The Republican journal., 1905-04-13
LEGISLATION FOR FARMERS.

the consideration they deserve imam
any legislature that has ever assembled
in our State" They began by treating
the agricultural fairs very literally, be-
lieving as they did that it was not only
money we'll expended, but money that
would shortly be returned to the people
from whence it came.
An important new act was passed to
regulate the practice of veterinary sur
gerry, medicine and dentistry. This law
establishes State board OF veterinary
examiners and requires that no person
shall practice veterinary surgery, etc,
in Maine without a certificate from
this board. All persons now engaged
in veterinary practice may continue
upon registration with said board, CIV
ing proof that he Mas so in practice on
the date of the approval OF this act. A
fine of 800, or imprisonment IN the
county jail for thirty days, is the penalty
for noncompliance with this act.
The oleomargarlne law was changed,
so that now no person shall manu1ac-
ture, sell, or have in possession with
intent to sell any article made In lmlta-
ton of yellow butter or cheese, which
is rot made exclusively or wholly OF
cream or milk, and no person shall FUR
niSL Oleomargarlne to hotel, feStau-
rant or boarding house or to any guest or
patron thereof without notifying him
that it is not butter. The penalty for
violation of this is & tine not exceeding
800. In connection with same subject,
the legislature has enacted a law which
gives the Commissioner OF Agriculture
the right to enquire into the methOdS
of making butter and cheese in cream
cries and cheese factories, giving him
night of access to places OF business
and punishment of 800 WhoSOeVer OBJ
structs or binders the Commissioner OF
Agriculture, his agent or any milk IN
spector from so making investigation.
The legislature has also passed the I'M
portant measure known as an act to
regulate the sale of milk and cream.
which provides heavy penalties for per
sons selling milk from COWS known to
be diseased or selling adulterated milk
Or unclean, impure milk or Watered
milk, or any substitutes or spurious ar
ticle.
A law was passed also making it pos
sible for the patron of any creamery to
have their cream tested at frequent
periods by disinterested parties, If they
so desire.
L He law III ltSdlu W dlldl Vi 1OOu
and agricultural seeds by the Director
OF the Maine agricultural Experiment
Station, was amended and new teeth
put into the law. The law regulating
the sale of commercial fertilizers was
also amended in very material man.
ner.
A new act has been passed requiring
that all nurseries or places where trees,
ch he MI
sale shall be inspected once year by a
competent entomologist. This is to
prevent the introduction of dangerous
insects. The act also provides for the
hiring of competent entomologist by
the commissioner of agriculture, and
includes full details of duties of the
entomologist and commissioner of
agriculture concerning the ravages of
the brown-tail moth. gypsy moth and
other dangerous insects and parasites.
One of the most important acts
passed during the whole session and of
special Importance to the producers of
agricultural products as we'll as con-
sumers, was what is known as the pure
food law, and while it is very wide in
its scope it is full of teeth, and if some
one doesn't watch out they are liable
20 hear from it. y great deal of care
and attention has been put into the
bill, as the committee recognized that
1t was perhaps the most important sub
ject they had to deal with, and they
have taken every precaution to cover
The subject in practical businesslike
manner. When the definition of the
word as used i'll this act is taken into
consideration some idea of the scope of
the bill will be gained. Food as used III
This bill applies to every article used
for food OF drink by man, horses OF
cattle. and the penalty for adulterating
OF mnSDrandlng any article. or selling OF
offering for sale amy article adulter-
ated CT mlSbranded is a fine of 800 for
the first otftnse, and $500 for each subj
sequent otfense, 50 We would advise al
20 keep clear of Chapter IS.
While possibly it may not be consid
cred strictly agricultural yet no class
of people are more interested IN good
roads than the farmers, and the State
has certainly made good beginning
this year by providing for the appoint
ment of State highway commissioner,
as the opening wedge for systematic
state road building. rs a supplement
to this bill it has passed bill making
1t lawful to work the Jail prisoners
either on the highways or in workshops
OF stockades, preparing material for
use on the highways, and as the county
commissioners are in the future to
have full charge of the sustenance of
prisoners we can see no reason why
they would not be interested to have
the prisoners earn their board rather
than rave it come out of the taxpayers
Among the resolves passed, out of
the usual order, was one for $3.50 for the
Maine State Poultry Association, an
other for $4,000 for a dairy expert and
suitable assistants to labor under the
direction of the Commissioner of Agri-
culture, $4,000 year for the next two
years for the University of Maine and
$4,000 for this year and the same
amount next year for the State
roads.
For the first time in our remember
ance the agriculturalists throughout
the State have appeared before the
legislature in large numbers on numer-
Gus occasions making known their
wants, and the above is the result. i,
CLANS tn he Pyotecied