176 AC.Ricri/rrKK of maim:. 



bureau. It may be well to state that wc have replied to all 

 such inquiries to the effect that there will be no interference 

 with any brand when the guaranty on the certificate and on the 

 package as to the amount of potash agree with that found in 

 the analysis. Tliere is nothing in the law tliat prevents the 

 sale of a fertilizer that contains no potash, and realizing the 

 dearth of potash and the hardship to the manufacturers, it will 

 be the ipolicy of this department to assist arwl cooperate with 

 the manufacturers tin every way possiible, keeping always with- 

 in the limits of the law, however. 



The results of the analyses of samples of fertilizers have 

 been published in Official Inspections No. 62. 



Fungicides and Insecticides Inspection. 



The inspection and registration of fungicides and insecti- 

 cides have occasioned considerable labor, especially in the way 

 of correspondence, due to the fact that the law in the State of 

 Maine is somewhat different from the law regulating the sale 

 of these commodities in odier states. As this law is of com- 

 paratively recent enactment, we have found it is not thor- 

 oughly understood by many offering these products for sale 

 just what constitutes an insecticide under the definition of the 

 statute, whicli seems to cover a wider range than was proba- 

 bly originally intended; however, according to the definition 

 under the statute, insecticides include Paris green, lead arse- 

 nate and ''any substance or mixture of substances intended to 

 be used for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating 

 any insect which may -infest vegetation, man or other animals, 

 or houses, or be present in any environment whatsoever." 



The work of inspection has been carried on carefully and 

 one hundred and seven samples have 'been collected for analy- 

 sis, including arsenate of lead, arsenate of zinc, Paris green, 

 hme-sulphur solution, liice killers, moth repellants, larkspur 

 lotions, ''Rat-Bis-Kit" Paste (carrying insecticidal claims), 

 Cooper's Sheep Dipping Powders, and other numerous prepar- 

 ations. The results of the analyses as noted in the tabulations 

 have shown no serious discrepancy between preparation in 

 questiion and the guaranty in the manufacturer's certificate or 

 on the package, and no hearings on this charge have been 

 arranged. 



