No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. ix 



final step, is indeed one of the most important of all. How 

 shall the prodnct be placed in the hands of the consumer in 

 the best possible condition? How can this be done with the 

 least expense? How can the producer secure the very largest 

 possible share of the consumer's dollar? How can he secure 

 the portion of that dollar which is just and proportionate to 

 the importance of his part in making available to the con- 

 smner the various products of the soil? These are some of the 

 problems which now present themselves in this connection, 

 and which are now receiving the attention of progressive 

 farmers and those others who are directly interested in the 

 promotion of our agriculture, among whom the State Board is 

 by no means least. A compaittee of this Board now has this 

 matter under consideration and will report at this meeting. 

 The advent of the parcel post, limited though it may be, it 

 is hoped may help to solve some of these problems, may 

 narrow the gulf between producer and consumer, at least in so 

 far as the ratio of amount received to price jjaid is concerned. 

 The solution of the problem of marketing lies in earnest study 

 and practical application. ^ These factors are now being brought 

 to bear, and with the solution of this problem, which must 

 shortly come to a realization, we can be assured of a contin- 

 uance of the remarkable progress of the farmer, and of agri- 

 culture as a whole, which has characterized the past decade. 



Turning to a consideration of the season, — the weather and 

 its general effect on crop production, — and of the progress and 

 results of the work, we find that, in general, conditions have been 

 very satisfactory. While crops, as a whole, and for the country 

 as a unit, have been excellent when compared with some of 

 the yields of recent years, the figures from this State show that, 

 in general, IMassachusetts crops have been a very good average. 

 The month of ^lay was exceedingly cold and wet, and at the 

 end of the month the season was from ten days to two weeks 

 late. Although this was bad for market-garden and farm 

 crops, it was, on the other hand, a wonderful help to grass 

 lands and pastures. After the successive and severe droughts 

 of the past several years this was the one and only thing that 

 could put the sward into such a condition as to enable it to 

 produce a satisfactory crop. Conditions changed, however, 



