924 ANNUAL REPORTS OP DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



field agents of the Biological Survey and the prospect is very encour- 

 aging for effective enforcement of the Lacey Act during the suc- 

 ceeding fiscal year. The progress made during the year just closed 

 is most encouraging. 



The enforcement of this act is highly important to every State in 

 this Union, as it supplements the enforcement of their laws and is 

 an additional barrier to the illicit traffic in game. By cooperation 

 the game-warden departments of the several States and this depart- 

 ment it should be practicable to suppress at least the more exten- 

 sive illegal traffic in game within a comparatively short time, and 

 now that most of the States are equipped with an efficient and active 

 game department this cooperation is possible. 



In a subsequent part of this report, beginning at page 1008, will be 

 found a table setting forth the more important details of the cases 

 reported to the Attorney General during the fiscal year. 



THE INSECTICIDE ACT OF 1910. 



The legal work of the enforcement of the insecticide act of 1910 

 for preventing the importation or the transportation in interstate 

 commerce of adulterated or misbranded insecticides and fungicides 

 was undertaken during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1912. This 

 act was approved April 26, 1910, and became effective January 1, 

 1911, but an appropriation for carrying the act into effect, made in 

 the agricultural appropriation act of March 4, 1911, was not available 

 until July 1, 1911. 



The system adopted for the enforcement of the act has now been 

 organized and perfected. In the month of December, 1911, the 

 work had progressed to such a stage that the first apparent violations 

 of the act were transmitted to the Attorney General for prosecution, 

 and the work of reporting violations has since proceedecl with expe- 

 dition. 



Under the methods adopted for the handling and consideration of 

 cases under the insecticide act of 1910, all matters of fact are within 

 the jurisdiction of the Insecticide and Fungicide Board, created by 

 General Order No. 143 of the Secretary of Agriculture. After the 

 consideration of the facts, the Insecticide and Fungicide Board sub- 

 mits the same with their recommendations to the oflfice of the 

 Solicitor. In the office of the Solicitor the findings of fact submitted 

 by the Insecticide and Fungicide Board are examined to determine 

 their sufficiency as evidence of law, and recommendations are made 

 accordingly, subject to review by the ^^ecretary of Agriculture, 

 whether citation shall issue for hearings and whether cases shall be 

 reported to the Department of Justice for prosecution. 



In a few cases where the evidence of interstate shipment has been 

 lacking, or the offense charged was trivial or technical, letters have 

 been addressed to the manufacturers, calling attention to the findings 

 of the Insecticide and Fungicide Board, indicating the defects in the 

 labeling, and requesting them to advise the department as to what 

 action will be taken to insure the correct brandmg of goods in future 

 shipments. Failure to reform leads to recommendations for prose- 

 cution. 



During the fiscal year hearings pursuant to section 4 of the act 

 were recommended on 187 samples. In the cases of 101 samples, no 



