182 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



KEPORT OF THE CHEMICAL SECTION. 



Director R. S. Shaw: 



I submit, herewith, a brief report of the work carried on by the Chemical 

 section for the j^ear ending Jmie 30, 1921. 



The end of the fiscal year marks the close of om- administration of the 

 fertilizer, feeding stuffs and insecticide control laws. The fertilizer law has 

 been administered by the Chemical section, under the direction of the State 

 Board of Agriculture, since its passage in 1885. During that time 34 inspec- 

 tion bulletins, including the current issue, have been published. The use pf 

 fertilizers has increased greatl}' during this time and especiallj^ in the past 

 ten years. In 1906 when the first attempt was made to obtain information 

 on this point, it was estimated that the annual consumption was approxi- 

 mately 20,000 tons. Last year (1920) it reached the high mark of 112,610 

 tons. 



The feeding stuffs inspection has been conducted by this section since 1916 

 and the results of the service that has been maintained since that time show 

 a decided improvement in the quality of the feeds now being sold throughout 

 the State. This is very vividly illustrated l)y comparing the results obtained 

 on cottonseed meal for the j'cars 1916 and 1920. 



Year ending July 1st. 



1916. 



1920. 



No. samples analyzed 



Samples deficient in protein . . . . 

 Samples deficient in crude tat. . . 

 Samples with excess crude fiber. 



144 

 51.0% 

 6.2% 

 39.6% 



177 

 4.7% 

 1.0% 

 2.3% 



The insecticide and fungicude law was passed by the Legislature in 1913. 

 Although the fund pro\'ided for the prosecution of this work has been only 

 $500 per year we have been able to show some valuable results especially 

 in exposing and driving out of the State several worthless preparations. 



During our administration of these control laws, only three prosecutions 

 have been made. One under the fertihzer law and two under the feeding 

 stuffs law. 



Much of the success of this work has been due to the efficiency of inspectors, 

 A. H. Teske and E. A. Hebard. It is to be regretted that this change neces- 

 sarilj^ marks the end of their relations %Adth this section. 



In connection "udth the feeding stuffs inspection, Mr. O. B. Winter has been 

 carrjdng on some research work in methods for detecting the ingredients of 

 mixed feeds. This work is nearly complete and will be continued in order 

 that the results may be published. 



HATCH FUND. 



The investigation of the "alkaline permanganate method" which is widely 

 used in determining the quality of the nitrogen in mixed fertilizers has been 

 continued and a large amount of interesting and valuable data obtained. 

 The first report of tliis work will appear as a scientific paper in an early 

 number of The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. This 



