Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture of the State of Georgia, year ending September 30, 1900

REPORT
OF THE
Commissioner of Agriculture
OF THE
STATE OF GEORGIA.
Year Ending September 30th 1900.
O. B. STEVENS, Commissioner.
ATLANTA, GA. Geo. W. Harrison State Printer
(Franklin Prtg. and Pub. Co.) 1900.

REPORT
To His Excellency, A. D. Candler, Governor:
la 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, 1899, and ending Sep tember 30th, 1900.
CLERICAL 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. H. Bell, Stenogra pher.
In pursuance of the provisions of "an Act of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, approved Dec. 20th 1899, which pre scribes the method and manner of testing Illuminating Oils and for the appointment of a General Oil Inspector, and for other pur poses," I appointed Mr. Glascock Barrett as said General Oil In spector, on January 1st, 1900.
The work of this particular department has been thorough and has given general satisfaction. I refer you to the report of Mr. Barrett for statistics concerning the receipts and disburse ments of fees collected from inspection of oils within the State.
Under the provisions of an Act approved Dec. 20th, 1899, which provides for the establishment of quarantine lines tor the protec tion of cattle in those sections not affected or partially affected with contagious diseases, I took up the matter early in the year of 1900 with United States Government and with the authorities of the States of Tennessee and North Carolina. We agreed upon

4
the line so far as it affected the State of Georgia. I immediately posted said line and appointed Dr. M. G. Statham General Inspec tor of the cattle in said boundary.
The effect of this law will be to greatly benefit the people of this section of the State.
As to the details of the work done, I refer you to Dr. Statham's report, which is attached.
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 Dairymen's Association, also a large number of people engaged in cattle and stock raising, and recommend that a law be passed looking to the appointment of a State Veterinary Surgeon.
PUBLICATIONS.
I have sent out through the weekly press each month (a few months excepted) six columns of printed matter, which have been published-in about 165 county papers. We have issued and dis tributed 15,000 copies of the Fertilizer Bulletin for the season of 1899 and 1900.
Instead of an annual for 1900, we have about completed and ready for the press a work on Georgia and her various resources and industries; but we are holding it back until we can get from the Census Bureau at Washington the latest possible statistical in formation on all the industries of the State. This work will con tain, in addition to a general description of the State, chapters on the geology, mineralogy, and soils of Georgia; on the progress of ag riculture in the State, including all the crops; discussion of farm

5

life in all its phases, such as truck farming, raising fruits, berries, and melons for the market, and stock raising; on public roads, railroads, and water transportation; on manufactures, showing the great growth of these important industries ; on education, benevo lent institutions, and religious denominations, and finally, sketches of the counties, with the most complete statistical report attaina ble of their varied industries within the State. In all cases we have given to agriculture that prominence which one would ex pect from a work issued by the Agricultural Department.
EDUCATION.
Realizing that no calling requires greater intelligence than that of the farmer, I would again recommend that elementary agricul ture be taught in our public schools, and that nature studies be made a part of the curriculum of all the public schools of the State.
FERTILIZER FUND.

The following is a statement of the receipts and expenditures for the season 1899--1900.

receipts.

Dr.

Or,

Balance on hand Oct, 1st 1899.................................. $1,081.20

To amt. received from sale of tags............. ........... 43,409.00

To amt. in hands of T. C. Little for expenses...

10.00

EXPENDITURES.

By salaries and expenses of Inspectors................. By amount paid for tags .......................................... Expenses of office (express, bottles, labels, post
age on bulletins, etc.,......... ............................. Amount turned over to State Treasurer............... By balance on hand....................................................

$16,688.53 1,635.04
684.14 25,492.48
01

$44,500.20

$44,500.20

It will be seen from the above tabulated statement that the sale of tags for the season of 1899-1900 amounted to $43,409.00. For the season of 1898-1899 the amount received from sale of tags was $34,081.13, which makes a difference in tavor of the present sea son of $9,327.87.

