Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture of the State of Georgia, year ending September 30, 1899

REPORT
OF THE
Commissioner of Agriculture
OF THE
STATE OF GEORGIA.
Year Ending September, 30th, 1899.
O. B. STEVENS, Commissioner.
ATLANTA, GA. The Franklin Printing and Pub. Co.

REPORT
To His Excellency, A. D. Candler, Governor: In compliance with the law I have the honor to transmit the
following report of the transactions of the Department of Agricul ture for the year beginning October 1st, 1898, and ending Sep tember 30th, 1899. It will be remembered, however, that my official duties began on October 28th, 1898.
CLEKICAL FORCE.
The clerical force consists of the following named persons: R. F. Wright, Assistant Commissioner and General Correspondent; Ulla G. Hardeman, Fertilizer Clerk; W. H. Haralson, Bookkeeper; T. C. Little, Mailing and Shipping Clerk; E. M. Donalson, Sten ographer.
After assuming the responsibilities of the office I found that a general bookkeeper was necessary for the purpose of properly dis tributing the work among the different employees, in order that a complete record and system of files be kept. Therefore, on Jan uary 1st, 1899, I appointed a general bookkeeper, to the end that these records should be complete and satisfactory, as in my judg ment a public office should be kept.
I have, under necessity, paid a salary to the bookkeeper that is obviously inadequate, and recommend that the General Assembly set aside, from oil fees, the sum of $1,200.00 to pay a bookkeeper for this Department, since this work has become largely increased from the numerous demands of the smaller towns where oil stations have been established, which was not contemplated in the original law regarding the inspection of oils. Besides this, the general

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work of the office has so greatly increased that an adequate force is necessary to keep the records in proper form, as well as to keep an accurate account of the revenues derived from different sources.
iXSPKCTIOX OF FERTILIZERS.
Owing to the demand from different sections for a more thor ough and complete inspection of the various brands of fertilizers sold in the State, I determined to give to the purchasers, as well as manufacturers, the very best service that this Department was able to render. To do this work thoroughly a large number of inspectors was required to cover the territory effectually and rapidly, and in consequence the salary account was somewhat larger than in the previous year; but on the other hand, by localizing much of the work, I have been able to reduce traveling expenses about one-half. On account of numerous complaints we made public announcement, early in the season, that those who had reason to doubt the purity or accompanying guaranty of fertilizers purchased by them, that if they would ask for an inspection we would have the same sampled according to law upon receipt of personal request to this effect. Many samples and analyses have been taken and made under this order. I take pleasure in stating that the work of the State Chemist and his two assistants has been competent and very satisfactory in its results. I appointed ,T. M. McCandless as Chemist, and P. L. Hutchinson and R. (r. Williams as assistants.
As to the legislation relating to fertilizers, it is mv opinion that we have already fairly good laws on the subject; but I believe that such changes should be made as will have the effect of improving the quality and raising the1 grade of all fertilizers sold in this State The recommendation of the. State Chemist in his report to me which you will find hereto subjoined, covers the question fully. However, I suggest that all laws relating to fertilizers be consoli dated, and that we have only one law covering this question, so tha both manufacturer and consumer may easily understand the same

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OILS.
lieferring to the law governing the inspection and sale of illumi nating oils in this State, the experience of the past year has shown it to he radically defective. The phraseology of the law is such as to permit of more than one construction. For instance, by fol lowing the exact formula prescribed by law, it would be quite possi ble for oil burning at 117 degrees F., to be passed by our inspectors; whereas, the limit set by the law is 120 degrees F., fire test. So that a limit which the consensus of scientific opinion regards as already too low is still further lowered by the formula of pro cedure, prescribed by the present law.
In my judgment the recommendation of the State Chemist on this subject, as given in his report, will bring about a decided im provement in the quality and safety of oils sold in this State. I therefore recommend that the present unsatisfactory laws in refer ence to the inspection and sale of oils be repealed, and a new and better law enacted.
PUBLICATIONS.
I have sent out through the weekly press each month, (two or three months excepted), six columns of printed matter, which have been published in about 160 county papers. We have issued 20,000 copies of the Fertilizer Bulletin for the season of 1898 and 1899. We have now in course of preparation our Annual for 1899, which will be completed by the close of the year. In this Annual we propose to make a complete statistical report of the varied industries of the State by counties, besides the usual informa tion on agricultural topics.
EDUCATION.
Idealizing the importance of education in all the vocations of life, and that none is more important than that which relates to the farm, I would recommend that elementary agriculture be taxrght in our public schools, and that nature's study be made a part of the curricu lum of all the public schools of the State.

