BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



"PROTECTION FROM FLIES" CONTEST. 



MR. P. M. HARWOOD. 



Yesterday I promised that if I could I would obtain from 

 the office and read to you what we had written in relation 

 to the " protection from flies " contest. Perhaps I ought 

 to say, for the benefit of those who were not here yesterday, 

 that the State of Massachusetts has offered sums of money 

 not to exceed $5,000 per year for three consecutive years 

 for the encouragement of dairying. Only one-fifth of what 

 was asked for was granted us. We have aimed at two points : 

 one, to encourage clean milk, — the production of clean 

 milk in the pails before it is strained ; therefore prizes were 

 offered totaling $2,100 for milk which appeared to be the 

 cleanest. We have also awarded prizes for dairies protected 

 from flies. Now, if we can induce dairymen to be more 

 cleanly in their methods of milking, keeping the dirt out 

 and keeping the flies out, we think we have accomplished a 

 good deal, and we think that a better way than penalizing 

 people for not doing what they should do is to encourage 

 them by giving prizes for doing better. IsTothing has ap- 

 pealed to me since I came to this meeting as have the words 

 of many of the unsuccessful contestants (114 being the total 

 number, only 20 of whom could be successful), who have 

 told me that they will try again if they have an opportunity ; 

 they say that they have learned more in this contest about 

 the production of clean milk than they ever knew before in 

 all their experience of years in dairying. This is en- 

 couraging. 



I want to say just a word about taking advantage of the 

 psychological moment. Mr. Kenneth E. Webb, winner of 

 the second prize in the eastern section, was here yesterday 



