10 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE Off. Doc. 



rotary of Agriculture beiug his constant advisor and associate iu its 

 active work, there is little need for drawing- any line of distinction 

 between the two, except in matters committed to the Board by Act 

 of Assembly, for which specific api)ropiiations are made. 



The work of both the Bureau and the Board during the year was 

 characterized by unusual activity. The investigation work being 

 ( oiidiicl.'d at [\\" Slaic {'an.i, hicated in Delaware cuuuty. continued 

 without interruption during the year. The meat inspection work 

 provided for by the Act of May 25, 1907, was carried forward with 

 precision and activity and results most gratifying to members of the; 

 Board and officers of the Department were achieved. 



The last two months of the year witnessed an unusual degree of 

 activity in the Veterinary Bureau and Livestock Sanitary Board, 

 resulting from the outbreak of Foot and INIouth disease among cattle 

 in the central part of the State. The disease spread rapidly, and the 

 close of the year found both these divisions of the Department work- 

 ing night and day for its extermination. Full details in relation to 

 this outbreak will be found in the Veterinarian's report herewith 

 submitted. 



DIVISION REPORTS. 



The Director of Institutes, Economic Zoologist, Dairy and Food 

 Commissioner and State Veterinarian, are all public officials 

 occupying positions created by Act of Assembly, who make full 

 rejiorts of the operations of the respective divisions of which they 

 have charge. These reports are published in full as part of this 

 Annual Department Report, arid for this reason it is needless that 

 1 should speak at length of the work carried on under their direction. 

 I ^^ish, however, to express my appreciation of the faithful service 

 they have rendered to the Department and (he Commonwealth, and 

 my entire satisfaction with the same. 



There are other lines of work, the control of which has not been 

 so (listin(tly ])rovidcd for by fb" I.c.i'.isbilure, that in organizing and 

 reducing to system the various operations carried on by the 

 Department, have been treated as distinct division work, which need 

 more specific notice in this report. 



FERTILIZER CONTROL. 



The law providing for the registration of commercial fertilizers 

 sold in the State and the collection and analysis of samples of the 

 same by this Department is no doubt saving to the farmers of the 

 State many thousands of dollars every year. The Act of Assembly 

 containing these ]M'()visions also enjoins upon the manufacturers of 

 fertilizers the duty of i>lacing upon the package containing the same 

 a plainly printed statement of the chnracter and amount of the plant 

 food used in their composiliou. Tliis information assists the farmer 

 in two ways: First, it enables him to a[>ply his fertilizer intelligently, 

 using the amount of each fertilizing element contained in the mix- 

 ture, that he considei-s necessary to yn-oduce the particular crop to 

 v.liicli it^ is a]ii)lie<l; ;ird. second, it makes it ]iossibl(^ to detect any 

 fraud that the manufacturer might be disposed to practice. 



I hiring the year, 2,757 samples of fertilizers were collected from 

 5() different counties of the State, of which 1.112 were analyzed. Of 

 these, 1,570 were taken from goods jMirchased for Spring and 1,181 



