No. 4.] KEPORT OF SECRETARY. ix 



farmers came up to the winter with barns and silos well filled 

 with excellent roughage, a condition which is of vast impor- 

 tance for the greater proportion of those depending upon the 

 soil for a livelihood. Dairy products have brought good 

 prices throughout the year, there having been an increase in 

 the prices paid for market milk by the contractors, and but- 

 ter and butter fat now commanding unusually high prices 

 for the time of year. There seems to be a rather unfair dis- 

 tribution of the increase to the consumers in the price of 

 market milk of 1 cent per quart, the producers receiving 

 less than one-fifth of a cent advance. Where the other four- 

 fifths has gone is a question worthy of investigation by those 

 interested in dairy farming. That there are inevitable losses 

 in the handling of milk by the contractors we must all admit, 

 but that these losses should increase to the amount indicated 

 by the proportion of the advance which they appropriate to 

 their own use, with the advance to the consumer of a cent a 

 quart, does not seem to your secretary as within the bounds 

 of reasonable probability. The old fable of the farmer and 

 the goose that laid the golden egg might be studied with 

 profit to all in certain quarters. 



Poultry products brought good prices during the greater 

 part of the year. There has been a shortage of eggs during 

 the fall and early winter on the part of almost all flocks, that 

 cannot but cut into the profits that would otherwise accrue 

 for the year. With the present high prices of grain, con- 

 tinued good prices for eggs and poultry meat are a necessity 

 if the producers are to secure a profit. Market gardeners 

 generally secured good crops and at least average prices. 

 Celery, however, suftered severely from the drought in early 

 fall, and also from blight and rust. The crop was a light 

 one, and is not keeping to the best advantage, so that it is 

 below the usual average for profit. The potato crop, while 

 not a heavy one, was })erliaps better than usual, blight and 

 rot being much less prevalent than has been the case in most 

 recent years. Onions were a good crop in eastern sections, 

 but in the Connecticut vallej' suftered from blight and rot, 

 with light yields and low prices, due to the poor keeping 

 quality of the crop. The apple crop was very light in 



