The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-01-23
THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF AaRIcuLTURE
An Important Lao Of Great Interest TO
Farmers, Dealers IN Phospbatcs and
Fertilizers, Immigrants and Others.

AN ACT to create Department Of Agri-
culture and defining its purposes and
duties, and charging it with inspection
of Phosphatcs aud regulation of sale of
Commercial Fertilizers.
BE IL enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the State of South
Carolina, now met and sitting in General
Assembly, and by the authority of the
same:
SECTION l. That Department of Agri-
culture is hereby created and established,
which shall be under the control and super
vision of board which shall be constituted
as follows, to wit: The Governor, who
shall be en:6icto chairman, the Master of
the State Grange of Patrons of Hushapdry,.
the president of the State Agricultural and
Mechanical Society for the time being, and
two other persons to be elected by the Cen
eral Assembly, who shall hold their Office
for two years, and until their SUCCESSORS are
elected and qualified.
Sec. 2. The Board shall meet for the
transaction of business in the city of Colum-
bia as often as they may deem expcdicnt,
but at least twice in each year; they shall
receive no compensation, but shall be al.
lowed, except the Governor, the sum of
three dollars per diem and FIVE cents per
mile actually travelled, while engaged in the
duties of the Board, not exceeding fifteen
days in any one year.
SEC. B There shall be commissioner of
Agriculture, who shall be an agriculturist
He shall be elected by the General Assem-
bly, and shall hold his office for term of
two years, and until his successor shall be
elected and qualify; he shall be paid
salary Of twentyonc hundred d. Lars per
annum, payable monthly, and shall give
bond with suretics conditioned for the faith-
full discharge of the duties of his office, in
the sum Of S., 1000, to be approved and filed
in like manner as the bonds of State officers
lie shall be empowered to employ an eff
cient clerk whose salary shall be 81 200 per
annum, payable monthly.
SEC. 4. The Board shall prescribe the
duties of the commissioner, and said COM
missioner shall observe all rules prescribed
and execute all orders issued by said Board
not inconsistent with law.
SEC. 5. The board shall be empowered
to hold in trust and exercise control over
donations or bequcsts made to them for the
purpose of promoting the intcre,ts and pur-
poses of this act
AhS' W. L hS UOdiu uldy pECSCElDC
for and regulate the returns of such county
by this State and furnish such blanks as
may be necessary to secure uniform and
reliable statistics of their operations.
SEC. 7. The board shall have power,
and it shall be their duty to prescribe blanks
and have them issued, through the commis,
sioner, to the auditors of the various coun-
ties, with complete instructions for tn, col
lection of agricultural statistics and informa-
ton; and it shall be, and is hereby, made the
duty Of the county auditors to fill all such
blanks in accordance with instructions sent
and return the blanks, when filled, promptly
to the commissioner of agriculture.
SEC. s. The board shall investigate such
subjects relating to the improvement Of ag-
rculture and for the inducemcnt of immi-
grafton and capital as they may think proper,
including sheep husbandry, diseases of cat
tie and other domestic animals and their
cures, the ravages of insects and remedies
to abate the same, fences, reductions of cost
of same, &c.
SEC. 8. The Board shall hauc powe: in
cases of contagious disease am ong any kind
of stock or animals to quarantine or have
the same killed and burned.
SEC. 10. The commissioner of agricul.
turc shall prepare and keep in the depart
mcnt books Of registry, wherein any person
may have entered, upon payment Of regis
try free Of enc dollar for each tract or lot,
any real estate for sale, with terms, and file
in the office any plats, descriptive papers,
&c, desired also books in which may be
entered the wants of laborers seeking en-
ployment or of enpioyces* seeking labor,
the registry free of o1c dollar to be paid by
the person making it, and the books open
to the inspection Of all persons free Of
charge.
SEC. II. The commissioner Of agricul.
turc shall communicate, correspond and CO.
operate with the commissioner ofagriculture
of the United States and receive from him
and distribute most advantageous by all seeds,
documents and information.
SEC. ~. 1t shall be the duty of the CON-
missioner to collect specimens of wood, suit
allie for manufacturing purposes, agricul
tural, mineral and phosphate deposits of
the State, and deposit the same in his room
at the Capitol, and cause correct anal yses
of as may be deemed expodient to be
made and recorded in a substantial book to
be kept for the purpose.
SEC. 13. The Board and Commissioner
shall make an annual report Of all the pro-
cecdings of the department to the General
Assembly.
SEC. If. The Commissioner of Agricul-
ture shall be ex.oficio Fish Commissioner
of this State and be charged with all the
duties and invested with all the powers of
Fish Commissioner. He shall appoint two
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