The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-07
BUDGET SUMS UP S29,472
This is $4,000 Less Than For the
Corresponding Period Last Year.
PAT1ERsoWs SALARY RAISED TO 1900
-Four Thousand Dollars Appropria ed For a
Hatchery at Ayoca. Prof. Mccarthy Re-
elected For Twelve NJ ,nths. Mr..
Harris Salary Raised.
Harris Salary Raised.

The Board of Agriculture at its
meeting yesterday passed a vote of
thanks to Col. John S. Cunningham for
the able and impartial manner in
which he has presided over their de-
alterations, and the uniform courtesy
he has shown the members
The resolution, which was introduce
ed by Maj. Graham in behalf of those
members whose terms expire at this
meeting, but it was unanimously pass
ed, all the members voting. This ac-
ton was timely and conveyed mer-
tied compliment. Col Cunningham
response was graceful and in excellent
taste.
Maj. a. W. Graham introduced a res
olution looking toward change in
the law regulating the sale of fertili-
Zers. The change he desired to make
is to establish penalty for the selling
guano of grade less than the mini
mum established by law
The resolution provided that the
purchase Of a grade of guano lower
than the established minimum. be al
lowed to recover double the cost indi-
Gated by the deficiency in the guano.
Mr.. Patterson stated that while
these ingredients were those estab-
lished by law, and that the PROPOSE
ton in which they should be mixed
was named, still they were mixed in
other proportions, the loss in one in
gredient being compensated in an
other. This he said is without war
rant of law
In the discussion on the report of
the fertilizer committee Col Bryan
Grimes asked that the Legislature be
petitioned to change section nine of
the fertilizer laws. The law now re-
quires that brands sold in the State,
whenever any of the following ingre-
dents are asserted to be present, shall
contain soluble and precipitate phos-
phoric acid which shall not be less
than eight per cent? soluble potassa
which shall not be less than one per
cent; ammonia which shall not be less
than two per cent" He wished the
law amended to require all complete
fertilizers to contain not less than
two per cent ammonia three per cent
potash, three per cent phosphoric
acid.
1t was contended that this was low
erign the standard of grade. Mr..
Grimes said that it was lowering the
standard in money value of fertilizers
but increasing the standard in the
practical benefit to be received by the
farmer and that they were here to
protect the farmers interests. That
il PLAYED into the hands of the Dhos-
phate trust and that it was this law
that enabled to SO easily raise the
price of acid phosphate which they
offered in December for about seven
dollars a ton wholesale to sixteen dol
lars ton in the spring retail. The
law here creates a demand for this
phosphoric acid whether the land
needs it or not
He said he knew some of our most
successful farmers who after repeat
eddy testing phosphate on their soil
would not now put it upon their land
if given to them free Yet half at
least of the fertilizers they use in
acid phosphate though in combined
form as the law requires its use.
under the present law the farmer
cannot get brands containing less
than eight per cent phosphoric acid
even to experiment. with. The law
forces the farmer to buy about eleven
hundred pounds of acid phosphate to
each ton of the average fertilizer he