56 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



unwarranted acts of physical violence upon them. Furthermore, 

 the absence of such protection breeds contempt of the authority con- 

 ferred by law upon the department to enforce the statutes intrusted 

 to it for administration. Section C2 of the Penal Code accords pro- 

 tection to the emplo3^ees of the Bureau of Animal Industry, and by 

 a simple amendment it may be made applicable to employees of the 

 Forest Service and of the Bureau of Biological Survey, 



AUTHORITY TO OBTAIN INFORMATION, 



A number of the statutes administered by the department require 

 the obtaining of information, both for the purpose of properly admin- 

 istering them and of submitting reports to Congress upon which it 

 may base further legislation, but the department can now obtain 

 this information only as the persons possessing it volunteer to give it. 

 Authority should be conferred upon the department to compel the 

 furnishing of such information, under proper safeguards, and to 

 permit its duly designated representatives to administer oaths and to 

 examine witnesses in connection therewith, 



NEW LEGISLATION. 



Aside from the revision or amendment of existing statutes, expe- 

 rience has demonstrated the desirability of new legislation along 

 several lines, including the following : 



rURE SEEDS. 



The importation into the United States of forage and like seeds 

 is regulated by the seed importation act of August 24, 1912, but 

 there is now no law to prevent the adulteration or misbranding 

 of seeds shipped from one State to another. While it is not clear 

 that Federal regulation of interstate commerce in seeds would be 

 practicable, it is clear that the enlargement of the department's 

 authority and funds for testing and other investigational work, 

 accompanied by full publicity, would produce valuable results. It 

 has been suggested in the estimates, therefore, that authority be 

 given to determine the purity, viability, and trueness to variety 

 of seeds obtained in the open market and to publish the names of 

 the persons responsible for the shipment or sale of those which are 

 found to be adulterated and misbranded according to the standards 

 established by the department. 



FEEDS AND FERTILIZERS AND NAVAL STORES. 



The need for legislation to insure the purity and wholesome- 

 ness of commercial feeds intended for domestic animals and poultry 

 lias been apparent for many years. While the food and drugs act is 



