709 



relations with the farmers of the State, various farmers' organizations 

 have been invited to elect coniniittees who siiall keep in direct couinm- 

 nication with the station and receive and distribnte such information 

 as the station may i;ivc through its publications ami bj- corres[)ondence. 



Test of a ncic method for curing tobacco. — A brief account is given of 

 experiments in which the connnon method for curing tobacco was com- 

 pared with a new process, known as tlie ''Snow wire cure," by which 

 the sei)aratc leaves are cut liom the stalk as they ripen in the held and 

 are cured separately. The test indicated that the new process saves a 

 larger (plant ity of leaves, and that these are of better quality. 



Cultivation of tea. — Some interest lias lately been revived in the cul- 

 ture of the tea plant in North Carolina. Tea of good quality has been 

 raised on a small scale in the State. The station has undertaken to 

 have tliis matter tested in different localities in the State. 



Tests of new fruits. — The station is distributing young fig trees in sec- 

 tions of the State where they seem likely to thrive. 



Experiments with a variety of Japanese oranges called Oonshin are 

 in progress, and it is ho])ed that this will prove a sufficiently hardy vari- 

 ety to be grown in the eastern and southern sections of the State. 



Fertilizer inspection. — In accordance with a recent law passed by 

 the legislature of the State, the tonnage system of taxing fertilizers has 

 been substituted for the privilege tax on different brands. Under the 

 new system the number of brands sold in the State has increased from 

 84 in 1890 to 295 in 1891. The station does not favor the tonnage sys- 

 tem, believing that it very greatly increases the diilficulty of exercising 

 a proper control of the fertilizer trade. The following digest of the fer- 

 tilizer laws now in operation in the State is taken from the Report for 

 1890: 



No manipulated guanos, superphosphates, commercial fertilizers, or other fertili- 

 zing material shall be sold or offered for sale unless a tonnage charge of 25 cents per 

 ton has been paid. Each barrel, package, or bag shall have attached a tag repre- 

 senting this fact, which tags shall bo issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture, 

 according to regulations i)rescribed by the State department of agriculture. The 

 department of agriculture has power at all times to have samples collected of any fer- 

 tilizer or fertilizing material on sale, which must be taken from at least 10 per cent of 

 the lot selected. These samples are taken from the goods in the hands of dealers after 

 they are shii)j»ed from the manufactories, and accordingly represent the true grade of 

 fertilizers ottered for sale. 



Every package of fertilizer ottered for sale must have thereon a plainly printed 

 label, a copy of which must be filed Avith the Commissioner of Agriculture, together 

 ■with a true sample of the fertilizer which it is proposed to sell, at or before the ship- 

 ment of such fertilizer into the State, and wliich label must be uniformly used and 

 not changed during the year. This label must set forth the name, location, and trade- 

 mark of the manufacturer, also the chemical composition of contents, and real percent- 

 age of the ordinax-y ingredients, together with date of analysis, and that all charges 

 have been paid. There must be no variation in the gnarnntied percentages, but the 

 bags must be branded with the exact chemical composition of the contents. 



It is a misdemeanor, and a fine of $10 for each bag, for an agent or dealer to offer for 

 sale any such fertilizer or fertilizing materials not ]»roperly tagged, or a consumer 

 to remove it, or a railroad agent to deliver it. F'ertilizera which now have a license 



