Xo. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xiii 



Niles, being an excerpt from the "Agriculture of Massa- 

 chusetts," 1899 ; a leaflet containing the tree warden and 

 other laws ; and an opinion of the Attorney-General on the 

 duties of tree wardens. 



Massachusetts Crop Reports. 



The publication of monthly crop reports or bulletins was 

 continued in 1900, and six in all were issued (May-Octo- 

 ber), aggregating 236 pages of printed matter. 



The special articles included in these reports were : Bul- 

 letin No. 1, " Some insects injuring market garden crops," 

 by Dr. H. T. Fernald ; Bulletin No. 2, "Possibilities for 

 farm forestry in Massachusetts," by Allen Chamberlain ; 

 Bulletin No. 3, "Birds as protectors of woodlands," by 

 E. H. Forbush; Bulletin No. 4, "Poultry keeping on the 

 farm," by Dr. A. A. Brigham ; Bulletin No. 5, " The rela- 

 tion of agriculture to the public health," by Dr. S. W. 

 Abbott; and Bulletin No. 6, "Soil exhaustion," by Dr. 

 G. E. Stone. Bulletins 1, 3 and 6 were illustrated. 



These special articles will be found printed on pages 261- 

 351 of this volume. This department has been largely in 

 charge of Mr. Legate. 



Nature Leaflets. 



During the past year this ofiice issued seven illustrated 

 leaflets of four pages each, called "Nature leaflets," upon 

 the following subjects: "Canker worms," "Tent cater- 

 pillars," "Black knot of the plum and cherry," "Insec- 

 ticides and fungicides," " White-marked tussock moth," 

 " Spiny elm caterpillar" and " Potato and apple scab." 



These leaflets were prepared to fill what seemed to be a 

 real need^and it is the intention of the ofiice to continue 

 the series. Frequent requests for information on various 

 subjects are received, and it is somewhat difficult at times 

 to sup[)ly it in })rinted form. Again, specimens of insects 

 are sent or brought to the office for identification, and a let- 

 ter in reply is much more satisfying when accompanied by 

 printed information. 



It is believed that the teaching of nature study in our 

 public schools has led some teachers to apply here for 