VETERINARY SURGEON.
Since I assumed the duties of this office numerous and serious complaints have been made to the department by reason of the appearance of diseases among cattle and horses. These complaints have come from almost all sections of the State. We have done our best, in an advisory way, to furnish relief in all cases. Under existing laws we have no fund or appropriation upon which to draw for the treatment of diseased animals. I therefore join in the re quest of the State Dairymens Association, and recommend that a law be passed looking to the appointment of a State Veterinary Surgeon.
INSPECTION OP OILS.
We submit the following report of oils inspected for the year ending September 30th, 1899: Total number of gallons inspected.................................. 5,343,795 Total anfount received as fees........................................ $26,725 96 Amount of commissions allowed inspectors as provided
by law........................................................................ 14,156 90 Amount paid State as required by law............................ 12,569 98
There is a seeming discrepancy between this report and that of the Treasurer, but this is accountable to the fact that the receipts for September inspections do not reach the Treasury until October of each year; therefore, the receipts of the Treasurer in each Octo ber belong to the September account of oils inspected for the year preceding.
FERTILIZER FUND.
The following is a statement of the receipts and expenditures for the season of 1898-99: -Balance on hand, October 1st, 1898..............................$ 1,409 14 Amount received from sale of tags.................................. 34,081 13
$35,490 27

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EXPENDITURES.
By salaries and expenses of inspectors............................$16,560 63 By amount paid for tags................................................... 1,471 71 Expense of office (express, bottles, labels, postage on
bulletins, etc.)........................................................... 543 46 Amount turned over to State Treasurer.......................... 15,833 27 By balance on hand. .'.................................................... 1,081 20
$35,-490 27 There was paid into this Department during the season of 1897-98, from the sale of tags, the sum of $42,974.60. The use of fertilizers for the season of 1898-99 was largely decreased, so that the receipts of this office for the season just closed was only $34,081.13, which shows a reduction in gross receipts of $8,893.47 as compared with the receipts of the previous season.
REPORT OF THE STATE CHEMIST.
Atlanta, Ga., October 1st, 1899. Hon. O. B. Stevens, Commissioner of Agriculture of Georgia:
FERTILIZERS.
Dear Sir--The season of 1898-1899, now ending, has furnished a period of steady and continuous labor to the workers in the chem ical Division of the Department. We have made during the sea son forty-five hundred and eighteen determinations, including the necessary revisions and repetitions. Although the number of tons of fertilizers sold in the State during the season has fallen from 424,081 in 1897-98,to 342,869 tons in 1898-99, the number of brands inspected and analyzed has only been reduced from 843 in the previous season to 779 in the present season. The work has consisted, as is usual, of analyses of guanos or complete fertilizers containing two per cent, or more of ammonia, of plain acid phos phates, of acid phosphates with potash, also of acid phosphates with ammonia and potash, but containing less than two per cent, of am

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monia, also analyses of cotton seed meals and of potash salts, kainit and muriate of potash, all of which will be found in the accompany ing table of analyses.
Although the price of phosphate rock has advanced materially during the season, I have allowed the relative commercial value to remain at the same figure as last year. I have, however, made an innovation in the usual practice of the Department and have assigned to the insoluble or acid soluble phosphoric acid, the com mercial value to which it is entitled, viz.: ten cents per unit. It cost at the time the value was assigned, very close to that figure at the mine.
Additional value is given to it by the cost of freight and pulver izing. I therefore think it only just to assign to it at least a por tion of its commercial value, more particularly as it has an unques tionable agricultural value, very slowly becoming available in the soil, though of course not comparing in this respect with the avail able phosphoric acid. It has hitherto been the practice to assign to it no value whatever. The Connecticut Agricultural Experi ment Station assigns to insoluble phosporic acid in mixed fertilizers sold in that State a value of two cents per pound or forty cents a unit.
SPECIAL SAMPLES.
In addition to the regular samples taken by the inspectors we have made a number of analyses of "special samples," these being samples taken by the inspectors at the special request of farmers, of goods already bought by them. I think, sir, you are to be con gratulated upon having accomplished in a quick and satisfactory manner by this plan what is accomplished in a slow and bungling way under the operation of the Ellington bill. .
Under the latter the farmer who is suspicious of his fertilizer has it analyzed after the crop season is gone, and his crop has failed. Under your plan the farmer who is suspicious of his fertilizer, has a special analysis made for him, and learns the value of his fertilizer before he piits it in the ground. The samples this year were unusu

