the number of cattle kept. The great 

 influx of immigrants does not, as formerly, seek the farms, 

 but the newcomers now crowd the cities, or else are used on 

 great enterprises, such as building railroads and buildings, 

 becoming consumers instead of producers of food supplies. 



Farm labor was never so scarce as now nor so unsatisfac- 

 tory, although this year saw some improvement in some sec- 

 tions. It seems as if the farmer must be content with the 

 very worst of our immigrants, after the manufacturer and 

 the railroad man have had their pick. This situation might 

 be helped in this State if there were established under this 

 Board a bureau which would co-operate with the United 

 States Department of Immigration, and keep in touch with 

 the people who are coming into this country. At present 

 many immigrants from agricultural sections of Europe, who 

 should go on to our farms, go instead into mills and factories 

 where thev soon lose all desire to do the work for which 



