SALARIES OF OFFICERS

I would respectfully call your attention to the inequality existing between the salaries of the officers of this Department and the other Departments of the State Government.

This is one of the largest and I believe also one of the most active Departments engaged in the service of the Commonwealth. The qualifications needed by its officers to enable them to accomplish the purposes for which it was created and perform the duties with which they are charged, are as broad and varied as those needed for the work of most of the other Departments, and yet their salaries, from the Head of the Department down through the several Bureaus of which it is composed, bear no adequate proportion to salaries provided for their co-laborers in other Departments.

It is to be hoped that this matter may be taken up by the next General Assembly and a proper adjustment of salaries made, before the passage of the usual General Appropriation bill.

BUREAU OF STATISTICS

A Bureau of Statistics would greatly increase the efficiency of this Department.

Inquiries concerning the character and quality of farm products and general information relating to the agriculture of the State, which can be secured only by the collection and collation of facts relating thereto, are constantly coming to the Department which makes the establishment of a Bureau of Statistics a matter of necessity. It is my purpose to direct the attention of the last two General Assemblys to this subject, but on account of the seeming inadequacy of funds to meet all pressing demands, no mention was made of it.

Sufficient authority for the establishment of such a Bureau exists in the Act creating the Department, and all that is needed is the appropriation of sufficient money to meet its requirements. An item for such appropriation will appear in the budget presented to the Legislature by this Department and I hope it may receive Executive support.

LINSEED OIL

At the Legislative session of 1907, au Act was passed for the regulation of the sale of Linseed Oil in this State and providing for its enforcement.

Notice was sent to manufacturers and dealers, that in pursuance of the requirements of the Act, collection and chemical analysis of samples of Linseed Oil would be made, beginning June 1, 1907, which was accordingly done, and up to June 1, 1911, at which latter date the work was discontinued, on account of no appropriation having been made for its support, 814 samples were collected and analyzed, of which 5 per cent. were found to be adulterated.

The importance of something being done for the protection of such of our citizens as wish to preserve their buildings and beautify their homes was so manifest that the Department, after permitting the matter to rest for a time, undertook the collection and examination of a small number of samples, paying the expenses incurred out of its "Contingent Expenses" fund. The result showed the importance of the work. Of the 116 samples so collected and examined, 14 per cent. were found adulterated and it is reasonable to suppose

that the increase in adulterations resulted from unscrupulous manufacturers and dealers having learned that for want of funds the State authorities would be obliged to discontinue the work.

A small appropriation for the support of this work will be asked for from the next Legislature, and I would respectfully bespeak Executive support for the same.

STATE ASSOCIATIONS

In accordance with recommendation from this Department, appropriations were made by the General Assembly of 1909 of $1,000 for two years to aid in the work done by each of the following associations: "State Livestock Breeders' Association," "State Dairy Union" and "The Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania."

The work that these associations were, with this help, enabled to accomplish was so apparent and satisfactory that the Legislature of 1911 was asked to double the appropriation which was done, the amount appropriated to aid the work of each association being raised to $2,000 for the period of two years. These associations are composed of practical men having extended experience in their several lines, and no greater return can in my judgment come to the State from any of its disbursements than results from these appropriations. The budget of the Department for the coming two years will, therefore, again include these items.

By the Act of May 5, 1911, which received Executive approval, the inspection of apiaries and methods to be employed for the suppression of contagious and infectious diseases among bees were provided for. The Act directed that the appropriation necessary for carrying out its provisions should be included in the list of appropriations made to the work of the Department of Agriculture, but by some inadvertency no such appropriation was made. Under these circumstances but little could be done to help the bee-keeping industry of the State. A few competent apiarists, who, out of consideration of the great need that something should be done to arrest the spread of the disease known as Foul Brood among bees, volunteered to devote some time to the work authorized by the bill referred to, and they were accordingly appointed agents of the Department and sent out to make inspections where the greatest need was known to exist, the unavoidable expenses of the work being paid out of the Department Contingent Fund.

This work is of very great importance and for its support an item will be found in the Budget of the Department of Agriculture, which I trust may meet Executive approval.

The appended list shows the appropriations that will be asked for by this Department at the coming session of the Legislature, for all of which I respectfully solicit your support.

This list does not include appropriations and other legislative measures needed to support the work of the Dairy and Food Bureau and the State Livestock Sanitary Board, which will be reported by the Dairy and Food Commissioner and the Secretary of said Board, respectively.

