xxvi BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



pair of chipping sparrows in a day. Martins have been seen to 

 make 312 visits to the nest in fourteen hours. Grosbeaks have 

 been seen to make 436 visits to tlie nest in eleven hours, while 

 wrens have made from 40 to 71 visits au hour. Most of these 

 visits were made for the purpose of carrying insects to the young, 

 and in many cases several insects were carried in the beak at one 

 time. If such birds can be induced to breed in numbers on our 

 farms, if they can be protected and attracted to the vicinity of 

 growing crops, their services cannot fail to check the attacks of 

 insects, and so add materially to the harvest. 



In view of the value of these friends to the farmer, as thus 

 set forth, should we not investigate and experiment to find 

 how best we can attract useful birds to our farms, how in- 

 crease the number of these birds, and also to find out, if we 

 can, whether the use of insecticides is reducing their num- 

 bers ? So valuable is their aid to the farmer, that this study 

 may show the wisdom of an investigation of this subject for 

 the benefit of the State. Birds may be considered the most 

 valuable insect destroyers, costing nothing, but bringing 

 beauty and joy and song to the country side and the country 

 home. 



Agricultural College. 



The report of the examining committee of the Agricultural 

 College will be found printed on pages 227-231 of this vol- 

 ume. The thirteenth, annual report of the Hatch Experi- 

 ment Station of the college is by law bound with the report 

 of the secretary of the Board of Agriculture in this volume. 

 Those desiring further details as to the scope of the college 

 and experiment station are respectfully referred to the presi- 

 dent, Dr. Henry H. Goodell, Amherst, Mass. 



Cattle Commissioners. 

 The annual report of the Board of Cattle Commissioners 

 is by law printed in the annual report of the secretary of the 

 Board of Agriculture, and the report for 1900 will be found 

 printed on pages 395-482 of this volume. The office of the 

 commission is at 8 Beacon Street, Boston ; Dr. Austin 

 Peters, chairman. 



