406 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



ask the question: "What is the consequence if the analysis on the 

 bag does not conform, or come up, to the statement on the bag? Is 

 the manufacturer informed of it, and forced to make good to the 

 users of such fertilizers?-' In reply, please let me say that from 

 direct knowledge, our present Secretary, Hon. N. B.' Critchfield, 

 has been doing all within his power to bring parties to an account 

 whose goods upon the market were found deficient in value accord- 

 ing to printed or guaranteed analysis. In one instance, to my 

 knowledge, the Secretary brought suit against a certain manufac- 

 turer and personally saw to it that said manufacturer made proper 

 restitution or refunded the amount of loss that parties suffered 

 by the analysis being deficient. True, a fine is collected also, as a 

 punishment. But, as the present act makes it a fine of only |25.00, 

 we, the Committee on Fertilizer, think, and would suggest, that 

 this fine should at least be $200.00 instead of |2.5.00. 



We also beg to suggest, as the Committee on Fertilizer, that it 

 would be wise and expedient in order that the law might be more 

 closely guarded, to establish a "Bureau of Fertilizer and Feed Con- 

 trol." Under this head prompt prosecutions could be brought, and 

 in all cases where any shortage occurs, it would be the duty of this 

 Bureau to prosecute, and thus leave no manufacturer go unpunished, 

 whose goods did not meet the requirements of the act. This Bu- 

 reau would be under the supervision of the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture. 



The CHAIRMAN: Gentlemen, what is your pleasure in regard 

 to this paper? 



Moved and duly seconded and agreed to that it be received and 

 placed on file. 



The CHAIRMAN: We might devote a few minutes to the dis- 

 cussion of this paper if any one has anything to say. 



A Member: With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I w^ould like 

 to ask whether there is not on the statute books ol our State, a 

 law that if the fertilizer does not come up to the standard stamped 

 on it, the manufacturer is at fault, and is liable to prosecution? 



The SECRETARY: No; there is no statute, but my impression 

 is that there is a common law that if the consumer or purchaser 

 does not get the value of the goods, the manufacturer is expected 

 to make good the amount, but there is nothing in our fertilizer law 

 as it now stands. The law, as it now stands, simply states that 

 there shall be placed on the sack the name of the manufacturer, 

 the place where it is made, the percentage of Phosphoric acid, 

 soluble and insoluble, and Potash. Tlie law provides that any 

 person who places upon the market goods that are not so marked 

 or goods that contain a larger percentage of these fertilizing in- 

 gredients, is guiltv of misdemeanor and can be fined not less than 

 125.00 nor more tlian $100.00. 



A Member: I don't think that there is a subject that can come up 

 at this meeting in which the farmers are more deeply interested 

 than in this subject of fertilizers. There is nothing that we pur- 

 chase on the farm for which we spend more money than we do on 



