The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-10-03

DEPARTMENT
Workings of This Branch of the
State Government.
HOW 1T HAS GROWN SINCE 1890

Question: am a farmer, and like
thousands of others, feel interested in
the work of the Department of Agri.
culture. In your monthly answers to
questions give me some information on
this subject. Is the department. an ex-
pense or a source Of revenue to the
state? This is not strictly an agrlcult.
ural question, but it is strictly business.
and the farmers want information on It,
ANSWER Answering your specific
question first. the State Agricultural
Department, so far from being an ex-
pense to the state. has paid into the
treasury, for the benefit of the school
fund, something like $4,000. AT first
the inspection fee was so cents ton.
The fertilizer business had not reached
its present magnitude, and it was
thought that 80 cents ton would about
pay the expenses of running the depart
ment. The idea of a revenue from this
source was not then thought of. But
the sale of fertilizers increased very
rapidly, and the inspection fee was con-
sequently reduced to 10 cents, All
amount so small that the seller cannot
claim any additional price for the fertil-
izers and yet it protects the consumer,
aud in the aggregate the department.
puts into the treasury clear annual
profit. That is after every expense.
Inspectors salaries, Inspectors expen
ses. tags, bottles, express charges, pub
locations, salaries of commissioner, his
clerks, state chemist and two assistants.
have all been paid, the state is gamer
by between $50, 900 and $50 900 each
year. This result has been accom-
plished by the exercise of the utmost
care and economy in the management
of the affairs of the department.. The
business of the office has increased tre-
mendously since 1890, when the present
commissioner took charge.
2. The work of the chemical depart.
ment has more than doubled. In 1882
90 there were 538 analyses; in 1896 81
1858 analyses, and the number of brands
increased from 440 to 1,178 One of the
|
missioner was to bring the chemical de-
partment to Atlanta. The laboratory is
now in the capitol and all the analyses
are conducted there.
g. Inspecting is no longer done in bulk
at the factories. The system of inspecting
inaugurated by the present commissioner
is the best of any state i'll the Union,
although the inspection fee of 10 cents
is the smallest of any state. Inspectors
are forbidden to take samples until after
the fertilizers leave the factories. They
on the cars, in the merchants ware
houses, ETC.. but always after the goods
have left the hands of the manufactur.
ers and are on sale. By this method
the entire state is carefully covered, and
it is an extremely difficult matter to sell
spurious goods in Georgia. But for this
careful and thorough inspection the
state would be flooded with worthless
fertilizers and the farmers suffer in con.
sequence.
l. Another reform inaugurated by the
of the annual pay of fertilizer inspec.
tors from 81, 500 to $1,000 each, and in
stead of keeping large force OH duty
all the time. only four are appointed foI
the full time. the others are employed
during the busy. season, and when the
pressure is removed they are discharged.
Thus, though the sale of fertilizers and
the consequent work of the inspectors
have both increased tremendously, the
cost is about the same. and until the
unprecedented sales of fertilizers the
past season, the cost of inspecting was
actually less than formally.
g. Under the present administration
of the department., the pay of the oil in.
spectors has been so reduced that
whereas formerly the state did not re.
ceive one cent from this source the pres.
ent commissioner has been able to put
$50, 900 into the treasury after all ex.
penses have been paid. 4~
z. Although the office work of the
department has doubled and trebled
since the present commissioner took
charge, the Office expenses are several
hundred dollars less each year now than
then. The increased work is done BY
the same number of clerks, three, and
their combined salaries have been re.
duced from s., 500 to So, 72O, an annual
reduction of $3.50 in clerk hire. Until
last year the saving in clerk hire was
over ST. 900 each year. but owing to in,
creased work and responsibility the sal.
aries of two of the clerks were raised.
6. Besides the Monthly Talks and
Answers to Questions, which are pub.
lished by the weekly press through.
out the state. the commissioner has
prepared and issued thousands OF
pamphlets and books, giving informa.
tion as TO the resources of Georgia.
These books and pamphlets have been
sent throughout the north and west.