The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-31
THE ,l,lit AGRICULTURAL RILL.
Anew Department. Of tho State Gov
eminent to be Organized. ;.iz.

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Anew DEPARTMENT. Of tho State Gov
crnimcnt to be Organized. t..ia.
PROVISIONS OF THE, BHL-A GOOD OFFICE,
WITH A SALARY OF FIFTEEN HUNDRED
DOLLARS PER, ANNUM TO BEGIN WITH
THE APPOINTMENT TO BE MADE RY THE
Observation-Disclosures TO BE ANA
/ LYzED-A CABINET OF MINERkLs-DU
TIES OF THE COMMISSIONER, &C., &C.
The bill to !" establish department of ag-
riculture, mining, and manufacturing for
the State" has been signed by the Governor
and Is now laty. and reads as follows ~ :
l.sBe it enacted by the General Assembly of
| the State of Virginia, That the Governor
of this State is hereby authorized and re-
auired to establish department OF agricul-
ture for the State OF Yirginin.
| 2. That said department shall be under
the control and management OF one officer.
who shalt he known as the commissioner OF
agriculture. He shall be appointed by the
Governor by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate. Said commissioner
shall be allowed one clerk, to be chosen by
lie
discharge of the clerical duties OF his Office.
The office OF said commissioner shall be at
the Capitol of the State, and an Office and
| furniture necessary for the transaction OF
the duties of his Office shall be furnished
him by the Executive OF this State.
SALARY. OF COMMISSIONER.
3. That the salary OF said commissioner
shall be one thousand five hundred dollars
per annum, and the salary OF his clerk shall
be six hundred dollars per annum.
HIS DUTIES. ..:
/ 4. That the duties OF said commissioner
shalt be:
First. He shall prepare, under his own
direction, 8 handbook describing the geo.
logical formation ef the various counties OF
this State, with information as to the general
adaptation OF the soil OF said counties for the
| various products; and for the purpose of
giving general and careful estimate OF the
capacity and character Of the soil OF the
counties of this State, to obtain correct
analysis Of the same, he shall be fur
nished by the Executive of the State,
from the State treasury, with q sum
OF not more than one thousand do.-
Scient chemical apparatus to use in connec-
alyzing the soils. and minerals Of this State,
and guanos and fertilizers, as he may deem
| of Importance. Information upon the above
subjects, and others Of interest to those
who till the soil OF this State, shall be given,
! in circular or pamphlet form, to the agri-
cultural associations or clubs OF the various
counties in this State for distribution ut
such times as the commissioner may be pre-
pared to do.
ANALYSIS OF FERTILIZERS.
Second Said commissioner shall have
under bis charge the analysis OF fertilizers
sold to be used for. agricultural purposes in
this State. A fair sample Of every brand OF
fertilizers sold to be used in the State shall
be first submitted to said commissioner.
When be shall haze thoroughly tested the
same (which it shall be his duty to do), II
he shall find the same OF no practical value
he shall summon before him the parties in
terested, and give them full and sufficient
opportunity of correcting any injustice
which may have been done to them by mis-
take, accident, or otherwise. And if it shall
still be found that the brand is OF no practi-
cal value the sale Of the same for use in
this State as fertilizer shall be prohibited.
Any person violating the provisions OF this
act. by selling any fertilizer to be used in
this State without first submitting fair
sample of the same to the said commissioner,
under rules prescribed by him, shall be
fined not less than one hundred dollars nor
more than one thousand dollars Tor each
offence. One half Of such fine shall be paid
to the iniormer and the other half into the
Treasury OF the State: Provided, holceUer,
That agricultural lime, agricultural salt,
ground plaster, wood-ashes, and German
notash shall not be subject to the provisions
of this act A,ld prorided, further, That
no fees shall be charged by the commits
sioner Tor the analysis Of fertilizers required
under: this act, but such analysis shall be
free OF charge. ..... t...-,.....
.....r DISEASES OF GRAINS.
Third. Said commissioner shall have un.
der his especial charge the diseases OF the
grains, fruits, and other, crops OF. this State;
and he shall, at various times, report upon
any remedy for said diseases, or any useful
information upon SAID subjects; and he
shall employ, in any manner that he may
deem fit, chemist to assist him in his re-
searches, and geologist to assist him in
preparing geological survey OF each
county of the State, and other business that
he may deem of importance to advance the
purpose for which this department is Gre
ated. ii'..s
MINING AND Observation-Disclosures.
Fourth. The said commissioner shall have
in charge the mining aud manufacturing
Interests OF the State, and shall collect such
statistical and other information as may be
deemed useful in regard to them, and may
tend in any way to foster and encourage
them. He shall especially establish IN or
convenient to bis Office in the city Of Rich
mond acabinet, In which II shall be bis duty
to deposit such specimens Of rock, coal, ores,
lead, metals, and other mineral substances
or useful matters discovered and examined,
and of models of Inventions, and other
useful products of manufacture, as may be
proper and necessary to form as complete a
cabinet as may be in his power Of the, spe-
cimens of geology, mineralogy, manufac-:
ture, and other useful matters relating to
the Industrial pursuits Of the State. Such
specimens shall be labelled and arranged in
proper order for public inspection, and the
names OF the counties from which they
were collected, or the places where manu-
factured, to; he designated. He shall also
keep in bis Office, or in said cabinet, conye-
niently arranged and open to the inspection
of the public, all maps, surveys inferma-
ton, and dstatisticS gathered by him In the
discharge OF his duties under this act.
= HORTICULTURAL. .,-. !.
Fifth. Said commissioner shall examine
into any question that may be, of interest
to the horticulturists and fruit-growers OF
this State. and in all endeayors that he may
deem proper toward encouraging these inn
portant industries. "t:''-..,' =.
ts -. o. . #, III