360 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Puh. Doc. 



Immediately upon the passage of the act the Board undertook 

 the organization of the wcjrk required by the new law. It first 

 printed a pam[)hlet edition of the act, and distributed it to the 

 city and town authorities, to all the inspectors and to other 

 interested persons throughout the Commonwealth, and copies 

 of the same were furnished to all persons who desired them. 

 Many copies were sent to the proper authorities of various 

 States, in response to numerous requests. 



Under section 36 of this act the Board of Cattle Commission- 

 ers was increased from three to five meml)ers, and it was felt 

 by the then existing Board, that, in view of the importance of 

 the work before it, no important steps should be taken until 

 the new commissioners had been appointed. The old Board, 

 however, undertook the preparation of drafts of letters of 

 instruction, blank forms of returns, records and other similar 

 matter called for under the act. 



■ On the twenty-sixth day of June his Excellency the Governor 

 sent to his council the name of Frederick H. Os^jood of Brook- 

 line, to be a member of this conmiission for the term of three 

 years, and the name of Leander F. Herrick of Millbury, to be 

 a commissioner for the term of two years. Both of these 

 appointments were confirmed by the governor's council on the 

 third day of July. The newly appointed commissioners ac- 

 cepted their duties and took the oath of oflice. Dr. Osgood 

 joined the Board at a meeting held by it on July 12, and Mr. 

 Herrick on July 19. 



At these meetings the Board prepared and approved letters 

 of instruction to the city and town officers, the several Boards 

 of Health and the inspectors appointed under the act, upon the 

 duties thereby imposed upon them. At the same and subse- 

 quent meetings the Board examined and adopted the several 

 forms of letters that had been prepared, the blank forms for the 

 use of the insi)ectors in making the necessary returns and records 

 of their doings, and all other forms incident to carrying out the 

 provisions of the new act, copies of all of which are appended 

 hereto. 



In accordance with the requests received by this Board from 

 several of the cities and towns, a form of application and per- 

 mit for license to slaughter neat cattle was also prepared and 

 approved. In order to secure uniformity in the keeping of 



