P.D. 123 7 



Many of our farmers are acquainted with the provisions of the law which require 

 that corn stubble be plowed under or otherwise pulled up and destroyed on or 

 before December 1st of the year of its growth, but are not so well acquainted with 

 the provision that requires corn stalks to be disposed of before April 10th of the 

 year following its growth. It has been a part of our program during the past year 

 to bring to the attention of those persons growing corn the importance of this 

 control measure. 



The Apple Grading Law 



The optional provisions of our present apple grading law have resulted in fewer 

 violations. The apple packer is not required to put a grade designation on a closed 

 package of apples. He is required to mark or brand the containers with the follow- 

 ing statements only : 



1. The name and address of the person by whose authority the apples are 

 packed. 



2. The variety name. 



3. The minimum size and numerical count. 



If a grade designation is used, it is necessary to comply fully with the require- 

 ments of that grade. The most prevalent violation during the past year, as in 

 other years, has been "overfacing of the container" by putting the better fruit on 

 the faced or shown surface, thereby causing a misrepresentation of the contents 

 of the package. 



Official hearings have been held as required by the apple grading law in approxi- 

 mately 50 cases. The persons violating the law have been watched carefully in 

 further sales operations, and our observation clearly indicates that they profited 

 greatly by the instruction and advice given to them at the hearing. 



Milk Dealers' Financial Reports 



Milk dealers purchasing milk from producers in Massachusetts are required to 

 file annually, during the month of September, a financial statement and this pro- 

 vision of law has not been complied with in many cases. Hearings have been held 

 in Fall River, New Bedford, Springfield, Haverhill, and Worcester, and dealers 

 have been summonsed to appear and show cause why their neglect should not be 

 brought to the attention of the courts. 



This law was enacted in 1930, and our findings based upon such hearings indi- 

 cated that the neglect resulted primarily from ignorance of the law. Satisfactory 

 financial statements were secured from the parties concerned within a reasonable 

 time after the hearings. 



Other Regulatory Work. 



The enforcement of the oleomargarine law, the nursery inspection law, the 

 apiary law and the farm products grading law has been carried on without any 

 great difficult3^ The nurserymen, the farmers and other persons coming within 

 the regulatory provisions of these laws appear to be well acquainted with the legal 

 requirements. These laws have been in operation for several years. Education 

 programs have taught these men the necessity of carrying on their business with 

 due consideration to the legal requirements. In cases where difficulty has arisen 

 they have contacted the Department of Agriculture and received information and 

 guidance that has been of great assistance to them in complying with the laws that 

 relate to their special business. 



The low price of butter has been an important factor in practically eliminating 

 the sale of oleomargarine from the markets of our mill towns. Economic condi- 

 tions have made it possible for the department to take inspectors from certain 

 regulatory work wherein the services are not definitely needed and assign them 

 to other phases of important regulatory work wherein the need is immediate. 

 The policy of the department shall be to continue in effectively administering the 

 laws given to the Department of Agriculture to enforce, paying particular attention 

 to those regulatory services that are especially essential to the proper protection 

 of the interests of producers, consumers and distributors of agricultural produce. 



