The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1902-02-20

ClHle agricultural DeporLIneUrt. In re-
ply to your inquiries. | trust | may be
pardoned Q seeming egotism in the fol-
lowing summary. 1t is impossible to
give the information you desire in any
other form.
It is the duty of the Commissioner of
Agriculture to make the department
medium of dis
Duties OF the seminating in
Commissioner. formation Of in
ss---------s terest and value
to Georgia farmers by every means in
his power, publications.. lectures. per
sonal addresses. etc. Horticulture also
comes within the scope of it's influence.
The Commissioner is intended to be the
watchful guardian of the agricultural
interests of the state He is also charged
with the supervision and enforcement
of the inspection laws as to fertilizers
and oils, being empowered to establish
such rules and regulations las in his
judgment will best carry out the re-
quirements thereof" Out of the money
received from the sale of fertilizer tags,
he is directed by law to pay the salaries
and expenses OF the fertilizer inspec-
tors, whom he appoints and whose sal
aries he regulates; to purchase the
tags, bottles, labels, etc. used in ferti-
lizer inspections, and then place the
surplus in the treasury.
he also appoints the inspectors of
oils. They are required to report to
him, but their fees are regulated by the
amount Of oil inspected, and the sur
plus IS paid directly to the treasury.
The surplus fees from both oils and fer
tiliZers go to the school fund. In each
case there are certain legal restrictions
and regulations to guard against fraud
in the returns.
REFORMS DURING ADMINISTRA-
TIGN OF r. T. NESBITT
The legislature was in session when |
took charge in 1890, and | Immediately
#"--------- --x urged the abol-
Reform in tie ishment Of the
Oil Las. system by which
s---- ---'s oil inspectors
were then receiving such exhorbitant
fees, in some cases as much as $1,000
per year.
By the new oil law which was at once
passed. ana which strongly advocated.
%------------ # about sos, 10000
100000 Saved was saved to the
TO the state school fund dur
From Oil Fees. ing the eight
''--- years OF my add
ministratiou. [ was careful to bring
10 unnecessary charge against these
fees.
On tha same line of retrenchlnent.
the large number of long term fertilizer
,;--------- --------;, inspectors was
Many Thousands reduced TO four.
Saved by lteduc- These were kept
ti0n III Salaries Of on duty the whole
Fertilizer Enspec- year; Others from
tors. to months as
each Inspector was paid 1888 per
month, instead OF $l25.00, rs was the
case when | took charge. This was an
other reduction of thousands of dollars
in the expenses OF the department of
which the school fund received the ben
eft.
The Office expenses were also reduced
81 800 per year, and although the office
- d u t les were
Reduction Of steadily increas-
Clerk Hire 81 ed by the con-
500 per Year. stantly augment
''-------- ing oil and ferti-
lizer business, the work was efficiently
carried on by the original number of
clerks, with small increase Of salaries
Recognizing the fact that the system
of fertilizer inspection as then conduct
%---------------- ed, did not afford
Entire Change in adequate protec-
System OF Fertili- tion to the farm
ger Inspection. ers of the State,
*---------- --------'s at once presented
to Che General Assembly a bill. by
which inspections in bulk at the facto-
ries were entirely abolished and all in
= L. a
after the goods had left the factories in
separate packages. There were several
other provisions of this bill which placed
Georgia in the forefront as to the Judi
cious and careful supervision of her inn
mense fertilizer trade, and this law be-
came the basis for similar laws in other
States.
Another important Improvement was
the removal Of the State laboratory
4---ss from Athens to
Removal Of Chem the State Capt.
lists OiIioe TO tol. The change
Capitol. in the fertilizer
#--- law ard the i'm
mense increase in the fertilizer trade
had vastly increased the work of the
Chemist, aud the removal of the labra-
tory greatly simplified ana facilitated
this work.
The department was made the means
of communicating valuable information
---------------m on agricultural
Publications for subjects. Prac-
Farmers. teal discussion
"---------------- of topics relating
to the farm, the garden, the orchard F.
the dairy and kindred subjects were, by
arrangements with the weekly press,