No. 4.] RErORT OF SECRETARY. xlx 



locallties where the birds were present in large numbers. Steps 

 must be taken which will afTord protection to the farmer be- 

 fore these birds become so numerous as to cause serious damage 

 throughout the State. A bill to this effect, patterned some- 

 what after the present deer law, allowing the farmer to protect 

 his growing crops and providing a short open season in certain 

 counties where these birds have gained a foothold, has been 

 favorably considered by this Board and is earnestly recom- 

 mended for passage by your honorable body. 



Changes in the Board. 



What few changes have occurred in the personnel of the 

 Board have resulted from the expiration of the terms of dif- 

 ferent members and the election to the Board of other rep- 

 resentatives by several of the incorporated societies. Mr. 

 Chas. P. Aldrich, of the Franklin County Society, retires after 

 three years of service, and Mr. Geo. E. Taylor, Jr., has been 

 elected from this society; Mr. Howard A. Parsons, of the 

 Hampshire Agricultural Society, retires after three years of 

 service, and Mr. Francis E. Farr^r has been elected to the 

 Board; Mr. Walter C. Bemis, of the Spencer Association, re- 

 tires after three years of service, and Mr. Edward Warren has 

 been elected to his seat; and Mr. Sylvester H. Peebles, of the 

 Union Agricultural and Horticultural Society, retires after 

 three years of service, and Mr. Henry K. Herrick will fill his 

 place. An addition to the membership of the Board is the 

 representative of the Quannapowitt Agricultural Society of 

 Reading and Wakefield, which has elected Dr. Calvert H. 

 Play don. 



Meetings of the Board. 



The summer field meeting of the Board was held on the 

 C. I. Hood farm, at Lowell, on June 21. The weather was ideal 

 and the total attendance for the day was estimated at about 

 1,000. The program was an especially good one. It was opened 

 by a demonstration talk on tools and machines used by the 

 market-gardener, by Henry M. Howard. This was followed 

 by a demonstration of a gasoline traction engine and gang 

 plow by a representative of the International Harvester Com- 

 pany. Evan F. Richardson then gave an address on harvesting 



