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BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Massachusetts cities. Comparative statistics are not avail- 

 able at the time of making up this report, but the following 

 compares six months of 1897 with preceding years : — 



The Hampden, Me., creamery makes the following report of 

 its business for the last three years, showing the increase in the 

 use of cream (the figures are for gallons) : — 



Educational. 



The statute creating the Dairy Bureau imposes some edu- 

 cational work upon it. So far as this can be done by the 

 acting executive officer, it incurs no extra expense, as he is a 

 salaried officer. He, therefore, holds himself in readiness to 

 respond to calls of granges, farmers' clubs, milk producers 

 and others, for talks on various phases of dairying, as de- 

 sired. He has answered eighteen such calls this year. 

 Many of these tall?:s have been illustrated by operating the 

 Babcock milk tester, and in other ways so as to make them 

 interesting object lessons as far as possible. In addition, 

 the members of the Bureau, Dr. Lindsey, Dr. Peters and a 

 few others, have, in exceptional cases, been engaged. 



A bulletin on the care of milk has been prepared for 

 circulation among the producers of sale milk. A circular 

 of warning to butter-makers, regarding fraudulent cream 

 "ripeners," has also been issued. 



Last August a convention of dairy and food commissioners 

 was held in Detroit, and a permanent organization eflected. 

 The States represented in the governing board are Ohio, 

 Michigan, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The 

 association can be of great value in furnishing a means for 

 an interchange of ideas, experiences and practices. Though 

 much of the time of the convention was occupied with rou- 



