FORTIETH ANNUAL. REPORT. 73 



it were diluted as directed but little more than the cost of the bare 

 chemicals for the making of a home-mixed spray. Analysis showed, 

 however, that the reason for the low price was that, although it pur- 

 ported to be of standard strength, it in some cases only had about one- 

 fourth the amount of copper sulphate required for its effective use, 

 which of course made it a profitable article for the manufacturer, but 

 a vei-y expensive one for the fruit grower whose crop might be de- 

 stroyed, and who would naturally be convinced that there was no 

 virtue in spraying. 



From the very first, most fruit gi'owers have seemed to be averse 

 to mixing their 'own spray materials and as a result hundreds of pro- 

 prietary articles for the destiiiction of dangerous insects and diseases 

 have been placed upon the market during the last five years. Many 

 of them have much merit and are sold at a comparatively narrow mar- 

 gin so that the grower who only needs a small quantity will often find 

 it cheaper and more satisfactory to use the prepared articles. 



To protect the fruit grower and farmer from fraudulent and worth- 

 less articles, several of tlie states have passed laws to control the manu 

 facture and sale of spraying materials, and recognizing the need of 

 such a law in this state the last legislature passed what is known as 

 the "Insecticide law," and, although this covered the whole matter, 

 a second law, worded in almost exactly the same way, for controling 

 the manufacture and sale of Paris green was passed. 



These laws require all manufacturers and dealers in spraying com- 

 pounds, or in materials that are used for the home-mixing of spraying 

 materials, to file a statement with the Director of the State Exfjeri- 

 ment Station, setting forth the name of the brands to he manufactured 

 or sold, together with the percentages of the essential ingredients there- 

 in contained, with their chemical combinations, which shall be a guar- 

 antee to the purchasers of the strength of the articles. The statement 

 nmst also contain the net weights or measures of the contents of each 

 package, and the name and address of the manufacturer. A sample 

 label must also be filed with and a]>proved by the Director of the Ex- 

 periment Station, which sets forth the above facts, and a copy of this 

 label must be placed upon every package sold. 



If the statement and label are satisfactory a permit for the manu- 

 facture and sale of the article within the state will be granted without 

 charge. Provided such a f)ermit is taken out by a manufacturer it is 

 not necessary for the dealers to have a j^ermit. 



The law also makes it the duty of the State Inspector of Orchards 

 and Nurseries to collect samples of the different brands of insecticides 

 and fungicides sold in the state and submit them to the Director of the 

 Exi>eriment Station, who shall have analyses made and the results are 

 to be published. 



Unfortunately the laws were put through the legislature and went 

 to the Governor for his signature without being very carefully scrutin- 

 ized and when too late to have them corrected it was found that no 

 appropriation had been made for carrying out the provisions regard- 

 ing collecting and analyzing the samples and publishing the results. 

 While the work was in the hands of the State Exi)eriment Station its 

 funds came to it from the general government and all expenditures 

 are carefully scrutinized by officials from VVashington. The same is 