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ally late in coming in, it being February 1st before the regular inspectors' samples began to come in. Considering the late start and the delays incident to the unusual amount of work done in the laboratory this spring and summer on illuminating oils sold in this State, it must be allowed that we have accomplished the season's work in remarkably good time.
SUGGESTIONS FOE NEXT SEASON.
Of suggestions for the next season I have only two to offer: 1st. That the bottles supplied to the inspectors for taking samples of fertilizers should be of at least treble the capacity of those found in stock, which have been in use the past season.
2d. That you appoint at least one Inspector-General of Fertilizers for the entire State, a man of experience, judgment and capacity, whose duty it shall be to instruct the local inspectors in the art of taking fair, correct and impartial samples of mixed fertilizers wherever found. The taking of a fair and correct sample of a goods made from three or four materials, of widely differing relative weights, requires more of judgment, thought and painstaking care than at first sight might appear. Such reforms, the necessity for which could only be discovered after actual experience, would serve to protect both the consumer and the manufacturer.
It would be highly desirable if the great volume of fertilizer analysis could in some way be reduced, as for instance by the method already suggested by you, a reduction in the annually in creasing numbers of brands put upon the market, many of which represent the same goods under different names. As to the advisa bility and the means for attaining such reduction I leave the same to your wisdom and discretion, but will give you some of the reasons why it seems to me highly desirable.
In the first place, if the multiplication of brands continues in the same increasing ratio in the future as they have in the past it will not be long before the clerical force of the .Department, as well as the chemical force of the Laboratory, will have to be increased.

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AVAILABILITY OF FERTILIZER RITROGER.
In the next place it is highly desirable that the State's chemists should have the time and opportunity necessary for doing experi mental work on the methods proposed for determining the availa bility of the nitrogen occurring in the various forms of material that are used as a source of ammonia in fertilizers, such as cotton seed meal, blood, tankage, garbage tankage, fish-scrap, hoof meal, leather'scrap, raw, steamed and roasted.
The great increase in the fertilizer trade of the United States, and the South in particular, offers temptations for the utilization of various waste materials in the manufacture of commercial fer tilizers. The chemist is able to tell with comparative ease how much of the nitrogen in a fertilizer is derived from nitrates, how much from ammonia salts and how much from organic matter, but the nature of the organic matter is not differentiated by our ordi nary methods of analysis into blood, cotton seed meal, hoof meal, etc., so that it is possible for a fertilizer to be adulterated now with some non-available form of nitrogen without the analysis disclosing that fact.
Although 1 have reason to believe that little if any such adultera tion has been practiced in the South up to the present time, still with the growth of the industry we should be prepared to meet this condition should it arise, and in order to do so, experimental work is still necessary. Only five or six laboratories in the United States have so far applied themselves to the solution of this problem, and I am desirous that this Laboratory, doing more fertilizer work with a smaller force than any other in the country, should not be laggards in the work.
The Shepard Laboratory of Charleston, followed by the Con necticut Agricultural Experiment Station, arc the pioneers in this line of work in this country. They attempted to estimate the availability of the nitrogen in different materials by digestion in an acid solution of pepsin, briefly as follows: First, the nitrogen was estimated in the raw material, say dried blood; then, after digestion for twenty-four hours with the pepsin solution, the residue remain

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ing undissolved was carefully analyzed, and the nitrogen estimated in it. The difference between the two was of course the nitrogen which had passed into solution, and which was regarded as being available as plant food.
The conclusions from the experiments of the above investigators are given in a report of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, from which I quote:
1. The nitrogen of dried blood, cotton seed meal, castor pomace and maize refuse was in every case soluble in pepsin-hydrochloric acid by 24 hours digestion to the extent of 75 per cent, or more.
2. The nitrogen of fish, dried animal matter and of hone was in every ease soluble to the extent of over 52 per cent.
3. The nitrogen of leather, steamed or extracted by benzine, was in no case soluble to the extent of over 3G per cent.; that of horn shavings, ground hoof and horn, felt waste and wool waste was con siderably less soluble than the nitrogen of leather.
In the above experiments the solubility of the materials is made a test of their availability as plant food. Aow, of course the soil and vegetation tests must be the ultimate Court of Appeal to pass or condemn a fertilizing material. This fact was recognized by Chemists Johnson and Jenkins, of the Connecticut Station, and they made a series of careful pot experiments with plants, using the different materials which they had analyzed by their pepsin-acid method as nitrogen fertilizers.
The testimony of the plants wyas that their method of analysis was in the main a fairly good gauge of the availability of the differ ent materials. Their method, however, made one very serious mis take, and was reversed by this vegetable Court of Appeals. In the case of hoof meal and dissolved leather, the plant wyas satisfied with such nitrogenous food, and showed a high degree of availa bility in the nitrogen contained in them. Xow, it requires almost as much time to go to the Supreme Courts of Corn, Cotton and 'Wheat with our suspicious fertilizer as it would to carry the case of John Doe vs. Richard Roe to the Supreme Court of Georgia. So it is evident that such a method will not work in the fertilizer control and inspection of a great State, Wo are driven back upon