6
OILS.
Hon. 0. B. Stevens, Commissioner of Agriculture, Atlanta, Oa.
Dear Sir :--I beg to submit to you the following reports of oils in spected for the year ending September 30, 1900 :
Total number of gallons inspected...................................... 5,796,254 Total amount of fees received.............................................. $ 29,136 60 Total amount of commissions allowed inspectors as pro
vided by law............................................................. .... 17,319 31 Total amount received by State as required by law.... 11,817 29
There is a seeming discrepancy between this report and that of the Treasurer, but this is accountable to the fact that the receipts for Septem ber inspections do not reach the Treasurer until October of each year, therefore the receipts of the Treasurer in October belong to the September account of oil inspected for the year preceding.
Since I was appointed General Oil Inspector for the State I have thoroughly investigated the oils in various parts and sections of the State, and am glad to state that the quality and grade have been greatly im proved, in so much so that at present it is almost impossible to find any oil in the State that runs below 105, when the law only requires 100 de grees flash point. I have recently visited a number of tanks in the State and And that the oil runs from 105 to 115. It is clear, and apparently pure, and the burning point is all that we could expect. We have had a few complaints, but in nearly every instance it has been caused from bad lamps and poor wicks. The recent law which was passed has accom plished everything that could be expected of it. There is no reason known to me now why there should be-any risk in the use of the present oils which are being used in Georgia.
Respectfully submitted, Glascock Barrett, State Oil Inspector.

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REPORT OF THE STATE CHEMIST.
Hon. O. B. Stevens, Commissioner of Agriculture of the State of Georgia: Dear Sir : The season of 1899-1900 is now nearing a finish, and I fur
nish you herewith tables of analyses of the various brands of fertilizers sold in the State the past season. The number of tons of fertilizers sold in the State has been 412,755, as compared with 342,869 tons the previous season ; the number of brands, however, has been reduced from 779 last year to 699 this season. The nature of the work has been of the usual character, as will be disclosed by an inspection of the annexed tables of analyses, showing the percentages of valuable plant food in the various guanos, acid phosphates, acid phosphates with potash and with ammonia, cotton-seed meals and potash salts, etc., manufactured and sold by the various companies and dealers in and out of the State.
VALUATIONS.
The commercial values for this season have ranged materially above those for last year. When fixing the values for the year on the first of January, I found by correspondence and inquiry that the price of phos phate rock, of brimstone, of pyrites, and of all the ammoniates, both ani mal and vegetable, had had a pronounced rise. These quotations you will find given on another page of this bulletin, and calculating from these quotations, the price of available phosphoric acid was placed at 70cper unit, as compared with 65c. the previous season, the unit price of am monia was also raised from $2.00 a unit to |2.20. The price of potash alone remained the same at 85c. per unit.
COTTON-SEED MEALS.
In the case of cotton-seed meals I have departed from the usual course heretofore pursued of valuing them only according to their percentage of ammonia. In this bulletin the value of the ammonia in the meal is calculated at $2.20 per unit and to this value $3.42 is added for upland meals to cover the value of the 1.8% potash, and 2.7% phosphoric acid, which is the average content of those meals; in the case of sea island meals $2.60 is added to cover the value of the 15% potash and 1.9% phos phoric acid which is the average content of these meals.
BONE MEALS.
Inasmuch as the availability of the nitrogen and "phosphoric acid in bone meals is considered by the best authorities to vary according to the fineness to which these meals are ground, I decided to adopt the Connecti cut plan with such goods, that is to weigh the sample carefully as soon as the bottle is opened, then to pass it through a sieve with meshes l/50th of an inch in diameter, and weigh the fine meal which passes through so as to get the percentages of coarse and fine meal in the sample before putting it through the usual process of preparation for analysis. To the nitrogen from the fine bone meal a valuation of $2.20 a unit is given.

