32 Journal of the Dep^\rtment of Agriculture. 



THE FERTILIZERS, FARM FOODS, SEEDS, AND 

 PEST REMEDIES ACT (No. 21 of 1917).* 



ITS OBJECT AND APPLICATION. 



By B. DE C. Makciiand, B.A.. D.Sc, Chief, Divisiou of Cliemistry 



In 1017 an Act was passed wliich jnoverns the sale of fertilizers, farm 

 foods, seeds, and pest remedies. This Act was brought into force on 

 the 30th November, 1918, and regulations, made under Section 7 

 thereof, relating to the sale of fertilizers and farm foods were 

 published in the Gazette of the 30th August, 1918. Subsequently 

 these regulations were withdrawn and amended regulations, published 

 in the Gazette of the 28th March, 1919, came into force on the 1st 

 April, 1919. 



The object of the Act is to protect purchasers of the articles 

 named from having worthless ones imposed upon them. The main 

 principle of the Act is contained in Sections 3 and 6. These may 

 therefore be quoted in full : — 



Section 3 (1). — Every person who sells any fertilizer shall give 

 or send to the purchaser at the time of delivery an invoice stating the 

 quantity sold, the name or brand under which the fertilizer is regis- 

 tered, and also the chemical constituents thereof which have been 

 registered as prescribed by regulation in respect of such fertilizer. 

 That statement in the invoice shall be deemed to be a guarantee that 

 the article is as described therein. 



(2) Every person who sells any farm food shall give or send to 

 the purchaser at the time of delivery an invoice stating the quantity 

 sold, the name and brand under which the farm food is registered, 

 and also the chemical constiituents thereof which have been registered 

 as prescribed by regulation in respect of such farm food. That state- 

 ment in the invoice shall be deemed to be a guarantee that the article 

 is as described therein. 



Section 6. — No person shall supply any fertilizer, farm food. 

 seed, or pest remedy which is not of the nature, composition, or quality 

 as described when sold to the purchaser. 



" The wdiole Act, together with the regulations, is really summed 

 up in these two sections; the other sections are, for the most part, 

 concerned with the application of these two. 



Registration. 



Section 3 provides also that fertilizers and farm foods must be 

 registered, wliile Regulations Nos. 1 and 2 prescribe liow this is to be 

 done. 



The procedure is as follows : — 



Every vendor of a fertilizer or farm food must fill in certain 

 forms in duplicate: these forms are forwarded to the Department of 

 Agriculture. If found in order, that is correctly filled in and 

 complying with any regulations that have been made in respect to 



* In this article Section refers to the sections of Act No. 21 of 1917, while Seffulation 

 refers to those published under Government Notice No. 4.S6 of 1919. 