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the chemist's laboratory. He must devise some rapid method of deciding the question whether the nitrogen of a fertilizer is avail able to the plant or not, and do it in the same speedy and satis factory way in which he has done it as regards the availability of phosphoric acid and potash.
Work has been progressing on the question; evidently it must be slow' work, as each nevr method proposed must be submitted to vegetation tests for confirmation of their accuracy. But good progress has been made very recently, notably, the work done by Chemist -I. P. Street, of Kew Jersey Experiment Station, and I now think it highly probable that within a year or two at most the chemists of the country will be able to agree upon a method for deciding the availability of the organic nitrogen of a fertilizer, and one which they will not hesitate to submit to the arbitrament of the High Court of Appeals above referred to.
Owing to the great volume of fertilizer analyses we have been compelled to make under our present system, it has been absolutely impossible for me to leave and attend the meeting of the Association of Official Chemists which met in San Francisco in the early part of July, and so to hear the last word 'which may have been said on this important question of nitrogen availability. I desire during the next season to take part in testing the reliability of the new methods proposed, and to apply them to the samples of the inspec' tors, in order to see whether we need any amendments to our fer tilizer law's in Georgia, and if so, what.
So that any manufacturers of commercial fertilizers sold in the State of Georgia during the coming season who may use such mate rials as wool v'aste, hair or leather scrap, raw, steamed or treated, need not be surprised if in the Bulletin issued a year hence there should be a star and figures giving a low percentage of available ammonia alongside the column giving the total ammonia.
You wall appreciate the fact that if wo are again called upon to make about 4,500 fertilizer analyses in a period of less than six months, there will be little or no opportunity for such work. I therefore wish you God-speed in your effort to reduce the steadilyincreasing number of brands annually put out.

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THE FILLER QUESTION.
Let us be frank, fair, honest and just with each other, with the manufacturers and the public. What is a "filler" ? A filler is an inert earthy material, usually in the form of a powder. It may consist of pulverized locomotive cinder, of graphitic schist, of iron cinder from the Pyrites furnaces, of powdered coal-slack, of crema tory ashes and others substances.
These materials often contain very small amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash, but usually unavailable, or only very slowly becoming available in the course of time in the soil.
The business of producing this material has grown rapidly of late years, so that companies have been organized and factories have been built for the purpose of pulverizing the crude materials, and selling the product to the fertilizer companies.
Now, why is this done ? The general public elevates its brows and smiles knowingly. The demagogue talks to the farmer and says that a nefarious business is being practiced and winked at by those in authority. Is there an under-ground traffic going on ? Is there a fraud and a swindle being perpetrated on the farmers of the country?
By no means; not at all; under the existing conditions, the trade is a perfectly legitimate one. One of the chief causes for the use of a filler is the inequality in the character of the materials out of which all fertilizers are made. For example, Charleston Rock con tains about 27^ of Phosphoric Acid; the other 73^ is a filler put there by nature, and if we want the 27^ Phosphoric Acid, at any thing like a reasonable price, we must take the 73$ filler along with it. In Florida and Tennessee nature has been kinder; here she gives us 30$ and 35$ Phosphoric Acid, and only adulterates her goods with 70$ to 65$ of filler.
Suppose a manufacturer is located at Atlanta. He buys a high grade Tennessee rock, treats it with Sulphuric Acid, and produces an Acid Phosphate with 18$ available Phosphoric Acid. His Charleston competitor produces one with 13$ available. He comes, into the Atlanta man's territory, and sells his 13$ goods for as much

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money as the Atlanta man gets for his 18$ goods, because nature has put in his filler for him, and because the purchaser is sufficiently ignorant to be content to buy the Acid Phosphate by name and not by analysis. Is it wrong for the Atlanta man to protect his inter ests and commercial existence by using a filler to put him on an equality with his rival?
I think not. No fair-minded man will say so. And yet no man can deny that the filler business is an evil and a growing one. No man deprecates it more than I. My ambition is to see the day come when the Georgia farmer will always demand the highest grade goods which the art of the chemist and the manufacturer combined can produce. Such a demand would stimulate invention and dis covery by the chemist and the application of them by the manu facturer, so that in a very few years, the farmer would be hauling home on his wagon a ton of fertilizer equal in manurial value to three or more tons of the present fertilizer.
When at home he could mix it with his own filler, sand, woodsearth, or anything suitable for the sake of convenient and thorough distribution. The saving in freight alone on a lot of useless matter would be very great, both to the manufacturer and the farmer. But Agricultural Education only can bring about such a demand. Let us hope for it in the future. That is the only thing that will forever abolish the "filler" evil.
Is there no present remedy? Yes, much can be done to amelio rate the evil. I would suggest the repeal of section III. of the present Act, and in its stead the passage of an act, forbidding the sale of any Acid Phosphate containing less than 13$ available Phosphoric Acid. This would not discriminate against either of the three great Phosphate fields of the South, and would prevent the sale of much 10$ Acid Phosphate loaded with "filler." I would absolutely prohibit the sale of the goods known as Ammoniated Acid Phosphates and Acid Phosphates with Ammonia and Potash, containing less than 2$ of Ammonia or Potash.
Such goods are usually loaded with "filler," and are made in response to a demand for cheap goods. They are not cheap; they are really higher than a smaller quantity of "High Grade" goods

