No. 7. I'EPARTiMENT OF AGRICULTURE. U 



for Fall crops. The sampling of Spring goods was begun on the 20th 

 day of April and the Fall work was started on the 24th day of 

 August. In each instance the work was continued four weeks and 

 was conducted by 13 agents employed for this particular service. 

 These sampling agents, b(^fore beginning their work, are required 

 to file with the Department an affidavit setting forth that they are 

 not in any way interested in the manufacture or sale of any fertilizer, 

 and that they will ])erform the duties assigned with fidelity, in 

 accordance with the requirements of the law to the best of their 

 ability. 



The money for this work is specifically appropriated by the Gen- 

 eral Assembly, sufficient ap[>roi>riation being made to cover two 

 years at each biennial session, and the amount of the appropriation 

 is determined by the amount of license fees paid by manufacturers 

 for the sale of their goods in the State during the last preceding 

 year. It will be seen, therefore, that this work, so important to 

 the agriculture of the State, imposes no burden upon the Common- 

 wealth, but is entirely self-sustainin;^. Of the samples of fertilizers 

 examined during the year, 322 were found to fall below the guaran- 

 teed analysis. In a large majority of these instances the shortage 

 was so small as to make it apparent that no fraud was intended, 

 but that the shortage was the result of defective mixing or attribut- 

 able to some other cause than a dishonest purpose to take advantage 

 of the consumers. Sixty-five per cent, of these deficient samples 

 were found short in one element only and the commercial value 

 was not materially affected. In all cases where the shortage was 

 sufficient to indicate fraudulent intent or a lack of proper care in 

 conducting the operations of the manufacturer, prosecutions were 

 brought, but not until each case had been carefully gone over with 

 the Chemist and due consideration had been given to his views con- 

 cerning the palpable carelessness or obvious fraudulent intent of 

 the manufacturer. 



The number of prosecutions brought during the year for shortage 

 in analysis was 13. In addition to these there were 5 prosecutions 

 instituted against manufacturers for failure to comply with the law 

 requiring them to register their goods with this I>epartment and 

 pay the legal license fees. The amount of fines and costs collected 

 as the result of prosecuted cases that were terminated during the 

 year was ip444.00. These were paid into the State Treasury as re- 

 riuired by law. 



It is to be regretted that proceedings must sometimes be instituted 

 against dealers within our own State who purchase the goods they 

 sell froin manufacturers located outside of the State. Such dealei's 

 in order to avoid trouble shoulil be sure before making their pur- 

 chases that the partir-nlar brands of fertilizer they buy have been 

 registered and that the manufacturer's license fee has been paid. 

 It would be well indeed for dealers to take this precaution even 

 when purchasing from manufacturers within the State, for the reason 

 that many fertilizer manufactories are located in large cities where* 

 the substances used can be most easily obtained, and the courts of 

 the cities usually having a much greater pressure of business than 

 courts in the country districts, it is often expedient to institute 

 proceedings against the person selling tin* goods, wlio is e(|iially 

 liable with the manufacturer, on account of the less delav aud less 



