892 ANNUAL REPOBTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Six hundred and thirty-one violations of the twenty-eight hour 

 law were reported for prosecution, as compared with 598 case^ 

 reported in the fiscal year 1912. Penalties were recovered in 357 

 cases, amounting to $28,400. Costs were assessed against the de- 

 fendants in these cases amounting to $2,937.13. In the fiscal year 

 1911 penalties amounting to $26,075 were recovered in 258 cases, 

 with costs in the sum of $5,783.85. There were 967 cases pending 

 at the close of the year, as compared with 807 cases pending on 

 June 30, 1911. 



One hundred and thirty-five violations of the live stock quaran- 

 tine acts were reported for prosecution. Of these, 124 were violations 

 of the act of March 3, 1905 (33 Stat., 1264), and 11 were violations 

 of the act of May 29, 1884 (23 Stat., 31). The total number of cases 

 of this class exceeded the number reported during the preceding 

 fiscal year by 35 per cent. Fines aggregating $6,125 were imposed 

 in 68 cases prosecuted during the year, and the costs of the proceed- 

 ings were uniformly assessed against the defendants. In 1911 fines 

 were imposed in. 51 cases, amounting to $5,580. 



Eighty-five violations of the meat-inspection amendment (34 Stat., 

 674) were reported for prosecution, a decrease in number of 16, as 

 compared with the fiscal year 1911. Sixty-five cases were prose- 

 cuted successfully during the year, and fines were imposed amounting 

 to $4,746.75. In 3 cases sentences of imprisonment were imposed. 

 In the fiscal year 1911 fines amounting to $3,240 were imposed in 43 

 cases. Four cases resulted in verdicts for the defendant m the fiscal 

 year 1912. In 1911 but one case was terminated adversely to the 

 Government. At the close of the fiscal year 71 cases were awaiting 

 prosecution. 



The first apparent violation of the insecticide act of 1910 was 

 reported for prosecution in December, 1911. In all, 58 cases under 

 this statute were reported during the year. Six of these cases 

 resulted in convictions and in one a decree of condemnation and 

 forfeiture was entered. The goods in the latter case were subse- 

 quently released to the claimants under bond after payment of the 

 costs. The Insecticide and Fungicide Board has completed its 

 organization for obtaining evidence of violations of this statute. 



Thirty-four cases uivolving the unlawful shipment of game were 

 reported for prosecution under the Lacey Act (sees. 242 and 243, 

 Penal Code). The Biologica,l Survey has arranged, through coopera- 

 tion with State officials, to trace such shipments more effectively, 

 and it is expected that this plan will contribute materially to the 

 detection of violations of this statute. Six cases presented during, 

 the year 1912 resulted in convictions. In one case the defendant 

 was acquitted. 



Three hundred and fifty-seven contracts and leases were prepared 

 for the several bureaus, offices, and divisions of the department, in 

 addition to those prepared for the Forest Service in the field. Dur- 

 ing the fiscal year 1911, 339 contracts and leases were prepared for 

 the same bureaus, offices, and divisions. 



Nineteen applications for letters patent on inventions of employees 

 of the department, for dedication to the public, were filed in 1912, 

 more than double the number filed in 1911. Ten patents were 

 allowed during the year and 2 were disallowed. In 1911, 10 

 patents were allowed and there were no disallowances. 