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containing the same amount of plant food. I think there should he a minimum of of Ammonia and also 2^ of Potash in all mixed fertilizers. There never has been a minimum for Potash in this State. There is no good reason why there should not be. Potash is fully as important an element of plant food as any other.
I think that in place of section III. there should he a section for bidding the sale of any Acid Phosphate with less than 13^ of availa ble Phosphoric Acid; of any Acid Phosphate with Potash containing less than 10^ available Phosphoric Acid and 2$ of Potash, and of any complete fertilizer with less than 8^ available Phosphoric Acid, 2^ of Ammonia and 2% of Potash, it being of course provided that an increase of Ammonia or Potash might offset a decrease of Phos phoric Acid.
Such a law, if enacted, would give our people the highest possible minimum guarantee they could have, without discriminating against the Charleston Phosphate deposits, and vmuld unquestion ably have also the effect of reducing the amount of "filler" used to the minimum, and would effect a saving to the farmers and the manufacturers of this State of many thousands of dollars paid out for freight on "fillers," and for the labor expended in producing the material, and the profits on the business.
HIGH CHARACTER OP THE FERTILIZER TRADE.
In concluding that part of my report relating to fertilizers, I wish to say that speaking from my experience for the past fourteen years as a private commercial chemist, udio has had as clients many of the leading manufacturers, and analyzed for the factories all the different materials used in compounding their goods, that contrary to the popular prejudice in regard to the matter, I believe there is no trade or business carried on in Georgia upon a more honorable plane than the fertilizer trade. Whilst many of the goods are far from being of as high a grade as they might be, they owe their exist ence to the popular demand for just as cheap goods as the law will permit to be sold.

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OILS.
On the third day of July I made to you an emergency report on the illuminating oils being sold in the State, a copy of which I append as being part of my report of work done for the year.
Since making the above report I have made experiments on some samples of oil, concerning which serious complaints were made that they would not give a good light. In all cases I found that there was no ground for complaint on this score if proper care and atten tion was given to the lamp, the wick and the burner. The precau tions necessary to secure good light from any oil, I have brought together in a series of rules, which will be found on another page of this bulletin. Elsewhere will be found a copy of the law of the State of JTew York regulating the sale of oils in that State, which will probably be of assistance in framing a new law for Georgia, which will, I am satisfied, not only give the people of tEfs State safer, but also better and more economical oils than they have hith erto been able to obtain.
A comparative experiment made by me shows that a quart of oil standing the Yew York test burns seven hours longer than an oil burning at 120 E. under the Georgia law.
WOKK OF THE ASSISTANT STATE CHEMISTS.
In concluding my report, sir, I wish to bear testimony to the careful, accurate, faithful and able work done during the past sea son by First Assistant State Chemist P. L. Hutchinson and Second Assistant State Chemist E. G. Williams. Their work has been steady, continuous and arduous, requiring both mental and physical labor, and that closeness of attention to small details to prevent the creeping in of errors, which only a practical chemist can appreciate. Without their intelligent aid, in both the oil and fertilizer work of the season, I could have accomplished only a small fraction of what has been done. They have my sincere thanks; and they are also due yours, for, considering the character and responsibility of the work they do, the mental and educational qualifications required

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for performing it, and the meagre salaries they receive, their work is certainly less appreciated in a substantial way than that of any other officers of the State.
I will not close this report, sir, without referring to the kindly aid and wise counsel you have given me from the very beginning of our relationship, and in your absence Assistant Commissioner Wright has ably and zealously filled your place and.extended the same uniform support and courteous assistance. Iti fact, my cordial thanks are due to all the employees of your office, who have aided me in more ways than I have time or space to mention.
Respectfully submitted, JXO. M. McCAlSTDLESS, State Chemist.
THE EMERGENCY REPORT OR OILS.
Atlanta, Ga., July 3, 1899. lion. 0. B. Stevens, Commissioner of Agriculture:
Dear Sir--During the past winter and spring you sent several of your newly appointed oil inspectors to me to be instructed in the use of their instruments. My attention was in this way called to the very crude and ancient instrument which we have been using for testing oils in Georgia for many years past and also to the very bad and unfortunately worded law on the subject now on the statute books of the State. Suspecting that the methods in use were giving us but little protection from unsafe oils, during a lull in the enormous volume of fertilizer analysis eve have been doing, I suggested that you order each of the inspectors to send me a sam ple of oil to test, together with the result of their tests. Accord ingly, under date of May 24, you sent each one a circular letter ordering them to do so. As I found opportunity, I tested all of these oils carefully and found my suspicions confirmed. There were notable differences between my results and those of a number of the inspectors. These differences were sufficient to throw' some of the oils even below' the dangerously low limits prescribed by the statute. Your inspectors are not to be blamed for these differences,

