Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-04-02
alexandria 0ax&tte
MONDAY, AFRIL2, 1877.
Agricultural Bureau.


III" following bill has been approved by Tit
Governor aul is now law:
L. Bs Il caactcd Ly the Genraj assembly O.
lie ,State Of Virginia, That the Governor o
this State Is hereby authorized and required t
establish . Department OF Agriculture for th(
State Of Virginia.
>. That said department shall b. uader tht
clutro auI management O! one officer, who
shall be Known as the commissioner Of agricul
!ul2 lie shall be appointed by the Governor
b. :nd with the advice ana consent OF the
Senate. Said commissioner snail be allowed
one clerk, 10 be chosen by himself, to assist the
commissioner in the discharge Of the clerical
duties Of his office. The Office CT said commits.
soncr shall te at the capitol Of the State, and
On Office and furniture necessary for the trans.
action of the duties Of lis office shall be fur
uishcd him blythe Executive Of this State.
3. That the salary Of said commissioner shall
be one thousand five hundred dollars per an-
mum, arl the salary Of his clerk shall be six
hundred d0lars pcr annum.
!. That the duties OF said commissioner
shall &c:
First. lie shall prepare, under his own dircc.
ton, 4 hand d-book describing the geological
| formation CT the various counties Of this State,
|
the soil Of said counties for tho various products;
and lor the purpose OF giving q general and
careful estimate OF the capacity and character
Of the soil Of tic counties OF this State, to OBJ
tain 4 correct ana ysis Of the same, he shall be
| furnished by the Executive Of the Stale, from
| tic State Treasury, with sum Of not more
| than ono thousand dollars, with which to pur
chase sufficient chemical apparatus to use in
| connection with said office, Tor the purpose Of
| ana yxIug the soils and minerals Of this State,
! and gualios and fertilizers, a7 he may deem OF
| impOrtanCr. Information upon the above sub
| IHct#, and others 81 interest to these who TILL
tie soil of this Stale, shall hG given, 10 clrcu.
lar OF pamphlet form, to the agricultural AS.
sG1iation5 or clubs OF the various counties 10
this State, Tor distribution, at such times a.
the coniil!i:i"innnr may be prepared to do so.
Second. Said commissioner shall hsgc under
his charge the analysis oi fertilizers sold 10 be
used Tor agricultural purposes in this state. A
fair sample Of cytry brand 0i fertilizers sold to
be f7ri IL the State shall he first submitted
to sad commissioners when lie shall have
thoroughly tcSted ihc sam2, which II shall bu
his Jnly Ia I;,, II he shall lind the same 81 nc
practical value, h. shall Sumnl0n before him
tho parties interested, ani give them
fail aud sufficient opportunity O. corrtclln.
ans niu"!c> which may haTo been dono IL
them by mistake, actInnt, or otherwise
And II IT. shall still be ounI that the brand
il Of IN practical value the sale OF The same tor
Use G this State AZ fertilizer shall be prohlG.
i,cl. Any person violating the provision Of
this aat BY selling any fertilizer 10 he used i'll
this State, without first submitting fair sam
ple to the said commissioner, under rules pre-
scrbed by him, shall be fined not less than
81 ,L - fry orh
Ona half oi such iiuc shall be paid to the in
former, and the other half into the treasury Of
Tho STATE: provided, however, that agricultural
lime, agricultural salt, ground plaster, wood
ashes, and German potash, SHALL not be subject
| 10 the provisions ni this ac!; an! provided fur
lhcr, tina. ua fee shall be charged hy tie com
missioner ior the analysis required under this
act, but each analysis shall &c lr2c OF charge.
Third. Said commissioner shall nave under
| his csntc,al charge The diseases CT the grains,
fruits, and other crops Of this State, and he
shall, at various times, report un0n any remedy
fer said diseases or any useful Information upon
sail subjects; and he shall employ, IN any mau-
rcr that he may deem lit, 4 chemist to assist
| him in his researches, and Il ecOI0elst 70 assist
| hi;u in preparing geological survey OF each
county OF the State, and other business that he
may deem CT importance to advance the lur
pose Tor Thich this department ls created.
Fourth. The said commissioner shall have in
charge the mining and manufacturing interests
Of the State, and shall collect such statistical
and other information as may be deemed use
(ul in regard to them, and may tend in any way
to foster and encourage them. lie shall es
pccialIy establish iu or convenient to his Office
10 the city Of Richmond, cabinet, in which 1t
shall be his duty to deposit such specimens OF
rock, coal, ores, lead, metals, and other mine
raj substances or useful matters discovered and
examined. aud Of models Of Inventions, and
other useful products OF manufacture is may
be rroucr and necessary to form as complete a
cabinet as may be in bis power, oft e spcc.
mems Of geology, mIncraIogy, manufacture, aud
other useful matters relating to the lnduSlriai
pursuits 0! the State. Such specimens shall
be labelled aud arranged 10 proper order iOr
public Inspection, and tho names OF the coun'
ties from which they were collected, Or inc
places where manufactured, to De designated.
lie shall also keep in his clhcc or IL sad cabs
net, conveniently arranged and Open 10 the IN
ep"cton Of the public, all maps. surveys, III
formation, and statistics gathered b. him 10
the Discharge OF his duties under tins act.
Fifth, said commissioner shall examine into
any question that may bc Of interest to the
jor,cu!iurists and trui: growers Of this State,
and in ali endeayors that lie may deem proper
towards encouraging these important Industries.
) Sixth Said commissioner shall report, 4:
hrrc!nbclore set fovth, upon any matter oil IN
trrc*t in connection with the dairy that he may
deem os interest to tEc people Of this State.
I Seventh. Said commissioner shall report up
, IN the culture Of wool, the utility and nrolII
Of sheep raising, ard AL other information up
) an ,his lmportant subject. SAID c1mmlsalonc