8
to that from the coarse a value of 11.60 a unit is given To the phosphoric acid from the fine meal a value of 70c. a unit is given, to that from the coarse a value of 60c. a unit is given.
AVAILABILITY OF FEBTILIZEE NITBOGEN.
Recalling to your attention the remarks made in my report of last year on the availability of fertilizer nitrogen, a great deal of laboratory work has also been done the past year along this line. The Association of Offi cial Chemists has now taken up this matter and its members are doing steady, though necessarily slow, work toward the development of chemi cal methods for estimating the availability of the nitrogen as plant food in the various fertilizer materials on the market. In connection with our chemical work on this line I made some pot experiments on oats this spring which may be of interest to you: Twelve flower pots, each lOinches in diameter at the top, were selected, carefully painted inside with asphalt paint, to prevent the absorption of any of the fertilizing constituents intothe pores of the pots. These pots being numbered were all filled to within an inch of the top with sifted coal ashes containing no nitrogen. To each pot was added acid phosphate containing 3 grams phosphoric acid -r also 3 grams sodium chloride; also J gram magnesium sulphate; also 25 grams carbonate of lime ; also 2 grams of 50% muriate of potash. These chemicals were thoroughly incorporated with the sifted coal ashes. Also in order to furnish a little organic matter, some muck containing only % of nitrogen was added to the extent of 3% of the weight of the coal ashes. The pots now contained all the elements of plant life with the exception of sufficient nitrogen. This was now supplied as follows: To pots Nos. 1, 2, 3]4, garbage tankage was added in increasing amounts; to No. 1 an amount equal to 1 gram nitrogen; to No. 2, J gram nitrogen ; to No. 3, f gram nitrogen ; to No. 4,1 gram nitrogen ; to No. 5, hoof meal was added containing 1 gram nitrogen; to No. 6, cotton-seed meal containing 1 gram nitrogen; to No. 7, powdered leather containing 1 gram nitrogen ; to No. 8r nitrate soda containing % gram nitrogen ; to No. 9, nitrate soda contain ing | gram nitrogen ; to No. 10, nitrate soda containing 1 gram nitrogen ; to No. 11, nothing; to No. 12, nothing.
Carefully selected oat seed to the number of 25 were planted in each pot and when all were up, were thinned out to a uniform stand of 18 plants to the pot. All the pots received exactly the same care and the same amount of water each day. The accompanying photographs, skillfully made by Mr. R. G. Williams, assistant chemist, will tell the story of the effects of the different nitrogenous fertilizers better than any words of mine can describe it.
It will be observed that the effect of the leather seemed to be positively injurious, the showing made in that pot, No. 7, being even more stunted than in the pots without any nitrogenous fertilizer; on the contrary pot No. 5, to which hoof mealiwas added, a material which a few years ago was commonly condemned as a worthless and fraudulent fertilizer, shows about as healthy and vigorous growth as any of the pots. Unfortunately, during the very wet weather in June last, lice attacked the plants in the

11
pots, in some to a greater extent than in others, thus rendering it use less for me to analyze the plants and determine the exact quantities of ni trogen which they had been able to extract from the various fertilizers, and thus report in a more scientific way as to the relative availability of the different nitrogenous fertilizers used.
OILS.
The new law regulating the sale and inspection of illuminating oils, which we succeeded in carrying through at the last session of the Legis lature, though not without a hard fought battle, 'has worked smoothly during the past season, since it came into operation. You and `the very efficient General Oil Inspector, Mr. Barrett, and the people of the State of Georgia, and the oil companies are all to be congratulated upon the char acter of the illuminating oil now supplied and sold throughout the State. The following table of analyses of oils taken at random from different sec tions of the State will show that the above is not an idle boast:

6 302-F.

i

11.00

2

0.9

3

0.5

4

0.5

5

0.5

6

2.5

7

2.5

8

1.1

9

1.8

10

1.2

392
31.8 27.6 31.7 27.75 32 5 37. 38.5 34.5 37.5 37.5

482
46.00 20.00 48. 40. 35.5 34. 33. 37 5 40.5 38.5

572
5.5 28. 15.5 22 5 24.5 20.0 20. 22.5 16. 18.5

Left in the Retort.
5.7 -R 23.5 4.3 9.25
7.00 6.50-R 6.00 " 4.4 " 4.2 " 4.3 "

In the above table the figures in the second column represent the per

centages of oil which distilled over at a temperature below 302F, they

consist of light oils or napthas. The figures in the next 3 columns show

the percentages of oil distilling over at and below the temperatures named,

viz : 392F, 482F, 570F. These oils constitute the good normal burning

kerosene oil. The figures in the last column represent the oil remaining

in the retort and refusing to distill at a temperature of 572F. This frac

tion constitutes what is known as "heavy oil" or lubricating oil.. I giva

below an analysis for sake of comparison made Jast year of the kind of

oil which was commonly sold in the State before the present law went

into effect.

