xlviii 
Monthly Council , May 3, 1905. 
OF Tatton, resolved, with one dis- 
sentient, that authority be given to 
the Finance Committee to enter into 
negotiations recommended by them 
with the object of discharging the 
liabilities of the Society remaining 
over from 1904, and of relieving 
certain of the Trustees from the 
guarantees which they gave last July, 
and which would expire on July 31 
next. 
Chemical and Woburn Committee. 
Mr. Bowen-Jones (Chairman) pre- 
sented the following report by the 
Committee with reference to the 
Report of the Board of Agriculture 
and Fisheries Departmental Com- 
mittee on the Fertilisers and Feeding 
Stuffs Act, 1893 : — 
Report of the Board of Agriculture Depart- 
mental Committee on the Fertilisers and 
Feeding Stuffs Act , 1893 
J. The Chemical Committee of the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England, 
after careful perusal of . the Report, 
express their general agreement with 
the recommendations made, and their 
satisfaction at the care bestowed upon 
the subject by the Departmental Com- 
mittee. 
2. They concur with the conclusion 
that the Act has undoubtedly been 
productive of benefit, but that its 
working and general adoption have 
been hampered in many ways, the 
majority of which difficulties will be 
removed if the recommendations of the 
Departmental Committee be adopted. 
3. They feel, however, that while 
credit is given to the Royal Agricultural 
Society of England and other kindred 
organisations for the work which they 
have done in providing for farmers 
facilities at cheap rates for the examina- 
tion of samples of fertilisers and feeding 
stuffs, certain of the suggestions made in 
the Report will, if carried out, have a 
tendency to limit the usefulness of these 
Societies in the direction in which they 
have been so long working. 
4. The Committee think that ample 
protection is already given by the Royal 
Agricultural and other Societies if 
farmers will but avail themselves of 
the privileges offered. Many farmers, 
however, are deterred by personal 
reasons from availing themselves of 
this protection, and the amendment of 
the Act should be so framed as to help 
this class. 
5. The Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs 
Act is one that deals with cases of a 
criminal nature, and was enacted to 
make obligatory the compliance of 
vendors with certain conditions laid 
down as to the description and invoicing 
of the goods they sell, and to prevent, 
detect, and punish fraud and adultera- 
tion. These conditions should be sim- 
plified in any amending Act. The work 
of the District Agricultural Analysts 
should be principally confined to this. 
6. The Committee therefore consider 
that, in the carrying out of the Act, 
the officials appointed under it should 
confine themselves to the duties speci- 
fied in the Act, viz., the reporting of 
samples, test samples, and samples 
taken in accordance with the Act, as to 
whether the guarantees given have 
been complied with or otherwise. 
7. The Committee regret that the 
Report does not recommend an exten- 
sion to at least fourteen days of the ten 
days limit during which samples may 
be taken. 
8. The Committee agree generally 
with the different “Conclusions” of the 
Departmental Committee, but with the 
following reservations 
(b) Proposal to appoint official 
Samplers. 
The Committee have no objection 
to the appointment of official 
Samplers. In many cases this will 
be the only practical way of getting 
the Act worked. 
(c) Proposal to take test samples not 
necessarily in accordance with the 
regulations. 
Except in the case of test samples 
with a view to the discovery of 
fraud, they do not approve the 
taking of samples except in accor- 
dance with the regulations. 
( d ) Proposal that purchaser be not 
obliged to send invoice or copy of it 
to the Analyst. 
The purchaser may be allowed to 
omit the name of the seller or other 
matter identifying the seller ; but 
the exact description of the goods, 
together with statement of guar- 
antee given, must be supplied to 
the Analyst. 
(/) Recommendation that the Dis- 
trict Agricultural Analyst be 
resident in district where he acts. 
Is seldom practicable and not 
generally advisable. The Analyst 
under the Act should not become a 
local consultant. 
(ri) That farmers be entitled to 
analyses by District Analysts if 
samples taken without the for- 
malities of the Act. 
That, except for test purposes, no 
samples should be taken or analysed 
under the Act unless taken in 
accordance with the Regulations. 
(v) That the Board of Agriculture 
prescribe uniform methods of 
analysis. 
Not advisable. 
J. Bowen-Jones, 
May 1, 1905. Chairman. 
Committee of Selection. 
Sir John Thorold (Chairman) 
having submitted the various recom- 
mendations of this Committee, 
Sir Nigel Kingscote moved, and 
Sir Jacob Wilson seconded, the 
following resolution, which was 
unanimously adopted 
