No. 5. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 113 



The reports of this work appear in detail in bulletins Nos. 255 and 

 259 of the Department. 



Wherever the deficiency was found great enough and the character 

 of the goods indicated fradulent intent, the cases were marked for 

 prosecution. 



A close check was kept upon all fertilizers sold in the State to see 

 that the law was complied with by registering them and paying 

 the necessary fees thereon. 



After each sampling period a careful comparison was made of 

 the agents' records with Department records and resulted in finding 

 a large number of mixed brands and chemicals which were sold in 

 violation of the Act requiring registration. 



Notices were sent the offending parties, calling attention to these 

 apparent oversights and in every case where goods were so sold the 

 manufacturers or vendors registered the same and paid the requisite 

 fees. 



This procedure, having brought about the desired ends, relieved the 

 Department from instituting prosecutions which would have in- 

 curred expenses that could not have been paid without interferring 

 with other more important phases of the work. When these brands 

 and chemicals were duly registered the samples were analyzed and 

 reported with other brands. 



During the year four actions were brought and terminated for sell- 

 ing and having in possession to sell fertilizers which were not regis- 

 tered. Fines amounting to $75.00 were recovered and paid into tlie 

 State Treasury. 



During the year one thousand eight hundred tliirty-four brands 

 and chemicals were registered with the Department. Fees amount- 

 ing to 132,495.00 were received by the office and turned into the 

 State Treasury. 



Returns of fertilizers sold in Pennsylvania during 1914 show that 

 an aggregrate of three hundred twenty-three thousand one hundred 

 forty-eight tons were consumed. These figures are not complete. To 

 this amount should be added certain inter-state sales, i. e. ferti- 

 lizers that are purchased in adjoining states and carted into this 

 State by parties living near border lines, also fertilizers ordered by 

 Pennsylvania consumers direct from non-resident manufacturers and 

 vendors who do not have the same registered for sale in this State 

 and without the manufacturers or their representatives soliciting 

 said orders, upon all of which no returns are made. 



The remaining omissions are covered by delinquents who have 

 failed to make a legal return to the Department. 



The uneasiness of the fertilizer market, caused by the foreign war, 

 first diminishing the supply of potash salts and finally cutting off 

 the supply completely, brought about an unusual experience for both 

 the manufacturer and consumer. 



The Department realizing the importance of conserving such supply 

 as was available in this countr;y, took the initiative and permitted 

 manufacturers to reduce their guarantees for potash without oblig- 

 ing them to re-register such amended brands, notice to be given of 

 such reduction, on tags attached to the fertilizer bajrs. 



Many manufacturers took advantage of this privilege, while others 

 fearing complications of amending registered trade-names, discon- 

 tinued the sale of brands running high in potash, and substituted 



8—5—1914 



