REPORT OF BUREAU OF INSPECTION. I49 



REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF IN- 

 SPECTION ON THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE PURE 

 FOOD law! 



To the Hon. William T. Guptill, Commissioner of Agriculture: 



I respectfully submit to you my report of the work covered 

 by the Bureau of Inspection for the year 191 5. 



In general, my duties have been to enforce the statute regu- 

 lating the sale of agricultural seeds, commercial feeding stufifs, 

 commercial fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, drugs and foods. 

 The statute requiring that the quantity of the contents be 

 marked on the outside of the package — in the case of food in 

 package form if sold at a greater price than five cents — com- 

 monly known as the net weight law, having been added to 

 chapter 119 (the pure food law), its enforcement has become a 

 function of the Bureau. 



The above mentioned chapter of P. L., 191 1, that is, chapter 

 119, makes an annual registration necessary for each brand 

 of commercial feeding stufifs, commercial fertilizers, fungicides 

 and insecticides ofifered for sale in Maine; the conditions of 

 such registrations are: First, the filing of a manufacturer's 

 certificate for each and every one of the commodities mentioned 

 bearing a distinguishing name or trademark, said certificate to 

 contain a guaranteed chemical analysis ; second, the payment of 

 a proper registration fee. 



The issuing of registration certificates, the book keeping and 

 the large amount of correspondence that must necessarily at- 

 tend the adjustment of the annual registration, are all features 

 of the work of this branch of the department. 



Several changes have been made during the year in the 

 methods of inspection, but all samples collected by the inspec- 

 tors have been promptly forwarded to the Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, Orono, inasmuch as the statute provides that all 

 analytical work authorized by the department shall be per- 

 formed there. In the case of samples of fertilizers and of 



