The Portland daily press., 1883-02-28
INTERESTING TO FARMERS.
The Bill to Establish Fertilizer Expert
ment Station.

The following bill is now before the Legisla-
ture:
SECT / That for the purpose of protecting
farmers from fraud In commercial fertilizers,
ana from adulteration in seeds and feeds, and
lor purpose OF promoting agriculture by scienti-
nc investigation and experiment, the Maine
Fertilizer Control and Agricultural Expert
lnent Station 10 hereby established,
SECT. z. The direction and management of
this section shall be committed to a board of
managers to consist of five members, namely:
the president of the State College Of agricul-
lure and the mechanical arts, who shall be ex-
oncio president of the board of managers, the
secretary of the board of agriculture. who shall
ne ex-oficio secretary of the board of managers,
the professor of agriculture of the State Col
lege OF Agriculture and the mechs mic arts and
two members to be appointed by the Governor,
whose terms of Office shall be two years, ex-
cept In the first appointment one shall be de-
signated to serve but one year.
SECT. 8. The board of managers shall be
called together by the secretary of the board OF
agriculture ,atsuch place in this State as he may
designate within thirty days after the approval
OF TINS act for the purpose of transacting such
business as may be required to put the station
IN operation and thereafter the board Of
managers shall hold meeting annually at
Augusta on the third Tuesday Of January fol-
tne transaction of business relating to the sta
ZION. Olher meetings may be called, on due
hoilce, by the president at such times and
places as Will best promote the objects con-
templated by this act
SECT d. The board of managers shall To-
cate the station herein provided for, aud shall
appoint director who shall have general man
agement and oversight of the analyses, inves-
tigaIions and experiments necessary to carry
Out the purposes named 10 section one of this
ACT, and shall employ competent assistants TO
ala IN prosecuting the work of the station. 1t
snail, whenever public interest will be promot-
ca thereby, publish by bulletin or otherwise,
the result of its Investigations and experiments
ana snail make an annual report OF its work to
the Governor and Council, which shall be
printed and bound with the report of the Sec
rotary Of the Board of Agriculture.
SECT 5. The sum of five thousand dollars
annually is hereby appropriated to the Maine
Fertilizer Control and Experiment Station,
and the Governor and Council from time to
time shall draw their warrant on the State
treasurer for such sums OF money as are nee
eSsary 10 defray the expenses herein provided
Tor, an account of which shall first be approved
by the president and secretary of the board of
managers
SECT 6. The board of managers shall
receive no compensation for time and services
rendered bet shall be reimbursed for actual
expenses incurred in the performance of their
duties.
SECT. Z. Any manufacturer, company or per-
son who shall offer, sell or expose for sale in
this State, any commercial fertilizer the price
Vi WHICH cAC66u6 t6L QOlI4rS per UO0e SDall aIQA
to every package, in conspicuous place on
the outside thereof, plainly printed certi-
cate, Stating the number of net pounds in the
package sold or offered for sale, the name, or
trade mark unoer which the article is sold, the
name of the manufacturer, and the place of
manufacture, aud a chemical analysis
stating the percentage of nitrogen, or its equi-
yalent in ammonia, in available FORM of pot
ash soluble in water, and of phosphorc acid in
available form lsolnble or reverted, as well as
the toial phosphoric acid
SECT. s The manufacturer, company, or
person Selling or Offering for sale any COM
meTcial fertilizer exceeding ten dollars per
ton in price, shall on or before the first day of
April annually, or before offering the same for
sale, procure license from the president and
secretary of the board of managers authorizing
the sale of said fertilizers in the State, and
shall pay for the same the sum of fifty dollars;
and shall furnish the secretary of the board of
managers at the time of their appointment
the names of all agents authorized by him to
sell the same in this State.
SECT. 8 This act shall not apply to the ar
ticle known as s'porgy chum,' or to fish, or
fish scrap or fish waste of any kind, when sold
or offered for sale unmixed with other fertilz.
ing material; nor shall it apply to parties
manufacturing fertilizers Ia quantitieslless than
20 tens per year, or 10 fertilizers in possession
of dealers or agents at the time of approval of
this act.
SECT 10. The President and Secretary of
them deputized, are hereby empowered 10 Sc
lect from any pai Gel or package of commercial
fertilizer held or offered for sale in this State,
quantity not exceeding two pounds. which
quantity shall be for analyses to compare with
certificate found on the given package held or
offered for sale; and they shall select each year
at least one sample from each brand held for
sale, and shall secure its analysis at the sta
tion.
SECT. IL. The Secretary of the board of man
ayers shall register in suitable book kept in
his office, liss of all licenses issued and of
fees received therefor, and list of all brands
of fertilizers by them sampled; and all license
fees received by them shall be paid into the
treasury of the State.
SECT. H. Any person, or party, who shall
offer or expose for sale any commercial ferti-
lizer without complying with the require
ments OF sections seven and eight of this act,
or shall permit an analysis to be attached. to
ally package Of such fertilizer, stating that it
contains larger percentage of any one or
more of the constituents named in section sew
en- OF this act than it really does contain, shall
be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor
more than three hundred dollars for the first
offence, and not less than two hundred dol
lars nor more than five hundred dollars for
each subst queDt offence; and the offender
shall in all cases also be liable for damages
sustained by the purchasers of said fertilizers
provided, however, that a deficiency of one
per cent. of nj rogen, potash or phosphoric
acid claimed to be contained shall not be con-
sdered as evidence of fraudulent intent.