78 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



of the Director of Extension Service, the local farm bureaus, 

 and other similar organizations the educational agents have 

 been provided quarters in the office of the county agricultural 

 agents. The co-operation of the county agents has been a help 

 in conducting the work. 



Although there were many delays incident to the organiza- 

 tion of the new plan of work, active control work has been in 

 progress in five districts in the State, namely, District I in 

 Essex, III in Plymouth, IV in Bristol, V in Worcester and 

 VIII in Hampden. In conducting this work the general plan 

 followed has been to first examine the land of a co-operating 

 pine owner without charge. If the examination disclosed the 

 presence of Ribes (currants and gooseberries) in any numbers, 

 a report has been made to the owner and he has been requested 

 to furnish additional men to perform the eradication work 

 under the supervision of a State foreman or scout. In some 

 instances Ribes have been so abundant that crew work has 

 been essential, in which cases the owners have borne the expense 

 of the crew members, the State Department paying for the 

 services of the foreman. In most cases the owner has not 

 only paid for the work on his own lands, but has also borne 

 the expense involved in the establishment of a necessary pro- 

 tection zone outside his holdings. In northern Worcester 

 County, however, Ribes have been found in such abundance 

 that the State Department has guaranteed a protection zone 

 without cost to the owner. This practice cannot be continued 

 in the future. In Plymouth and Bristol counties, on the other 

 hand, Ribes have been so scattering that the few bushes found 

 have been pulled by the State scouts without expense to the 

 owners. 



During the field season, approximately 61,600 acres of land 

 have been examined at an average cost per acre of 18 cents. 

 In this work 1,565,662 Ribes (1,563,294 wild and 2,368 cul- 

 tivated) have been destroyed. Nearly 200 pine owners have 

 actually performed control work on their holdings, and have 

 expended the sum of $3,222.67 in protecting their pines. 



The most important accomplishment of the year, however, 

 has been the successful dissemination of the facts concerning 

 blister rust to pine owners and other interested parties, and 

 although many delays were experienced in building up an 

 entirely new organization, 1,185 personal interviews were made 