In cases where appropriations were made by the last Legislature, the amount appropriated is indicated in the appended list by the figures written in the right-hand column under the heading "Amount

appropriated 1911." The numbers appearing in the left-hand column under the heading "Page" refer to the page of this communication on which some explanation may be found relating to the item before which the number stands as a prefix.

Where blank spaces occur in the column under the heading "Amount asked for," I would respectfully ask the privilege of supplying the figures after action has been taken by the "Agricultural Federation of Pennsylvania" which will be in session November 19th. It yet remains for me to say something in relation to the last item in the budget, viz: "Deficiency, Keystone State Fair Association." The failure of the bill already referred to, providing for the establishment of a State Fair, was a great disappointment to the active members of the three associations named as receiving, through this Department, an appropriation of $1,000 each, for the two years beginning June 1, 1911, and in order to do the best that they thought possible they all united in an organization which they named "The Keystone State Fair Asociation" and began arrangements for a Winter Fair and Livestock Show to be held at Duquesne Garden, Pittsburg, in connection with the joint annual meeting of these associations, during the month of January, 1912. The Fair management took hold of the work with great energy and the Fair, so far as exhibits were concerned, more than met the expectations of the most sanguine of its supporters; but on account of the zero weather that prevailed during the entire period of the Fair it proved a failure financially and those who were obliged to secure loans to meet the obligations that were incurred for the payment of rents, the installation of exhibits, the awards or prizes offered, etc., amounting in all, as I have been advised, to $8,500, should not be permitted to suffer this loss.

If these figures are not exactly correct, I shall ask the privilege of substituting others when obtained.

The enterprise was undertaken for the good that it was sure to bring to the agricultural interests of the Commonwealth, in which respect it was not a failure. The parties who made themselves responsible for the financial support required, worked earnestly and planned well, but having no control over weather conditions the results were as above stated and I think that under the circumstances the State should come to the relief of her own citizens and lift the burden that they ought not be obliged to bear.

For these reasons the item appears in the budget and I hope it may meet with both Legislative and Executive approval.

Thanking you for the interest you have always shown in the affairs of this Department and for the help and counsel you have so readily and uniformly given relating to its affairs, I am

Very truly yours,

M. Bleutchfield)

Secretary of Agriculture.

EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF FARMERS' INSTITUTES FOR SEASON OF 1911-12

Harrisburg, Pa., January 1, 1913.

To the Hon. N. B. Critchfield, Secretary of Agriculture:

Sir: I have the honor to present herewith the Eighteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Farmers' Institutes.

INSTITUTES AND MOVABLE INSTITUTE SCHOOLS

The institutes commenced November 21, and closed March 9. The number held in each county ranged from two days in Philadelphia to 16 days in Lancaster county, making a total of regular institutes held throughout the State of 226, sub-divided into 1,046 sessions, with an aggregate attendance of 154,841. In addition to the Farmers' Institutes proper, there were held 13 Movable Institute Schools of four days each, embracing Lebanon, Lehigh, Schuylkill, Columbia, Lackawanna, Wayne, Cambria, Clarion, Warren, Crawford, Erie and Lawrence counties, devoting 139 days to this branch of work, with an attendance of 13,572. In addition to the Regular Institutes and Movable Institute Schools, the Bureau supplied lecturers and instructors to 25 Special Institutes, which were sub-divided into 60 sessions, having an attendance of 20,000. As has been our custom for many years past, the Annual Round-up or Normal Institute was held at Towanda, Pa., May 21-24, 1912, at which nine sessions were held, with an attendance of 2,800.

In order to carry on the various lines of work, there were engaged 70 different lecturers. The subject matter presented by these lecturers can not be here named in full, but was wide and comprised practically every line of farm operations carried on within the State. In addition thereto, Household Economics, Farm Drainage and Water Supply, Sanitation, Rural, Social and Educational conditions and the necessity for co-operative farm management, were intelligently presented at most of these meetings. Added to the above number of lecturers the local people invited speakers to join with the State force in the discussions, and in reading of papers treating upon subjects above named.

It requires no acute observation to note the rapid improvement that has been developed through the teachings of the Farmers' Institutes during the past decade. The progressive farmer no longer leaves his farm manure to leach in an open yard, but either stores it under a covered shed or applies it directly to his growing crops; neither does he feed and care for worthless and unprofitable dairy cows, his herd being tested by the Babcock Tester for butter fat. His silo is filled with a succulent feed ready for use at such times as will meet the urgent needs of his dairy herd. His barn is a model of convenience and comfort, well lighted, ventilated and kept clean. The orchard of the progressive fruit grower is not left to battle alone with insects, fungi and soil depletion, but is carefully cultivated