REPORT OF TlIK COMMISSIONER. 17 



State of Maine, among whom were J. F. Buker of Bowdoinham, 

 E. E. Additon of Leeds and O. B. Griffin of Caribou. Miss 

 Alida A. Barrows of Augusta was also employed to speak upon 

 the domestic science side of farming problems, inasmuch as 

 the home is one-half of the farm. 



There have been, besides, very many calls for speakers from 

 different sections of the state. These have come largely from 

 the grange. We have sent speakers in every instance and have 

 felt that it was a very desirable arrangement. Tlie grange is 

 an organization complete and perfect in itself, with halls and 

 audiences, and the Department is able to reach a much larger 

 portion of the people in this, than in any other way. 



DAIRY CONFERENCE. 



During December a very successful combined meeting of the 

 Dairymen's Association, The Seed Improvement Association and 

 the Breeders' Association was held at Lewiston. It would be a 

 liard matter to find a lot of higher authorities than those who 

 presented the different phases of the dairy questions at this 

 meeting, and it was really a very pronounced success. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



A few years ago — within the memory of many young men — 

 the Department of Agriculture of the State of Maine consisted 

 of one desk and one man and was stowed away in the attic of 

 the old State House. As time progressed, one bureau after 

 another has been added to it until now its duties embrace the 

 supervision of every agricultural activity and to this, also, has 

 been added the inspection and supervision of every kind of 

 food consumed. 



Among the laws in this Department that interest the con- 

 sumer may be mentioned the Bureau of Weights and Measures; 

 also the Inspection Bureau. This latter, as I have previously 

 said, applies to the inspection of fertilizers, commercial feeds, 

 fungicides and insecticides, and drug and food inspection. The 

 Net Weight Law — that little inoffensive law which means so 

 much — which says that all packages of food that sell for more 

 than five cents shall have plainly stated upon its wrapper the 

 net weight or quantity, is a consumers' law. and applies to 



