xvi BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Also the Legislature of 1900 made the following regular 

 annual appropriations : for maintaining an agricultural ex- 

 periment station at the Massachusetts Agricultural College, 

 $10,000 ; for the said college, for free scholarships, $10,000 ; 

 for the said college, for labor fund and extra instruction, 

 $10,000 ; for travelling and other necessary expenses of the 

 trustees of the said college, $800 ; to defray expenses of col- 

 lecting and analyzing samples of concentrated commercial 

 feed stuffs, $1,200, and for maintenance of the veterinary 

 laboratory at the said college, $1,000. The Legislature also 

 appropriated for the said college the sum of $8,000 to pro- 

 vide the theoretical and practical education required by its 

 charter and the law of the United States relating thereto ; 

 also $19,000 for carrying forward the work against the 

 gypsy and brown-tail moths. 



Tree Wardens. 



The usual appropriation of $200 was made for the pur- 

 chase of M-spikes and washers, $196.77 of which was ex- 

 pended before June 1. In an appropriation bill approved 

 June 20 a further appropriation of $100 was made, but was 

 not drawn upon, owing to the rendering of an opinion by 

 the Attorney-General, June 9, based on the tree warden law 

 of 1899, that " There is, therefore, no further need of desig- 

 nating shade trees by any such distinguishing mark ; and, 

 under the powers granted to the tree wardens, the selectmen 

 have no longer any right of interference or control. I am 

 of opinion, therefore, that you are not called upon to fur- 

 nish M-spikes to towns, but that as to cities the law remains 

 unaffected." 



The election of tree wardens at the March town meetings, 

 under the provisions of the tree warden law of 1899 (chap- 

 ter 330) , resulted in a greatly increased demand for M-spikes 

 in the spring months, there being 6 requests in March, 38 in 

 April, 24 in May and 7 in June. After the receipt of the 

 opinion above referred to, this office did not feel warranted 

 in purchasing more M-spikes, the supply on hand being 

 nearly exhausted, but printed the opinion of the Attorney- 

 General, and mailed a copy to each of the tree wardens for 

 their information and guidance. 



