HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



NEWS OF THE FARM BUREAU 



MASS. FARM BUREAU 



FEDERATION 



Farm Bureau Managers Employed in 

 Some Countries 



Part time Farm Bureau managers have 

 already been elected in several counties, 

 and it is anticipated that there vi^ill be 

 a paid executive in every one before the 

 end of the year. This action is in line 

 with the recommendation of the State 

 Executive Committee, as passed at its 

 April meeting in Worcester. 



"The best way to get things done now- 

 adays is to have someone continually on 

 the job," is the way President Howard 

 S. Russell views the Farm Bureau move- 

 ment, both past and present. "Of course, 

 the best possible service may be through 

 committees of able men who volunteer 

 a portion of their time and thought. 

 Nevertheless, someone must carry out the 

 details, and it is only fair that such an 

 officer should be paid at least a nominal 

 sum for the effort he puts in. The suc- 

 cess of the Farm Bureau movement in 

 the past was undoubtedly due to having 

 had the county agents. They are no longer 

 our Farm Bureau employees, but belong 

 to the Extension Service. It is therefore 

 necessary for us to develop one of our 

 own people for the work in each county." 



Berkshire has already made arrange- 

 ments with its efficient secretary, Thomas 

 F. Maloy, whereby he becomes manager. 

 He is to be paid a nominal salary based 

 upon the total number of paid members. 

 He will also receive certain commissions 

 for organizing and supervising the co- 

 operative buying of such supplies as 

 grain, fertilizer, seed potatoes and farm 

 machinery. 



Franklin County directors, at their 

 May meeting, voted unanimously to fol- 

 low Berkshire's example and appointed a 

 committee consisting of Philip F. Whit- 

 more and Secretary George Fuller to 

 secure the man. 



Norfolk County directors more recently 

 went on record as favoring this step and 

 authorized its executive committee to take 

 the necessary action. It is assumed that 

 Thomas U. Mahoney, who has already 

 proved his worth as purchasing agent, 

 will be the man picked. 



Middlesex believes it has work enough 

 to require a full time man. A committee 

 is already entertaining applications from 

 candidates, and a choice will be made 

 soon. ^ 



Grain Pool started 



Organization and promotion of the new 

 season's grain pool is occupying the at- 

 tention of most of the County Farm 

 Bureaus this month. They are being 

 assisted by R. Wilton Harvey, Massachu- 



setts field representative of the Eastern 

 States Farmers' Exchange, and Secretary 

 F. D. Griggs, of the State Federation. 



This effectual combination is the result 

 of an agreement announced a month ago, 

 whereby the Exchange and the Federa- 

 tion have joined forces in this particular 

 project. The Exchange has recognized 

 the territorial rights of the County Fai'm 

 Bureaus as including all towns and cities 

 not organized under their auspices last 

 year. It is even agreed that in such 

 sections, non-members of the Farm 

 Bureau may be charged one dollar a ton 

 over the pool price. 



Soliciting of orders began -June 4th. 

 Farm Bureau directors and other local 

 agents art being assisted by salesmen 

 furnished by the Exchange and the 

 American Milling Company. Interest Is 

 so great on the part of dairymen that it 

 is not unlikely but what double the ton- 

 nage of last year will be signed. A 

 poultry egg mash has been included in 

 this year's pool, and this naturally pleases 

 the poultrymen. In the same cars with 

 the pooled grain, other feeds can be had 

 at market prices. 



Two fundamental principles are being 

 strictly adhered to: first, those who buy 

 agree to come to the car door; second, 

 they agree to pay cash when they take 

 the grain away. Overhead expense is 

 thus held down to a minimum. 



Farm Bureau Picnics 



Farm Bureau picnics will be held in 

 most of the counties this summer. The 

 three gatherings promising the largest 

 attendance will be privileged to hear Dr. 

 W. H. Walker, Vice-President of the 

 American Farm Bureau Federation. The 

 dates of August 14th, l-5th and 16th are 

 the ones assigned. On the 17th, Dr. 

 Walker is to address the New Hampshire 

 Farm Bureau Federation when it cele- 

 brates the tenth anniversary of the found- 

 ing of the first Farm Bureau in the 

 Granite State. Middlesex and Hampden 

 Counties are already counting on having 

 the honor of entertaining Dr. Walker. 

 Having had field days before, there is 

 no question in their minds about the 

 attendance they will get out. 



Berkshire has already had Dr. Walker 

 on a former occasion. He proved to be 

 an exceptionally interesting .speaker. Dr. 

 Walker is President of the California 

 Federation. 



Massachusetts farmers are strongly 

 behind any sound consei-vation program. 

 This is the opinion of representatives of 

 the State Grange and the Farm Bureau 

 Federation expressed at a recent con- 

 ference called under the au.spices of the 

 Massachusetts Forestry Association. The 

 the advisability of organizing a so-called 

 purpose of the meeting was to discuss 

 "Conservation Council" for the State, 



MOTION PICTURE 



BILL PASSES 



The so-called "motion picture bill" was 

 passed by the Legislature during the clos- 

 ing hours of the session. This is the 

 measure authorizing the use of non-in- 

 flammable films of standard width in 

 portable motion picture machines. The 

 act confines the use of such films and 

 equipment to educational purposes. 



The bill which was finally passed was 

 prepared by Senator Albert T. Rhodes, 

 of Worcester, Chairman of the Committee 

 on Public Safety, and combined features 

 of bills introduced by President Russell, 

 of the Federation, and President Lemuel 

 H. Murlin, of Boston University. 



A similar measure was side-tracked 

 last year, when the educational institu- 

 tions of the State mustered their forces 

 in support of visual education. This 

 year, the way was better prepared, and 

 the opposition did not come out into view 

 to any extent. Now it will be a com- 

 paratively simple matter for county 

 agents and other extension workers to se- 

 cure permission from the State Depart- 

 ment of Public Safety to show non-in- 

 flammable films and use the small "suit- 

 case model" motion picture machines. It 

 may take some little time to secure tha 

 right kind of films from the manufac- 

 turers, but they are being put on the 

 market in increasingly large numbers. 



Farmers Lose Friend 



Farmers, and indeed all good citizens 

 of the State, lost a true friend in the 

 recent passing of Hon. George P. Web- 

 ster of Boxford, member of the House 

 of Representatives of the State Legisla- 

 ture, who died just as the session was 

 nearing its close. Mr. Webster was rec- 

 ognized for his leadership. He was one 

 of the most intellectual men on Beacon 

 Hill and an orator of no mean ability. 

 Incidentally, he had much to do with the 

 passage of the motion picture bill. Mr. 

 Webster was ill only a few days. There 

 is little question but what he was a vic- 

 tim of over-work. He will long be re- 

 membered for his splendid accomplish- 

 ment. 



whereby fifteen or more associations 

 might come together at least once a year 

 in order to discuss and correlate pro- 

 grams. 



The executive committee in charge of 

 the annual Union Agricultural Meetings 

 has decided to hold the 1924 session in 

 Mechanics Hall, Worcester, January 1.5th, 

 16th, 17th and 18th. Howard P. Gilmore, 

 of Westboro, President of the Worcester 

 County Farm Bureau, has been appointed 

 to represent the Federation on this com- 

 mittee. 



