No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xxv 



poultry and market gardening, and to cut into small lots 

 for emigrants, 1 each. No statement was received concern- 

 ing 74 of the farms reported sold. 



The appropriations for carrying on this work have been 

 as follows: 1891, $2,000; 1893, $1,000; 1896, $1,000; 

 total, $4,000. However, of this amount, $1,230.95 reverted 

 back to the State treasury as unused, as it was not found 

 expedient to use it before the two-year limit had expired. 



The expenditure of the $2,769.05 thus actually available 

 is shown by the following summary : — 



Printing 15,000 catalogues, 7 editions, 1 supplement, . . $1,750 39 

 Postage stamps for mailing catalogues and circulars, . . 560 00 



Services members of the Board of Agriculture in getting 



names and addresses of owners, .... 

 Special envelopes for mailing catalogues, . 



Printed circulars, 



Advertising, 



Express, 



$2,769 05 



Farmers' Institutes. 



The 35 societies represented on the Board of Agriculture 

 held 125 farmers' institutes during the calendar year 1897. 

 Lecturers were furnished by this office for 97 institutes, at a 

 total cost of $1,479.08 for services and expenses, — an average 

 of $15.25 per institute. All of the societies but the Mas- 

 sachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, which holds 

 no institutes, held the required 3, and 8 held 4 or more. 

 For certain reasons it seemed wise during the year to arrange 

 institute meetings not directly under the control of the incor- 

 porated societies. Three such meetings were held, and the 

 lecturers were furnished through this office, at an expense 

 of $41.67, or $13.89 per meeting, — making the cost of the 

 one hundred institutes $1,520.75. As in past years, a pam- 

 phlet has been issued by this office, containing the regulations 

 of the Board of As^riculture concerninfic the holding of far- 

 mers institutes, with a list of available lecturers and their 

 subjects. It is hoped this pamphlet will be useful to officers 

 of societies and institute committees during the season of 

 1897-98. 



