xxiv BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



notices of sales, !l of withdrawals and 152 of a desire to have 

 description continued. 



Fourteen of the 27 farms reported sold in 1897 were sold 

 for farming purposes, 2 for a home, 2 for poultry, and 1 each 

 for pasture, for stock and poultry, for summer residence and 

 for wood and timber. 



Of these purchasers of farms in 1897, 15 were residents 

 of Massachusetts at time of purchase, 3 of New York, and 

 1 each of Vermont, New Jersey, Ohio and Florida. 



The act authorizing the State Board of Agriculture to 

 collect and circulate information relating to abandoned or 

 partially abandoned farms was approved May 4, 1891. 



A summary of the work done to date is herewith pre- 

 sented : — 



Number of farms reported by assessors, .... 



Number of farms reported by individuals, 



Total number of farms reported, ..... 



Number of farms in State, census of 1885, 



Number of owners or agents making reply to request for 



description, 



Number reporting an intention to keep property. 

 Number reporting property already disposed of, 

 Number reporting informant to have been misinformed, . 



Descriptions of farms received, 



Circu.lar letters to owners returned by post-otiice department 



as unclaimed, 



Catalogued farms reported sold, . . . . . 



Catalogued farms withdrawn at request of owners, . 



1,187 



748 



1,935 



45,010 



914 



164 



59 



53 



638 



100 

 269 

 104 



In regard to residence of the 269 purchasers, the follow- 

 ing is shown : Massachusetts, 159 ; New York, 14 ; Con- 

 necticut, 10 ; New Hampshire, 5 ; Vermont, Rhode Island, 

 Ohio and Florida, 3 each ; New Jersey, 2 ; Nova Scotia, 

 Maine, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, 1 each ; not re- 

 ported, 62. 



In regard to the use which the purchasers intended to 

 make of the forms purchased, the returns showed the follow- 

 ing : for general farming, 108; for a home, 25; for an 

 investment, 13 ; for a summer residence, 13 ; for i)ouItry, 

 7 ; for poultry and farming, 7 ; for dairying, 7 ; for the 

 wood and lumber, 7; for sheep raising, 3-, for stock and 

 poultry, for cranberry growing, for fruit and poidtry, for 



