No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xvii 



A circuit has been arranged for Prof. R. M. Washburn 

 of Vermont, for the week of February 27 to March 4. Dr. 

 Geo. M. Twitchell will again make Boston his place of resi- 

 dence during February and the first two weeks of March, 

 and will be available at any time during that period. 



The list of speakers was carefully revised by the committee 

 on institutes and public meetings and is now stronger than 

 ever. We shall be glad to advise with institute managers 

 in regard to speakers and subjects suited for their special 

 needs. We consider the advertising of these meetings of 

 special importance, and shall be glad to assist in any way. 



Your secretary attended the annual meeting of the Amer- 

 ican Association of F^armers' Institute Workers, at Wash- 

 ington, D. C, early in K'ovember, and derived much profit 

 from the meeting. 



A new feature of the work was an institute for women, 

 held at Lowell in December of this year, with women speak- 

 ers. The meeting was a very interesting one, but I feel 

 bound to say that I was disappointed in one respect, in that 

 there were more men than women in the audience. It is m.y 

 intention to continue this line of work to a certain extent, 

 until it is demonstrated whether there is a demand for it in 

 Massachusetts. 



Owing to the demands on our appropriation for " the dis- 

 semination of useful information in agriculture," in the way 

 of bulletins, we were obliged to carry over bills to be paid 

 from the appropriation for 1911. This will necessitate a 

 cutting dowm of the work, either in publication or in insti- 

 tutes, or both, daring the coming year, unless an increase is 

 granted by the Legislature. This being an appropriation 

 where the sum is not fixed by statute I have included an in- 

 crease of $1,000 in my estimates for the year. It will not 

 be necessary to present a bill to the Legislature, but I would 

 recommend that the Board instruct its committee on legisla- 

 tion to appear before the Legislature and urge the necessity 

 of this increase. 



