366 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



of cotton ginned by them, in figures at least four inches in height. 

 It was required that the net weight of the contents be stamped upon 

 bags, barrels and packages of fertilizers. 



Utah in 1911 passed a law general in its terms but very incomplete in 

 its provisions, making the state food and dairy commissioner ex-officio 

 state sealer of weights and measures and giving him the power and 

 making it his duty to try and prove all apparatus in use in the state, 

 except in cities having a city sealer. No compulsory local supervision 

 is provided for. Three other laws were passed at the 1913 session of the 

 legislature, the most important one being a net weight law with refer- 

 ence to food in package form, which follows very closely the wording of 

 the amendment to the national law on this subject. The other two laws 

 have reference to the collection of freight charges on cars of coal and the 

 weighing of coal in carload lots; the object of the laws is to ascertain the 

 net weight of the coal, it being provided among other things that the 

 cars shall be weighed before and after being loaded with coal. 



Vermont enacted a general law in 1910 providing for a state super- 

 vision of weights and measures and authorizing but not making obliga- 

 tory local supervision, also. This legislation was very satisfactory as far 

 as it went. Subsequently it was amended and strengthened in several 

 particulars. The state department of weights and measures now has 

 specific jurisdiction over the scales used by common carriers ; is empow- 

 ered to seize, for use as evidence, commodities, packages or other articles 

 offered for sale in a manner contrary to law; and is required to pay 

 particular attention to the weights and measures used in creameries. 

 The intentional misrepresentation by the buyer of the amount of com- 

 modity purchased is made a punishable offense ; and the section relating 

 to the legal weights per bushel was greatly amplified and strengthened. 



In 1911 Washington enacted legislation requiring railroad companies 

 to have track scales, and to furnish, jointly, a test car or other device for 

 the use of the Eailroad Commission in testing track scales, the railroad 

 companies being required to move the car free of charge. In 1913 there 

 was enacted legislation providing for a state-wide inspection of the 

 weights and measures in commercial use, this law containing most of the 

 provisions of the model law recommended by the National Conference 

 on Weights and Measures. The state inspectors are put in the depart- 

 ment of the secretary of state, this official being made ex-officio superin- 

 tendent of weights and measures. The actual work will be taken care of 

 by a deputy superintendent and one inspector. City sealers are required 

 to be appointed in all cities of the first class, while in the counties the 

 auditors are made sealers, ex-officio. As in the case of the state, a deputy 

 sealer is required to be appointed in each county, having the same 

 powers as the auditor in respect to this Act, and upon these officials will 

 fall the duty of seeing to the enforcement of the law. In addition to 

 the sections taken from the model law, the manner of sale of butter, 



