No. 4.] 



EEPORT OF SECRETARY. 



XXI 



The total acreage of the 79 farms withdrawn is 8,0083^^, 

 or an avcrao-e of 101.30. The 79 farms withdrawn were 

 valued at $125,925, or an average of $1,593.98. 



The cost of this work has been comparatively slight, as 

 will be seen by the following statement : — 



Appropriation under chapter 280, Acts of 1891, . $2,000 00 

 Amount unused and reverting back to State 

 treasury at the end of two years, Dec. 31, 1892, . 858 50 



$1,141 50 

 Appropriation under chapter -40, Resolves of 1893, 1,000 00 



Printing 10,500 catalogues, five editions, 

 Special envelopes for mailing 



Postage stamps, . , 

 Printed circulars, , , 

 Advertising, . . . 

 Express, .... 

 Special services members Boar 



d of Agriculture, 



$1,233 01 

 138 73 



435 00 



57 97 



3 50 



2 00 



inr, 30 



$2,141 50 



Balance Dec, 31, 1891, reverting back to State 

 treasury, . . 



2,066 51 



$74 99 



TUBEKCULOSIS. 



The dairy interest is by far the most important of any 

 branch of agriculture of Massachusetts. Notwithstanding 

 the competition of the west and the northern New England 

 States, our dairymen have heretofore been able to continue 

 the business, though, on account of the high prices of grain, 

 which is largely purchased, the high prices that must be paid 

 for labor and the ever-increasing taxes upon real estate and 

 live stock, the profits have been small. Now the dairymen 

 and cattle owners are confronted with a disease, tuberculosis, 

 amongst the neat stock, which, under the present policy of 

 the State, bids fair to make cattle raising and dairying a 

 losing business. This disease is among us through no fault 

 of the cattle owners, and, while they would welcome the 

 examination of their herds and the destruction of those ani- 

 mals that are manifestly ailing, they stand aghast at the 

 prospect of having their herds decimated by the condemna- 

 tion of large numbers of cattle to all appearances in good 

 health. 



