20 maine agricultural experiment station. i913. 



The Federal Law. 



The Maine law in its requirements is based upon the national 

 law. An insecticide that is in accord with the requirements of 

 the National law and that is registered in Maine can be lawfully 

 sold. The enforcement of the National law which has been 

 well begun will materially aid in the enforcement of the law 

 within this State. The following quoted from the Annual 

 Report of the Insecticide and Fungicide Board of the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture about publicity under the federal 

 law is encouraging in its bearing upon the sale of insecticides 

 in this in common with other states. 



"The advantage of carrying on a campaign of education 

 through which the trade, State officials, and the consuming pub- 

 lic might acquire a familiar knowledge of the insecticide law, its 

 purposes, and the methods of its enforcement has not been 

 overlooked. Necessary information has been disseminated 

 throughout the United States by means of form letters to State 

 officials and dealers and by the distribution of copies of the law, 

 regulations issued thereunder, and insecticide decisions, to 

 members of scientific societies, official representatives of for- 

 eign countries, and to those directly and indirectly connected 

 with the manufacture and sale of insecticides, Paris greens, lead 

 arsenates, and fungicides. Approximately 65,000 public docu- 

 ments of the character above described have been distributed, 

 while inforrrtation has been further conveyed through the me- 

 dium of press notices summarizing insecticid'e decisions and 

 other matters of general interest. A voluminous correspond- 

 ence has been conducted with persons who have been sufficiently 

 interested in the law to make special inquiries. From the tenor 

 of the correspondence received at this department and from the 

 oral hearings which have been iheld it is evident that an over- 

 whelming majority of the manufacturers, jobbers, and dealers 

 of this country desire to conform to the provisions of the act 

 and to accede to the opinions of this department respecting its- 

 construction. It is hoped, therefore, that the publication of the 

 opinions and decisions of the department will give to manufac- 

 turers the information necessary to enable them to comply with 

 the law and thus avoid litigation.'' 



