xxvi BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



field. That there was a great field for development in corn 

 breeding and grooving was pointed out in my annual report 

 of last year. Since that time I have come to know of at 

 least two individuals who have worked along this line, and 

 who have made substantial sums of money from their develop- 

 ing early, prolific and valuable strains of corn. That there 

 is room for more of this work there is no question. The Corn 

 Exposition to be held this fall should give this movement a 

 great start, and should show our 'New England farmers the 

 possibilities in corn growing. With the high price of grain 

 something of the sort is necessary, and I think that it comes 

 at just the right time. I bespeak for this Corn Exposition 

 the same hearty co-operation that was gi^^en the Fruit Show, 

 and recommend that the Board request the societies to 

 make the same donations to its funds that they did for the 

 Fruit Show. 



CeOP RErORTS. 



The monthly crop reports of the Board were issued as 

 usual, from Maj to October, during the year. The special 

 articles included in these reports were: "The farmer's in- 

 terest in game protection," by Edward Howe Forbush; 

 " Economy of labor in poultry keeping on farms," by John 

 II. Robinson ; " Live stock in ]\Iassachusetts," by Prof. J. A. 

 Foord ; " Western methods in ISTew England orcharding," 

 by Prof. F. C. Sears ; " The culture of the pear," by George 

 T. Powell; and " The farm census for 1910," by Whitman 

 Osgood. The popularity with which these reports continue 

 to be received was attested by the increase in the number 

 of requests for copies received. The edition for September 

 and October was 5,900, as compared with 5,000 for October 

 of 1908. The edition is exhausted for all except the report 

 for October, a few copies of which are still on hand. The 

 enormous demand for the August report depleted the file 

 so quickly, and the subsequent call was so urgent, that it was 

 deemed advisable to have a reprint of 2,000 copies made at 

 once. Reprints of all other artieles will be issued when in 

 print for the annual report. 



