424 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
PURE INSECTICIDES AND FUNGICIDES 
At the last session of Congress a bill was introduced in 
both the Senate and House providing for the government 
control of the purity of insecticides and fungicides in much 
the same manner as the purity of foods and drugs is now 
controlled. This bill was introduced at the instance of the 
Association of Economic Entomologists. With the in¬ 
creased use of manufactured insecticides and fungicides it 
has become very necessary that their quality should be 
standardized so that definite recommendations for their use 
may be made with accuracy and so that adulterated and 
inferior articles may not be imposed upon the farmer. In 
view of the fact that many states are enacting such legisla¬ 
tion the manufacturers are warmly in favor of a National 
law which will govern interstate traffic and which will tend 
to secure greater uniformity of state legislation. While 
the passage of such a National law would not prevent 
state legislation, it would in most cases make special 
legislation by the states unnecessary and where states 
desired to legislate they would tend to pass laws similar to 
the national law. Several conferences of entomologists, 
agricultural chemists and manufacturers have been held 
and practically all of the large manufacturers of insecticides 
and fungicides are heartily in favor of the measure which 
is drawn to protect the legitimate interests of both the 
consumer and the reputable manufacturer. 
The measure has been again introduced at the present 
Congress in the House (H. R. 2218) by Hon. E. A. Hayes of 
California and has been referred to the Committee on Inter¬ 
state commerce. The bill will also be introduced in the 
senate and an earnest effort will be made by the executive 
committee representing the entomologists, chemists and 
manufacturers to bring the measure to a vote before Con¬ 
gress. Practically all the leading horticultural and agricul¬ 
tural organizations of the country have endorsed the 
measure. It seems probable that the bill will be passed by 
Congress if the members of Congress become convinced that 
the people wish and need such legislation. At the last ses¬ 
sion of Congress the bill was favorably reported by the 
senate committee on agriculture but this report was so late 
in the session that pressure of other business prevented vote 
at the short session. In their report this committee stated 
as follows: 
“The bill was referred to the Secretary of Agriculture 
with the request for his views thereon and the measure as 
amended is exactly in line with his recommendation. The 
legislation has the unanimous endorsement of practically all 
the organizations of practical growers in the country as well 
as the National Grange, the National Apple Growers’ 
Congress, the American Association of Economic Entomolo¬ 
gists and, in fact, all the organizations representing the con¬ 
sumers. On the other hand practically all of the leading 
manufacturers are heartily in favor of the measure. Your 
committee considers the legislation of vital interest to the 
fruit and truck growers of the country and recommends its 
enactment in a law.’’ 
We hear very frequent complaint of impure or ineffective 
insecticides. In many cases these complaints are unwar¬ 
ranted and lack of success is due to improper usage rather 
than poor quality, but there is no question that inferior 
goods are on the market as shown by the publication of 
analyses by some of the experiment stations. In the last 
Yearbook of the U. S. Dept, of Agriculture it is stated that 
the Bureau of Chemistry has analyzed samples of arsenate 
of lead which were practically nothing but white arsenic. 
This would, of course, be quite injurious to foliage. The 
sale of such an article is not only unfair to the consumer but 
hurts the sale of properly made arsenate of lead, than which 
there is no better arsenical insecticide. If the fruit and 
truck growers and farmers of the country desire such legis¬ 
lation for the control of the purity of insecticides and fungi¬ 
cides they should let their congressmen hear from them in 
favor of the passage of this measure (N. R. 2218) at once 
and make their position clear as to the need of such a law. 
If you are interested in this write your Congressmen at 
once stating that the bill is before the Committee on Inter¬ 
state Commerce and you wish their influence towards 
favorable report by the committee and prompt action by 
the House. Write at once as the matter is being pushed for 
speedy consideration. If everyone interested will thus 
show their interest the law can probably be passed. 
NATIONAL APPLE SHOW 
The Spokane Apple Show has once more been successfully 
pulled off. It is said that the display was very satisfactory 
and that there was keen competition in each of the twenty 
classes. There were 2160 entries from 23 states and two 
provinces in Canada. It is estimated that 1,500,000 apples 
were on display. This included 13 car lots, 136 5-box 
exhibits, 278 single box exhibits, besides the various displays 
of pyramids and single plates. The first prize for car of 
Rome Beauty was secured by Washington, for Spitzenberg 
by Oregon, forWagener, Washington, Winesap, Washington 
also. The great mass of prizes were secured by Washington 
and Oregon growers. Wenatchee Valley was again success¬ 
ful in securing a majority of the prizes. Hood River does 
not seem to have figured. Outside of Washington and 
Oregon a few prizes went to British Columbia and one or 
two to the Eastern states 
THE FAMILY READING PROBLEM 
To find reading that satisfies one’s craving for the bright and 
attractive, and is at the same time perfectly suitable for impression¬ 
able young people, is at times difficult. The best magazines are 
admittedly published for mature readers only. The Youth’s Com¬ 
panion alone is for all the family. While the editors keep in mind 
the eager desire of the young for tales of action, enterprise and 
adventure, these stories in The Companion are so well written, as to 
fascinate men and women in all stages of life’s journey. And this is 
true not only of the fiction in The Companion, but of the entire con¬ 
tents. The articles, by famous writers, convey knowledge that is 
useful to the wisest and most experienced as well as to the immature. 
In short, The Companion solves the reading problem for the entire 
family. It is entertaining and it is “worth while.” 
Every new subscriber will find it of special advantage to send at 
once the $1.75 for the new 1910 Volume. Not only does he get the 
beautiful “Venetian” Calendar for 1910, lithographed in thirteen 
colors and gold, but all the issues of The Companion for the remain¬ 
ing weeks of 1909, from the time the subscription is received. 
The Youth’s Companion, 
Companion Building. Boston, Mass. 
New Subscriptions Received at this Office. 
