Part I.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 11 



Two factors, however, united to cut down the yield from pre- 

 liminary estimates, — first, the heavy frost which has been 

 spoken of, and second, the fact that probably, due to lack of 

 potash in the fertilizers, many fields with healthy, vigorous 

 vines were found to contain comparatively small yield of 

 tubers. Your secretary does not believe that heavy potato 

 yields can be restored until a cheap and satisfactory source of 

 potash is discovered to take the place of the importations 

 which formerly came from Germany. 



The tobacco crop is reported as about 10 per cent less than 

 in 1916, but of good quality, and has moved from growers' 

 hands at profitable prices. 



The Massachusetts onion crop is very slightly larger than 

 last year, although the yield per acre is reported as 10 bushels 

 less than last year, the yield per acre being reported as 240 

 bushels as against 250 bushels for 1916. 



The acreage of corn was very much increased over normal, 

 but this crop again was injured by the September frost. The 

 yield for the State, however, was estimated on October 1 as 

 2,366,000 bushels, as against 1,764,000 bushels for 1916. 



An abnormally large cabbage acreage was set, the condition 

 of the crop on October 1 being reported as 130 per cent, as 

 against 76 per cent on the same date last year. The enormous 

 increase in cabbage acreage may be traced directly to the 

 scarcity and high prices in 1916; this year cabbage prices so 

 far have not been satisfactory to the grower. 



Among other market-garden crops, cauliflower has in many 

 instances been almost a total failure. The plants have grown 

 splendidly, but have refused to head up, and the exact reason 

 for this condition has not yet been discovered. In the early 

 part of the summer there was a large overproduction of spinach, 

 and many fields of this crop were plowed up. 



Corn. 

 The increased acreage planted to corn this year was a most 

 encouraging sign, and we have no doubt had a large increase 

 in the crop over former years, but the early frosts in most 

 sections injured the quality of the crop, and leads me to 

 write more fully upon this question so vital to Massachusetts 

 and New England. 