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but tlie law itself, and the'instrument used, which is prescribed by the law. The instrument used is known as Tagliahue's open tester; it consists of a small glass vessel, which is immersed in a copper vessel containing water. The water is heated by a small alcohol lamp, which transmits its heat through the water to the oil. x^ow, the law prescribes just how the test is to be made as follows: "Heat with alcohol, small flame; when the thermometer indicates 90 de grees Fahrenheit, remove lamp; at 95 degrees, try for flash with small bead of fire on end of string, held within a quarter of an inch of the surface of the oil. Heplace lamp and work oil up gradually from this point until the burning point is reached, removing lamp every four degrees and allowing oil to run up three degrees before replacing lamp, flashing oil each time just before lamp is replaced, until result is obtained."
Evidently the author of the above believed that "language wTas designed to conceal thought." Let us suppose the inspector making his test and following the strict letter of the law. Let us supposes that he has brought the oil up to a temperature of 11(5 degrees and has tried for flash without result, he replaces his lamp, following the strict letter of the law and waits till the temperature reaches 120 degrees, when he removes the lamp and then waits till the temperature reaches 123 degrees before he tries for flash again. Wo have here an interval of 7 degrees, at any one of which the oil may have flashed or burned without the inspector, who tracked the law closely, being aware of it. Evidently this is nonsense, and cannot be the meaning of the law, because the law also says "no kerosene or fluid of any sort, the fire test of which is less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit, shall be sold within this State," and yet, accord ing to the formula prescribing the exact way in which to make the test, it would be impossible to detect an oil, the fire test of which lay between 116 degrees and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the legal limit. Again, what does the "fire test" mean ? Does it mean the "flash" point or the "burning" point of the oil ? It cannot be set tled except as against the consumer, from the language of this lawT; evidently the flash point is the point of danger, or the point at which inflammable, explosive vapor is given off; and yet the law'

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says "work the oil up gradually until the burning point is reached, flashing the oil each time, until the result is obtained." What re sult? Manifestly the burning point. IXow if this law was not drawn by the attorneys and chemists of the oil companies, it might just as well have been. Isothing whatever is said in the law about the necessity for avoiding drafts of air, which might blow away the vapor from the surface of the testing cup before the operator could apply his flame, no caution to the operator to avoid breath ing upon the surface, either of which accidents would cause the oil to appear better than it really was. I mention these as some of the reasons why no blame should attach to your inspectors, if their results varied a few degrees from mine, or for that matter even if they passed almost "any old oil," that might be put upon the market.
The investigations of the British government, of Drs. Chandler and Elliott, chemists for the blew York State Board of Health, have demonstrated conclusively that the open form of tester is a wholly unreliable instrument, and that a closed tester, imitating as nearly as possible the conditions which obtain in an ordinary lamp, is the form which should be adopted. Elliott, after trying all the various forms of open and closed testers in use, finally set tled upon a form of closed tester which gave him the most uniform results, and which was adopted by the State Board of Health of Xew York. The Yew York law recognizes the fact that the flash point is the danger point, the point at which explosive, inflammable vapors are given off. It says nothing about "fire test or burning point," but adopts 100 degrees F., in a tester like a lamp, as the limit below which an oil shall not flash. I have made tests of some thirty different oils from different parts of the State by our own tester and also by the Yew York State instrument, and my results fully confirm theirs. Only two oils out of the thirty examined would be allowed to go to sale in the State of Yew York. Many of those which would be rejected in Yewr York as unsafe and unfit for public use would not only pass in our State, but would be re garded as extra good quality. Some of our oils, also in the Yew York instrument, at the ordinary temperature without the appli

