The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-05
Fertilizers Under tlle New Law.
For the information of all concerned
Commissioner Butler has issued the fol-
lowing circular letter:
OrrINE OO.Hs Or NUN1COLl VHPsj
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
COLUMBIA, S. c., Jan. 10, 1880.

lowing ClTCular leLleT.
OFFICE Com. OF AGRICULTURE,
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
COLUMBIA, S. c., Jan. 10, 1880.
Many inquiries being made of this De-
partment in reference to the privilege
tax on fertilizers and the general objects
of this bureau, it is deemed advisable to
publish the following information for the
benefit of trade and the public.
The Act creating Department Of Ag-
riculture in this State abolishes the
offices of Phosphate Inspector and Phos-
phate Agent, and devolves the duties and
confers the powers heretofore performed
and exercised by those officers upon the
Department of Agriculture.
All companies, manufacturers, officers,
agents or other persons, who sell or offer
for sale in this State any fertilizers or
commercial manures, are required to pay
to the Commissioner of Agriculture a
privilege tax of rs cents per ton on every
ton of such fertilizer or commercial ma
nure sold or offered for sale. Every bagt
barrel, or other package of such fertilizer
must have thereon plainly printed label
or stamp showing the chemical compost
tion of the contents of such package, to-
gether with the real percentage of any Of
the following ingredients asserted 10 be
present, to wit Soluble aud precipitated
phosphoric acid, soluble potassa, ammo
mia or its equivalent in nitrogen the
date of its analysis and the name, loca-
tion and trade mark of the manufacturer.
and that the privilege tax has been paid.
The State chemist is authorized to draw
samples of fertilizers from any brand sold
in the State, for the purpose of analysis,
and the result of his analysis will be re.
corded in this Office. The chemical con-
tents of the package must be put on it by
the manufacturer, and if the State chem
lists analysis shows that the law has not
been complied with, it will subject the
parties to heavy penalties. 1t is made
the duty of the Board and Commissioner
of Agriculture to see that prompt returns
are made of all rock and phosphate de-
posts lawfully miued, to secure collection
of royalty due the State, and to prevent
unlawful mining. This duty will be per-
formed by Mr.. E. L. Roche, special as
sistant at Charleston, under the super
vision of the Board and Commissioner.
The licenses to mine, bonds of compa-
nies, &C., will be under the direction OF
the Comptroller General. The Depart
ment is charged with the collection Of
statistical information this will be done
principally by the County Auditors)
which will be of interest to the planters
and public generally; to guard the agri-
cultural interests of the State; to keep
books of registry, wherein parties having
real estate for sale, or desiring occupa-
ton, or seeking laborers may register; to
supervise the fish interests and protect
the fisheries to cause soil to be analyzed
with o view to its adaptibility for the
culture of various crops as soon as prac-
ticable to establish department of me-
chanics, and generally to gather and
compile such information as will tend to
the inducement of capital and immigra-
ton and the development of the States
resources. The Board confidently appeal
to the farmers and the public to assist
them in this great work. The Commits
sioner will be pleased to correspond with
all persons upon any subject tending to
assist in the iabors Of the Department.
A. P. BUTLER,
Com. of Agriculture State of S. G.