£l)c ^oinmonrucaltl) of iWa00acl)U6Ctt0. 



THE SIXTY-FIK8T ANNUAL REPOP/r 

 SECRETARY 



OF Tin: 



State Boaed of agriculture. 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth 

 of Massachusetts. 



Agricultural conditions in Massachusetts are steadily 

 growing better, although the improvement is slower than 

 many of us wish it to be. It is true that we are not cultivat- 

 ing as many acres as formerly, but on the other hand we are 

 getting from the acres we do cultivate better results. There 

 is also a decided tendency, both among business men and in 

 the Legislature, to favor constructive work for and M'ith 

 the farmer. What is needed to-day more than any other 

 one aid to agricultural development is the provision of organ- 

 ized agencies to help in solving the practical problems which 

 the farmer has to face. Among such much-needed provisions 

 are better selling agencies, particularly for milk ; co-operative 

 buying and selling organizations ; a better system of farm 

 finance ; cheaper and more abundant electric power for use 

 on our farms: better transportation facilities in rural dis- 

 tricts ; particularly more trolley lines and better roads. 



Massachusetts land has got to be farmed, and is going to 

 be ; and if signs are read correctly we shall soon see in Xew 

 England a marked return of population to our rural districts. 

 There can be no reasonable doubt, however, that a large per- 



