The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-01-16
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TALLAnAsxx Fla. December. ise2
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TALLAnAssxx Fla. December. lsea
Edissrs q ~ Floeiia QipstuA
The last report Of The Commissioner Of Agri-
culture for the State Of Georgia furnishes some
interesting items on the Inspection az CONNER
cIal Fertiiisen. This h subjecs on which our
own State should take immediate action, ind u
IN respectfully commended 10 the attention OF the
Legislature soon 70 convene
During the season Of 1901 there were 1884,
l6l tons inspected. which yielded IN fees paid by
the seller, the sum Of $76,232 and after deduct
ing 112 So - the actual cost Of the operation
salaries of chemists assistants, inspectors, &C.
-fhe net balance Of 90, 900 was turned into The
State treasury There was falling of the next
ast) season In the use Of fertilizers owing prob
ably to the severe and proiracted drouth. extend
ing well into the autumn months. Suli the
Treasury received over $50 600 as the net earn
Just think of a clear revenue of $4,000 real
lied by q State for protecting its citizens against
fraud. But this is not all. The honest manufac-
turcr Is rewarded by the enhanced popularity
OF his goods, while the imposter, after the dis
guises of his worthless limitations and noxious
Compounds are detected and exposed, is forced
10 seek some other Geld for his swindling opera
tons.
A thorough analysis, by disclosing the COM
mercial value of the constituents OF the manure,
guards against exorbitant prices, and enables the
consumer. the IaImeT, 10 StIeCt WIN CuuuuCuCC
the particular brand required.
In the absence of authentic registry, It is diff
cult 10 ascertain the exact quantity of CONNER
cial fertilizers brought into the State within the
past year. According to the most reliable esti-
mates the number OF tons ranges from 10000 TO
$4,000. Suppose it to be 10000. By the Geor-
gia schedule Of taxes and expenses, this quantity
would yield in fees the sum of 5000. Deiuct
$500 to cover the cost of inspection, and there
remains net balance of "a 200, not TO be paid
into the Treasury of the State, as is done in
Georgia, but to constitute fund for purposes to
be developed further on. 1t may strike the
reader as being better in these initial proceed
ngs TO appropriate larger per cent, or perhaps
the entire earnings for the support OF the In
spectng Department 1t amounts to the same
thing, in fact, as will be seen, and obvaies the
necessity of changes in legislation afterward.
For reasons constantly tending TO that end,
chief among which is the large accession annu-
ally made to the ranks of vegetable and fruit
growers, it is obvious that the consumption OF
commercial fertilizers will be greatly augmented
another season. And that their use would be
further stimulated by the removal Of all doubt
as TO purity and gepuineness is also clear. Con-
seuuently, with an Inspecting Department in
successful operation, it would not be unreason-
able to expect an income OF more than $l2,O00.
Such sum would wipe out all Indebtedness in
CURED to set the scheme in motion, and leave a
handsome balance 10 the credit OF the Inspection
Fund.
To accomplish this desirable result, IS 900
tons of commercial manures would suffice,
whether imported or manufactured in the State.
In few wears the revenue from this source will
equal that of Georgia, and exceed it. The very
nature of our products-their greater value
together with the rapidly widening area of cult
yatiOn warrants the seemingly bold assertion.
No State in the Union offers inducements for
intensive farming superior 10 Florida None
equal, unless possibly California. And after
our people have acquired a little more confidence
in this Ito them} new method" of farming, the
old ruinous $40 to SIS per acre system will be
abandoned forever.
1t will scarcely be questioned from what has
already been said, that an Inspecting Depart
ment would become selfsustaining from its in
cipiency. few thousand dollars will be re-
quired, il is true, for laboratories and salaries
the first year or two. but only as loan In
little while the Department will command an
income more than adequate to refund all adj
vances and meet every obligation
The interest on the Agricultural College fund
obtained, as is we'll known, by the sale of
lands donated by Congress for an Agricultural
College-amounts this year to little over
$4,000. 1t is said that the curators Of this fund
contemplate at some future day. after sufficient
sum has accumulated, the erection of a grand
college, of which the State will be proud" Il
is to be hoped however, that wiser counsels viii
prevail. The experience of several Northern
States, with ten times our capital, have INDUCED
a similar fancy for magnificent Agricultural
Colleges, to small profit. They send forth few
graduates each year who are better informed on
every other subject than agriculture But aside
from objections of this character which might
very properly be urged against suffering that
fund to lie longer unemployed, Notwithstanding
its increase by compound interest," is the pressing
need for it at this particular time.
The encouraging prospect held out by the fu-
ture in the way OF large immigration, enhanced
value of lands, cheap rates of transportation, new
markets for products, etc, warrants the belief
that the next generation will be abundantly able
TO provide for its own wants. Besides, every eff
fort now expended to foster agriculture, and in
struct the rising generation to appreciate and
utilize the many advantages of soil and climate
free to the humblest citizen of Florida, is calcu-
lated to hasten the advent of general and sub
stautial prosperity
A deliberate consideration of all the interests
to be subserved, has suggested the following
plan, which is designed to advance in several
ways, both directly and indirectly, the great
cause of agriculture.
Apply part, or the whole Unnecessary, of the
annually accruing interest of the Agricultural
College fund to the equipment of two chairs Of
Chemistry, one for each of the State Seminares
having especial reference TO the claims of agrcul
ture. Let the incumbents of these chairs, in ad-
ditiOn to their ordinary duties of instruction, be
also required to act as analytic chemists to the
1aotC III ShoSC SCoSi opuiCdt cCCtiouS uOW uiUu-
tary to the Seminaries respectively. Now for the
cost.
The services of a competent chemist are
worth 5000 per annum or "a 600 tor the two.
As for suitable laboratories il be stated upon
the authority of the Agricultural Commissioner
OF Georgia that the one used by that State cost
1000 In 1874, the year her system of inspection
was inaugurated 1t is true her present analytic
chemist, Professor White, who was elected about
two years SINCE Is also Professor of Chemistry in
her University, and of course has the use of the
magnificent laboratory belonging to that instiiu-
ton, which cost originally $4,000. The ex-
pense OF providing one or two Inspectors will be
trifing. Georgia has seven, and instead of per-
quisites or commissions, pays them salaries av-
eraging $743 each. In place of Commissioner
one of the Cabinet officers might be required to
exercise general supervision.
Al the close of The first year. fixing the date
for inaugurating the scheme at October /, 1888,
the account up to 30h September, 1884, would
probably show as follows:
To laboratories at 81 900 each ...... SsOOO
To salaries OF chemists 1000
To salaries OF inspectors. 1850
TO contingent expenses. 800
To interest 500 at 10 per cent-........... 900
$500
By inspection OF 10000 fertilizers 50 cents $4,000
Balance to inspecting fund. 100
The revenue accruing to this fund should be
invested and the interest applied to establish ex-
perimental gardens, assist in geological examina-
tons and kindred purposes.
An indispensable auxiliary to every school of
rrs1 vlas,ra 80