BUREAU OF MARKETS. 467 



^Regulatory Announcements Xo. 11. They became effective on De- 

 cember 1, 1916. The supervision of the inspection of shelled coi-n 

 moving in interstate commerce has constituted the main activity 

 of the field offices of Federal grain supervision from December 1, 

 1916, to '7uly 1, 1917, the entire movement of the 1916 crop falling 

 Avithin the operation of the act. Tentative standards for wheat were 

 published in February, 1917, as Service and Regulatory Announce- 

 ments No. 19, and were distributed among the trade and considered 

 at public hearings held in all the great grain sections of the United 

 ^States. AVritten suggestions submitted to the Department and the 

 comments and suggestions received at such hearings were embodied 

 in the final standards made eft'ective on July 1, 1917, for winter wheat 

 and on August 1, 1917, for spring wheat. They were issued as 

 Service and Regidatory Announcements No. 22. Studies arc now 

 under way for proposed standards for other grains, particularly oats, 

 and will be placed before the public in tentative form as soon as 

 l^racticable. 



LICENSING OF INSPECTORS. 



The licensing of inspectors to inspect and grade grain for which 

 official standards have been established under the United States grain 

 standards act was begun in November, 1916, under Mr. K. B. Seeds. 

 AVhere applications indicate the requirements specified in the act and 

 the rules and regulations established by the Secretary of Agriculture 

 Ihereimder, applicants are examined to determine their qualifications 

 and fitness for license. Licenses have been prepared and issued to 

 all persons found qualified who meet the requirements of the law. 



APPLICATIONS AND EXAMINATIONS FOR LICENSE. 



On June 30, 1917, applications had been received from 369 per- 

 sons for license to inspect and grade shelled corn according to the 

 official standards and from 305 persons to inspect and grade wheat. 

 Application forms have been supplied each person and the appli- 

 cant is required to indicate whether he is authorized to inspect and 

 grade grain under the laws of a State maintaining a State grain 

 inspection department, that he is 21 years of age, has had one year's 

 experience as grain inspector in the determination of the grade of 

 grain for which license is sought, and is provided w-ith necessary 

 apparatus to determine the grade of grain. He must submit also a 

 schedule of fees charged for inspection services, and must indicate 

 the points at which service is performed. 



Three hundred and thirty-three persons have been licensed to in- 

 spect shelled corn and 252 persons licensed to inspect and grade 

 Avheat. Of these licenses, 251 are held by persons authorized to 

 inspect and grade both shelled corn and wheat. Twentj^-eight appli- 

 cants for license as inspectors of shelled corn and 12 applicants for 

 license as inspectors of wheat failed to show the necessary qualifica- 

 tions, and examination and license were refused. Twelve applicants 

 for license to inspect shelled corn were found deficient on examina- 

 tion, and 8 applicants for license to inspect wdieat did not show the 

 necessary qualifications upon examination. 



The fees charged for the services of inspectors have been carefully 

 guarded, and in some instances inspectors have been required to 