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cation of any heat, would emit explosixe vapor. There is a clause in our law which says: "The fire test shall he determined by an inspector, who shall use Tagliabue's or other well defined instrument prescribed by the Commissioner of Agriculture." Xow, sir, I recommend that you take advantage of this clause and immediately order the adoption of the New York State instrument by your inspectors. While it is true the law says nothing about your chang ing the fire test of 120 degrees F., it does authorize you to change the instrument, and must, by implication, give you the power to change the temperature and mode of operation to that most suitable for the new instrument adopted. I issue this, sir, as an Emergency Report in view of the quantity of unsafe oil at present on the mar ket in Georgia, and against which our present law and system of inspection afford the people no adequate protection. Between now and the next meeting of the Legislature I propose to go more thor oughly into the subject than I have as yet had an opportunity to do, and submit to you a further report and recommendations on the subject.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN M. McCANDLESS, State Chemist.
On receipt of this report, the Commissioner issued an order, that it be spread on the minutes of the Department, and that a copy be mailed to each inspector of oils.
After advising with the Attorney-General, the Commissioner decided that the State Chemist was right in his interpretation of the laws, and thereupon ordered the oil inspectors to try for burn ing point at 116--117--118--119F., respectively, so as not to miss the true burning point, if it should be at either of these degrees.
He also ordered the inspectors to seize and hold all oils found below the law by the test so applied, and with the precautions recommended by the State Chemist in testing, until the oil com panies should obey the orders of the Department and bring the re jected oils up to the legal standard.
He also ordered the adoption of the New York State instrument, as recommended by the State Chemist, to take effect from the fif teenth day of September, 1899.

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REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST.
Office of the State Entomologist, Atlanta, Ga., October 1, 1899.
To Honorable O. B. Stevens, Chairman of the Board of Entomology of the State of Georgia.
Sir:--I have the honor to submit the following general state ments concerning the work of this Department for the current year. A more detailed report, discussing the insects of the season with remedial work against them, will be issued the first of the year 1900. The work has been almost entirely of an economic nature. About one-half of my time is spent in the field inspecting orchards and nurseries and supervising the treatment of those that may be found diseased. The San Jose scale is still the overshadowing pest, and special attention has been given to means for controlling it. Our field notes show that 130 separate premises in thirty counties are infested with this insect. This infestation covers premises from small gardens to orchards of 60,000 trees. The treatment for these orchards has varied according to conditions connected with each individual orchard. Some have been dug up and burned and others have been treated by various methods, as the case has de manded. Our experiments with insecticides have shown that for general work 20^ kerosene in mechanical mixture with water gives the best results for orchard work, and hydrocyanic acid gas fumiga tion for nursery' stock. Most of the infested premises have been treated in one wayr or another while a few have not been touched for unavoidable reasons.
The fall inspection of nurseries is now being made, and certifi cates are granted to nurseries whose premises are found free from dangerous insects and plant diseases. All nursery stock found in fested is burned, and nurserynnen situated in infested localities are required to fumigate their stock with hyTdrocy7anic acid gas, as an insurance against the possibility' of infestation.
Last fall nine nurseries were found infested. Four of these were cleaned up by7 burning and fumigating, four went out of busi

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ness, and one is yet infested but under quarantine. As a result of cleaning up the nurseries last fall only one has been found in fested so far this season.
In pursuance of an act of the General Assembly of Georgia at its last session, creating a State Board of Entomology, and author izing and directing the same to take action for the suppression of certain injurious insects and fungous diseases and for the preven tion of the further introduction, increase and dissemination of the same, the said Board met at Macon, Georgia, on January 18, 1899. Fruit growers, nurserymen and all other interested persons were invited to meet with the Board to discuss problems that touched their interests in connection with the law. As a result of this meet ing, "Buies and Begulations for the Government of the State Ento mologist in the Enforcement of the Act of the General Assembly, Providing for the Control and Eradication of the Insect Pests and Fungous Diseases which threaten the Fruit and other Agricultural Interests of the State, and for the prevention of the further intro duction of dangerously injurious crop pests from without the State," were adopted and promulgated through the State press.
Among other things, these regulations prevent the shipment of trees and other plants into this State from other States or countries without a satisfactory health certificate approved by the Board. For several years Georgia has been a sort of dumping ground for nurserymen in other States to dispose of their inferior and diseased stock. The ruling of the Board, as above cited, is to prevent this, and insure freedom from diseases of plants coming into the State.
Since these rules have been adopted certificates have been issued to thirty-six nurserymen residing in other States, entitling them to do business in Georgia, and official tags have been furnished them, which tags must be attached to every shipment of plants coming into the State. The laws and rules and regulations of the Board have worked admirably and have given general satisfaction. According to the direction of the Board three circulars were sent out for the instruction of those whom the law affected: Circular Xo. 1, "To Xurserymen and Florists of the State of Georgia"'; Circular Xo. 2, "To the Xurserymen and Florists who are shipping

