418 



ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In several cases involving the suspension or revocation of licenses 

 issued by the Secretary to manufacturers of these products, the tes- 

 timony given at the hearings was reviewed by this office and the 

 Secretary advised as to its legal effect. 



THE INSECTICIDE ACT. 



[36 Stat., 331.] 



One hundred and twenty-three cases were reported to the Attorney 

 General, in 117 of which criminal proceedings and in 6 seizures were 

 recommended. At the close of the fiscal year 1917, 44 cases were 

 pending, of which 41 were criminal prosecutions and 3 were seizures. 

 Forty-four cases pending at the close of the year 1917 and 30 re- 

 ported during the year 1918, in all 74, were terminated during the 

 year. Of the cases terminated 69 were criminal and 5 civil. In the 

 69 criminal cases 8 violations were combined with others for the 

 purposes of prosecution ; fines were imposed in 55 ; 4 were dropped 

 or dismissed. After the combination for purpose of prosecution in 

 58 pleas of guilty, in 5 pleas of nolo contendere, and in 2 pleas of 

 not guilty were entered. 



In the criminal cases in which convictions were obtained the fines 

 were as follows : 



Fines imposed under the insecticide act. 



Co.sts were assessed in a number of cases in which convictions 

 were obtained. Decrees of condemnation and forfeiture were entered 

 in 4 civil cases, and 1 case was dismissed. At the close of the year 

 93 cases Avere pending, of which 89 were criminal prosecutions and 4 

 were seizures. One hundred and twenty-two notices of judgment 

 were prepared. 



THE LACEY ACT. 



[35 Stat., 1137.] 



Thirty-eight cases were reported to the Department of Justice. At 

 the close of the preceding fiscal year 37 cases were pending, of which 

 22 were closed during this year, 21 by convictions and the imposition 

 of fines, and 1 because the defendant could not be found. 



Of the 38 cases reported during the year 27 were closed. In 25 

 defendants were convicted and fined; in 1 the defendant was com- 

 mitted to jail in default of payment of the fine; and in 1 sentences 

 were suspended after pleas of guilty. In the latter case one defendant 

 had already been confined in jail for several days and had been sub- 

 jected to expenses amounting to several hundred dollars on account 



