Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-09
LAW ON FERTILIZERS
CHEMISTS coNs1DEH WHETHER
CONGRESS SHOULD LEaIsLATE.
Third Session Of Convention Today
Addresses by officials of Agri-
cultural Department.

The question as to whether Congress
should be asked at the next session to
pass a national fertilizer law was dis
cussed at length at the third session of
the twenty-third annual convention of the
Association of Official Agricultural Chem
lists of the Department of Agriculture. held
in the University Hall of George Washing
ton University this morning.
DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, chief of the bu-
reau of chemistry and chairman of the
special committee having the matter i'm
charge, read the report, which closed with
the recommendation that the committee
be continued with Instructions to secure,
If possible, the collaboration of the great
fertilizing interests of the country in the
perfection of measure which may be
submitted to Congress with the joint ap-
prevail of the manufacturing interests and
the Association of Agricultural -hemists.
During the reading of the report Dr. Wi
ley spoke of the measures recently before
Congress regulating interstate commerce
In food and drugs, and said the members
of the committee did not deem it wise to
attempt TO place any more business before
the last session of Congress than was pre-
Sented He said in reference to the pro-
posed fertilizer bill:
IF the principle of control of interstate
commerce in products such as food and
drugs is successfully maintained in the
administration of the food law, and is sup
ported by the courts it will be less diff
cult in the future to secure the needed
legislation of a national character affect
ing interstate commerce in fertilizer"
Speaks of Chemists Work.
Shortly after the session opened Assistant
Secretary of Agriculture Hays made an ad-
dress, during which he spoke of the work
being done by the chemists. He said in
part:
Your peculiar work makes possible much
comfort In living. In education 1t Is
been promoted by this association. 1t is a
great law, and goes far to promote bust
ness honesty. The Department of Agricul-
ture Is proud that it has given its support
10 this organization. and helped it."
In conclusion the assistant secretary said:
Ut is true some of us have differed as to
methods, and we should apply ourselves at
once TO arrive at good conclusions"
During the session the members of the
association listened to the following papers
read: Inorganic Plant Constituents by W.
w. Skinner; Phosphoric Acid B. w. Kill
gore and J. NJ. McCandless: Potash A T.
knisely; Tannin, III. c. Reed; Insecticides
q. E. Colby; Food Standards, William
Frear; Testing Chemicals Reagents L. F.
kebler.
Afternoon Session.
The convention adjourned at II 80 O cloci,
for luncheon and assembled again at 1 20
o CLOCK, when the reading of the papers
upon the program was continued Messrs.
II. ). Davidson and Fl. w. Wiley will doubt
less be heard during the afternoon.
AT the session yesterday afternoon vari-
Gus technical papers were read. J. n pet
M or urbana, ILL.,, addressed the conyen-
tlon on soils and was followed by w. w
Skinner of this city, who spoke upon in
organic plant constituents. Other papers
We're read by Messrs. B. w. KiIgore II M
McCandless and A. l.. Knisely