474 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



filed. Of the tipplicatioiis pending at the close of the last fiscal year 

 and of those filed during this fiscal year, 35 were allowed. 



Several applications of department employees for patents were 

 placed in interference with applications of outside parties, necessitat- 

 ing the taking of testimony and the i)resentation and argument of 

 the cases before the Patent Office in an effort to establish priority 

 of $91,495,797.99, and 6,122 and a fraction miles, were reviewed, and 

 favorable to the employees were rendered in each of these cases. 



Project statements for 800 projects under the Federal aid road act. 

 of which 761 were approved, involving a total esthnated expenditure 

 of $91,495,797.99 and 6,122 and a fraction miles^ were reviewed, and 

 595 project agreements under that act, with ceitificates of apx>roval 

 of plans, specifications, and estimates, involving a total estimated 

 expenditure of $42,178,903.91, were examined. There w^ere also ex- 

 amined 185 drafts of modifications of agreement and certificates pre- 

 pared by the Bureau of Public Roads. There v\'ere also examined 69 

 original and 12 supplemental cooperative agreements under section 

 8 of the act relating to roiids and trails in National Forests. 



Seventy-three claims for balances due estates of employees of the 

 department who died intestate were examined, the necessary papers 

 prepared for tlieir payment, and advice furnished administrative 

 officers of the department relating to the same. 



Seven cases involving irregularities or misconduct of employees in 

 their official duties were reviewed, the necessary investigations made, 

 and appropriate papers prepared. There were nine cases of the same 

 nature, but of less formal and serious character. Advice was also 

 given on the special features of several other personnel cases, no 

 record of which was preserved in this office. 



Aid was given the advisory committee on finance and business 

 methods in drafting orders and memoranda of the Secretary for the 

 general administration of the department, and to the Office of Inspec- 

 tion in the consi-deration of a number of claims for reimbursement 

 for property lost or destroyed while being used on official vrork in the 

 National Forests. 



Many Service and Regulatory Announcements, circulars, and bul- 

 letins, referred to this office by the Division of Publications for ex- 

 amination as to possible legal questions involved, were reviewed, and 

 numerous letters for tlio Secretary's signature, prepared in the 

 various bureaus, offices, and divisions, Avere referred to this office for 

 comment prior to signature. 



Man}^ documents of various kinds, including statements of issues, 

 briefs, and memoranda on legal mtitters, were prepared on behalf of 

 the officials of this clepaitment for submission to the Attorney Gen- 

 eral, the Secretary of the Interior, the Comptroller of the Treasury, 

 and the officials of other depaitments. 



Hearings conducted at various places to develop the facts in re- 

 gard to charges preferred against serum companies for violations 

 of the regulations gOTeming the preparation, shipment, and impor- 

 tation of viruses, serums, toxins, and analagous products intended 

 for use in the treatment of domestic animals were reviewed and the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry and the Secretary advised with refer- 

 ence to proper action thereon. 



Six thousand and eight violations of statutes intrusted to the de- 

 partment for enforcement Avere reported. 4,446 to the Attorney Oen- 



