so retired becoming able to perform active service again, he or she may be reinstated by the superintendent on the certificate of the retirement board that such retired employee is again able to perform duty; further that "any period of time that a person who is entitled to the benefits of this act has been out of the service, either by leave of absence, or resignation, shall count in computing his or her time of service, but not more than twelve months of such time shall be counted;" also that " every employee entering the service of the New York State hospitals on and after July first, nineteen hundred and fourteen, and who is not for any reason exempted from the benefits of this act, shall contribute and continue to contribute thereto to the retirement fund at the rate of two percentum per month of his or her wages, including maintenance. All employees participating in the retirement fund at the time of the passage of this amendment or employed hereafter or reinstated shall, subject to the provisions of this act, continue to participate while they remain in the State hospital service. All employees in the State hospital service prior to the twenty-second day of March, nineteen hundred and twelve, who are not participants in the retirement fund may become such by signifying their desire to do so to the retirement board within the thirty days next following the passage of this amendment, and shall continue to be participants while they remain in the State hospital service"; also that "in case of death of an annuitant occurring between quarterly payments, the estate of the deceased annuitant shall be paid the amount due the annuitant at the day of death, such amount shall be accepted as a complete discharge and acquittance of all claims or demands whatsoever against the retirement fund."

Section 117 of the retirement law was to be repealed under the bill desired by the hospital employees.

A final amendment to the retirement bill omits the former provision that "Any employee who is exempt from the provisions of this act shall be reinstated to the provisions of this act by notifying the retirement board in writing of his or her desire to be so reinstated."

The Commission is glad to report the continued success of the retirement law and the great satisfaction found in its workings by both pensioners and contributors. While it is still too early to predict its permanent success in every detail the gradual increase in the reserve fund in the special depository selected by the State Comptroller (the total on September 30, 1914, being

$148,000), gives full assurance that every faithful hospital employee may safely rely upon a just return on his investment in this fund. An An interesting feature noted in the records of the retirement fund bureau is that not a few of the retired employees have removed to other states and countries, notably to the British possessions, apparently for economic reasons.

DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN THE STATE

HOSPITALS

The farm and garden land under cultivation at the State hospitals was increased by 116 acres during the year, the largest additions being at Middletown and St. Lawrence, where adjoining farms were acquired.

The following gives the average of all State hospital lands cultivated for either farm or garden purposes:

The above includes lands used for both farm and garden pur

poses.

Some of the principal products reported from the various hospitals during the fiscal year were as follows:

Following his usual custom and acting under the authority of the Agricultural Law as amended in 1910, the Commissioner of Agriculture, during the past year, has continued to render admirable assistance through his corps of experts in the submission of practical suggestions to obtain a maximum of efficiency in the operation of the State hospital farms and gardens. He has also assisted the Commission materially in the revision of State hospital requisitions for farm and garden equipment and supplies. Of special value have been the tests of milk and butter made by his assistants for our department.

A condensed report of the activities of his expert advisers follows:

State Hospital Commission, Albany, N. Y.:

Gentlemen.-Replying to your request for a statement covering the work done for your Commission in the fourteen State hospitals reporting to you in the past fiscal year, I beg to submit the following:

These fourteen State hospital farms contain approximately ten thousand acres of land, of which 5,309 acres were under active cultivation during the year. The majority of them have gardens, a dairy, swine, grow potatoes, field crops, fruit and raise poultry. The object of these farms is to produce farm and garden crops that may be consumed at the hospitals. It is the purpose of the Department of Agriculture to aid the Commission in making these farms more productive and profitable. Recommendations have been made for improving the fertility of the soil by rotation of crops, the use of stable manure, a better system of drainage and the economical use of commercial fertilizers.

Vegetable experts have visited the gardens and advised as to the best varieties of vegetables and means for controlling insect pests and fungous diseases. The growing of potatoes to supply the institutions is given careful attention. Practical and scientific potato men have visited some of the institution farms and advised in regard to the selection of seed, the growing of the crop, cultivation, spraying, the use of improved machinery and storage in the fields or root cellars. Help has been given in the planting of new orchards and the cultivation and spraying of old ones. The institutions should produce fresh fruit in season and a supply for canning and storage during the winter.

The institutions have been supplied with daily milk record sheets for recording the production of each cow. A monthly state

ment of the principal cattle feeds has been sent, showing the cost of one hundred pounds of digestible nutrients and suggesting the best and cheapest feeding ration.

Suggestions have been made in regard to the improvement of farm buildings, their ventilation, lighting and sanitation, with advice as to the control and suppression of tuberculosis and other diseases, also the necessary equipment and methods for the production of clean milk. The feeding of kitchen scraps to swine. has been given careful attention as well as the prevention of infection with hog cholera and the treatment of the disease when an outbreak occurs. Rendering plants have been suggested for the care of bones and other substances to make tankage and fertilizers. The swine industry is an important one, supplying ham, bacon, fresh and salt pork. Plans for colony houses and larger ranges on forage crops to cheapen the cost of production have been suggested.

Poultry plants of sufficient size to meet the requirements of the institutions have been advised where conditions warranted.

The quarterly estimates of the State hospitals have been reviewed and savings have been effected by bringing the institutions in direct contact with the producers and manufacturers. Yearly estimates for fertilizers and lime have been carefully reviewed and formulas and quantities needed for each crop have been suggested.

Inspections have been made when requested in regard to the purchase of butter, eggs and meat.

The management of the farm at Greenhaven, purchased for the Industrial Farm Colony, has been secured for the Hudson River State Hospital, largely increasing the farm profits of that institution.

The annual meeting of the State Institution Farmers was held under the direction of this department at the New York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, N. Y., during Farmers' Week, February 10-12, 1914. This meeting gives an opportunity for all State institution farmers to listen to talks on agricultural subjects. A meeting of the State institution farmers located within one hundred miles of New York was held at the Manhattan State Hospital September 11, 1914. Practical work in gardening was demonstrated by experts in planning garden crops, selection of seeds and control of insect pests. Later a meeting of the Upstate Institution Farmers was held under the supervision of this department at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, N. Y. This meeting afforded an opportunity to inspect the agricultural work of our Experiment Station and to listen to