The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-01

pended by farmers OF THIS state for
fertilizers is from $5,000,000 to S.
100000 annually, and while most fer
tilizer manufacturers are honest men,
some are not.
An act of the legisl y prohibits
the use in the mauufa. uure of COM
mercial fertilizers OF certain materials
such as hoof, horn, wool-waste, etc,
that contain nitrogen in form that
is not readily available when applied
to the land, without an explicit state
ment of the fact; said statement to
be conspicuously affixed to every
package of such fertilizer or manure,
and to accompany and go with every
lot, parcel or package of the same.
This single item of legislation is
worth many thousands of dollars to
the farmers.
The spring sampling of fertilizers
this year resulted in the securing of
1874 samples, of which 719 we're ana
lyzed. AS a result of the analytical
work fifteen prosecutions were or
dered for violation of the fertilizer
law. These cases are now pending.
The sampling work for the fall sea-
son resulted in the securing of 1892
samples, which are now undergoing
analysis by the chemist employed for
this work. The number of brands of
fertilizer registered since Jan. 1 is
1887, and the amount of license fees
collected from manufacturers of fer
tilizers since that date Is $26,415,
which has been paid into the state
treasury.
Low Grade Feeding Stuffs.
The rapid increase of population,
as we'll as business, especially in the
mining and manufacturing districts of
Pennsylvania, in recent years has in
creased the demand for horses, mules,
dairy cows and all the meat producing
animals to such an extent that the
farmers have not been able to produce
q sumcient amount of grain to meet
the requirements of these animals.
This has led to large sale of what
are known as Commercial feeding
stuffs," which are made up principally
of the by-products resulting from the
manufacture of flours, breakfast foods,
syrups, beer, distilled liquors, etc.
The number of samples of CONNER
cial feeding stuffs collected by agents
Of the department since the beginning
of the year is 667 Of these fifty-sev-
en- were found to fall below the guar
antee of the manufacturer with re
gard to nutriment, and prosecutions
were instituted, resulting in the pay
ment of $11079S in fines and costs. A
few cases are pending.
Analysis of samples of linseed oil
since Jan. / resulted in fourteen pros
ectutions, thirteen of which have been
terminated, resulting in the payment
of $40S.72 in costs and fines.
The Bureau of Chemistry of the
department, in addition to the analyz
ing of feeding stuffs and linseed oil
has analyzed 1874 samples sent to the
department by manufacturers, dealers
and consumers of feeding stuffs. The
fees for analyzing these last named
samples, as well as all fines collected
for violatios of the law, were paiC
into the state treasury.
Assistance For Gardeners and Frui
Growers.
Requests to the department for as
ers and market gardeners have great
ly increased during the past season
For the purpose of giving concis,
detailed information on pests ant
their treatment twenty special circu
lars on the common destructive insect
and diseases of plants have been pre-
pared, which, together with marked
copies of bulletins, are used in lie,
Of letters whenever possible.
The periodical publications of tn,
department are the Bi-Monthly Zoe
logical Bulletin of the Division o
Zoology, published every two months
and the Press Bulletin, issued week
ly. OF the former, five numbers, ae
gregating 240 pages in editions o
$4,000, have been issued to date. Nor
than thirty-ive numbers Of the Pres
Bulletin have been sent to SOC news
papers of the state, in whose column
the Timely Topics on Pest Control
have been more or less regularly re
printed. Zach issue contains on a.
average three articles, so that ninety
nine separate treatments for pest
have been presented through thi
agency to the millions who read tn
newspapers.
In the departments laboratory tn
work of classifying and arranging IL
sects systematically for the museur
and caring for the same has bee
busily progressing. About 1000 spec
mems have been received since Jan.
Photographs have been made Of II
sects and 200 charts OF insects an