Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-25
CHIEF SOULE OF BUREAU OF INSPECTION
OF STATE Department OF ACRICUL TuRE
SPEAKS ON INSPECTION FOOD PRODUCTS

An extremely interesting discus
sion of the manner in which the
State Department OF Agriculture
handles the work Of safeguarding the
consumer from possible errors on the
part of the producers. was presented
Wednesday evening at the Augusta
Y. M. c. A. by A. MIG. Soule, chief
OF the bureau of inspections of
the State agricultural department,
speaking before the members of the
Red Triangle Village at their weekly
supper.
Mr.. Soule prefaced his talk with
a description of the four divisions
into which the department is divided
and the functions of each. He then
took up the work particularly Of his
own division.
The speaker first told Of the pre-
cautions which are taken by the de-
partment to prevent any outgrowth
as disease as the result of eating
canned food and showed how the
packers cooperate with the depart
ment by asking for inspection, there
by producing a higher standard of
goods. He warned the people to have
~OeNNAAA9 w Wv Win SdAtlCu SOOuS LIldI
mad any unusual odor upon opening
and to discard any cans where the
ends or sides bulge or where, upon
pressing in the side. it comes out
again.
With regard to commercial ferti-
lizers he pointed out that now laws
nave been made requiring the manu-
facturer to certify as to the content
or necessary plant food which the
fertilizer contains. Before selling
their product in this State they must
also pay fee Of $25.
During the war he stated, there
was great difficulty in obtaining
certain chemicals, particularly pot
ash. After much research deposit
or potash was found in California.
This potash however was combined
with borax and was used in the fer
tllizer without extracting the potash.
Inc result was a serious damage to
the crops of Aroostook and one COM
pany was obliged to pay the farmers
large amount for the loss which
they suffered.
He told of the different parts of
the globe from which the ingredients
came, including nitrate from Chile,
phosphate rock from Florida and en-
phasized the necessity for the rota-
ton of crops and of using proper
methods to supply nitrogen and other
necessary ingredients to the soil.
Speaking with regard to the blue
berry situation in Washington
county he said that there has been
much complaint because of an in
spection last fall which resulted in
the discarding of a considerable por-
ton of the crop. He explained that
this was done due to the finding Of
maggots in a can of blueberries sold
in South Dakota. Investigation
showed that these maggots are harm
less and that they found that q GER
tain territory. namely that about
Harrington and Cherryfield, was the
worst infected. Further investigation
showed that these maggots result
from eggs which are laid in the blue
berries by flies. The maggots later
enter the ground and the next year
the cycle is repeated. Mr.. Soule de-
clared that II the BURBERRY growers
would cooperate for one year with
the department by burning over their
entire acreage, this pest would be
done away with, but that as this is
almost impossible to accomplish the
department has appropriated $4,000
to find some parasite that will de-
stroy the maggots or the fly. The
State is sparing no effort to accom-
plsh this task.
The talk was very interesting and
one of the members of the dormttory
force afterward said he had learned
a great deal from the address.