2.3
or may ship trees, shrubs, and other plants into the State of Geor gia"; Circular No. 3, "To Railroad, Express and Steamship Com panies and Common Carriers doing business in the State of Geor gia."
A thirty-two page bulletin was issued, dealing with the insects and diseases designated by the Board as dangerously injurious to pilants, with suggestions for remedial work. Eive thousand copies of this bulletin were sent out to the farmers, fruit growers and nurserymen.
Aside from the San Jose scale, the most serious outbreaks of injurious insects noted this season are as follows: The Cotton Boll Worm, the Southern Grass Worm (Fall Army Worm), the larger Cornstalk Borer, the Colorado Potato Beetle, and the New Cabbage Web-worm. All of these have had the attention of the Depart ment, both by correspondence and by personal investigation.
A constant correspondence is kept up with all parts of the State answering inquiries concerning various insects and diseases.
Experiments with insecticides and fungi-cides are continually conducted with a view to determine the best remedies for the pests we have to combat.
EXPENDITURES OF THE DEPARTMENT PROM JANU ARY 1ST TO OCTOBER 1, 1899.
Traveling expenses . . . ........................................................$ 150 41 Expense of Board Meeting................................................. 18 65 Office help............................................................................ 53 00 Office furniture.................................................................... 103 00 Laboratory equipments....................................................... 100 76 Postage and Stationery....................................................... 104 90 Printing................................................................................ 341 06 Telegrams............................................................................. 3 22 Express and freight............................................................ 8 30
$ 883 30

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This department receives an annual appropriation of $1,000 for expenses, and it is seen from the above figures that only $116.70 are left to run the department through the last quarter. Indeed the appropriation has not been equal to the necessary demands of the department. Publications have been limited and other impor tant work has been restricted. I therefore recommend that the Legislature be asked to make an additional appropriation of $1,000 for the incidental expenses of the department.
Respectfidly submitted, W. M. SCOTT, State Entomolosist.
Office of Superintendent of Fisheries, LaGrange, Ga., October 7, 1899.
Hon. O. B. Stevens, Commissioner of Agriculture of the State of
Georgia, Atlanta, Ga.:
Dear Sir:--The report of the work of this division is from November 1st, 1898, the date of my appointment, to October 1st, 1899.
Having no books of data furnished of the work done by my pre decessors, I undertook the duties of this office under difficulties and embarrassments.
The County Fish "Wardens, whom I have been instrumental inhaving appointed, serve, as I do, more from patriotic motives, and for the end sought to be accomplished, than for the pay they receive.
I have had the fish laws of Georgia compiled and published in handy form, and the following are the introductory remarks in said pamphlet: To the Officers and other Citizens of Georgia:
Herewith is presented the general laws and a table of the local laws of the State of Georgia relating to the protection and propa gation of Fishes, Terrapins, Turtles, Oysters, etc. Together with

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these laws are given some of those incident thereto, protecting the rights of owners of waters and fisheries. An index is added for convenience of reference.
In many cases where inquiries are made in regard to the fish laws, it would be impossible, by letter, to give the desired informa tion. These laws have therefore been compiled and published in .a handy form that they may be conveniently distributed to those who wish to know-, and to others who ought to knowq what these laws are. In many cases these laws are violated by those wdio do so merely because they are not informed on this subject. With information disseminated throughout the State we hope that the observation and enforcement of these law's will follow'. Then may be readily seen the beneficent result of the protection of our fishes from extermination.
The co-operation of the officers and of all other citizens is desired and asked in enforcing these regulations.
These laws have been mailed to the several County Wardens, and many^other citizens, and wall continue to be distributed. The increase in the number of fish in the fresh W'ater streams, caused ky the breaking up of illegal fish-traps, and the abundance of w'ater and food during the past winter, is very marked.
Within the next ninety days the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries wall distribute black bass in this State to parties Avho have already applied for them. This department wall be allotted some of these fish, and they will be placed in such waters as are suited to their propagation.
Since my appointment the United States government has per manently established a fish-cultural station at Bullochville, near Warm Springs, in Meriwether county. The Messrs. Bulloch gener ously donated about fifteen acres of land for said station. Mr. W. II. Benton is in charge, and kindly explains to each visitor the workings of the station. Georgia is fortunate in having this fishhatchery placed within her borders, and in having such an obliging and capable officer as Mr. Benton in charge. Here wre have fish suited to our climate and waters propagated for distribution. With the help and information I can get from the fish-cultural station and

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its officers, and the experience which I have had in this department, I am confident that many of the waters of our State can be replen ished with good food-fish.
The expenses of this department from Xovember 1st, 1898, to October 1st, 1899, have been $147.01 as shown by detailed account, marked "Exhibit A," hereto attached.
Respectfully, A. T. DALLIS,
Superintendent of Fisheries State of Georgia.
In closing my report I wish to thank you for the many courtesies shown me in our official intercourse.
Respectfully, O. B. STEVENS, Commissioner.