NOTES. 495 



which are deemed adulterated or unfit for seeding purposes because of excessive 

 weed content. 



An act approved August 3 establishes a standard apple barrel containing 

 7,056 cubl ■ inches, and defines standard grades for the fruit on the basis of 

 variety, size, and quality. Labeling the barrels remains optional, but the use 

 of the designation " standard " in case the fruit or barrels do not conform to 

 the requirements is deemed misbranding, and if done knowingly renders the 

 packer or seller liable to a penalty of $1 per barrel and costs. The act does not 

 become effective until July 1, 1913. 



Provision was made in the Post Ofiice appropriation act for investigations 

 by a joint committee of Congress of the practicability of federal aid in the 

 construction of post roads, and also for cooperative work by the Secretary of 

 Agriculture and the Postmaster General in road improvement with a view pri- 

 marily to increasing the effectiveness of rural mail delivery. An appropriation 

 of $25,000 was allotted for the Congressional investigation, and this Depart- 

 ment was granted $500,000 for use in States or local communities contributing 

 double the federal allotments. 



Other legislation provides for the collection of additional cotton statistics, 

 and an inquiry into the general conditions of farm and other labor. As an 

 attempt to demonstrate the possibilities as to growing spineless cacti for forage, 

 Luther Burbank was granted the use of not to exceed 12 sections of semiarid 

 lands for 5 years with the privilege of purchasing these lands at from $1.25 to 

 $2.50 per acre if successful. The Food and Drugs Act of 1906 was amended by 

 extending its provisions to false and fraudulent claims on the package or label 

 as to the curative or therapeutic action of drugs. The Public Health and 

 Marine-Hospital Service was designated the United States Public Health 

 Service, and its functions extended to include studies of the diseases of man, 

 sanitation, and related questions. 



Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. — The twenty-eighth annual con- 

 vention of this association was held in Washington, D. C, September 16 to 18. 

 with a registration of 184 members and visitors. 



The president of the association, H. J. Patterson, delivered the annual ad- 

 dress, which dealt primarily with the part played by the association in the for- 

 mation of the present system of agricultural colleges, experiment stations, and 

 the development of modern agriculture. Attention was drawn to the advanced 

 position occupied by the agricultural chemist of to-day, as compared with his 

 status years ago. Special emphasis was placed on the necessity of standardizing 

 college degrees conferred in chemistry, and of the chemical investigator of the 

 present day having a working knowledge of an allied science, such as bac- 

 teriology or plant pathology. In addition, it was pointed out that a cooperative 

 spirit should prevail between the chemists in the laboratory, as this will have a 

 tendency to develop initiative, stimulate research, and prevent the development 

 of routine workers. 



Assistant Secretary of Agriculture W. M. Hays presented the greetings of 

 this Department. He pointed out the need that more scientific men, chemists 

 and others, should be studying problems which relate to eugenics, and also 

 advocated extension work in the sciences. 



The referee and associate referee on phosphoric acid, H. D, Haskins and A. J. 

 Patten, reported a thorough study of the official volumetric method for the de- 

 termination of both the available and total phosphoric acid in basic slag phos- 

 phate and a further study of the citrate of ammonia magnesia -mixture method. 

 In the determination of available phosphoric acid, using Wagner's method for 

 making the citric solution of the slag, closely agreeing results were not obtained 

 by the analysts. Of the various methods the optional volumetric method gave 