302F

392

482

572

Left in the Retort

14.00

31.00 24.00

15.00

16.00

You will at once notice the remarkable manner in which the light in flammable oils or napthas have been removed from the oils now sold in the State, as compared with those sold a year ago, and that over 90% of the oils now sold consists of pure burning oil. You will also note that

12

samples Nos. 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are marked with an R. That means that those oils, whilst of very good quality otherwise, still contain too much naphtha or light oil to stand the test of the instrument now legalized in Georgia and by which all oils are now being tested. In other words, it appears from the analyses, so far made, that no oil containing as much as one per cent, even of light oil distilling below 302F. will stand the flash test of the new Georgia instrument. In other words, we have now on the market in Geor gia a quality of oil which in all probability will not only not explode, but not even take fire if the lamp in which it is burning should be accidentally
turned over and broken.
PHOTOMETRIC TEST.

I further made a photometric test of the oil we are now consuming^

I filled a lamp having a one and a half inch flat wick, open woven,

with the oil we are now consuming. I carefully weighed the lamp, with

its oil and chimney, then lit it, tested it in the photometer, and found its

average candle power to be 16.44. After burning for 3 hours I again

weighed it, noted the loss of oil, and found that the lamp consumed 2.67

grams of oil per candle power per hour. A similar test with oil of the old

quality showed a consumption of 3.56 grams of oil per candle power per

hour or 33% greater consumption of oil per candle power per hour.

I have, sir, to thank you and Assistant Commissioner Wright for your

kind and steadfast support in the work of the year, nor must I close this

report without referring with deep appreciation to the sterling, honest,

faithful, though silent and unobstrusive, work of the Assistant State

Chemists, Messrs. P. L. Hutchinson and R. G. Williams.

Respectfully submitted.

Jno. M. McCandless, State Chemist.

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REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST.
Office of the State Entomologist, Atlanta, Ga., October 1, 1900.
To the Georgia State Board of Entomology: Sirs:--I have the honor to submit the following brief report on the
work of this department for the current year. The continued growth of the fruit industry of the State, and the ardent
desire of the fruit-growers and nurserymen to check the progress of the San Jose scale and other pests, have so increased the demand for the ser vices of this department that it has been impossible for me (being with out assistance) to properly execute what ought to be the work of the de partment. My time is about equally divided between the outside work and the office work.
FIELD WORK.
The work in the field consists of-- First. The Inspection and fumigation of nursery stock. Second. The inspection of orchards and the general supervision of their treatment when found infested or diseased. Third. The investigation of insect and disease outbreaks upon farm and garden crops, and Fourth. Conducting experiments to determine the best remedies for the pests we have to combat. This outline furnishes a large field for work, all of which is important and necessary to the proper protection of the horticultural and agricul tural interests of the State.
OFFICE WORK.
The office work consists of, First. Correspondence, which is kept up with all parts of the State, an swering inquiries concerning various insects and diseases, and the general care and culture of orchards, etc. Second. Issuing official tags with certificate to nurserymen in other States doing business in Georgia. Third. Giving instructions and directions for the treatment of insects and diseases through circular letters and printed circulars. Fourth. Keeping accounts, writing up notes and attending to other details of the office. In executing this work, I have endeavored to conform to the instruc tions of the Board issued to me at its last meeting, on January 23, 1900, and have used discretion in enforcing the law and rules of the Board gov erning this department. The work against the San Jose scale has required the greater part of my time during this year, as last. Several new localities have been found infested since the last report--orchards that had never been inspected before.

14
On account of the scale it has been necessary to condemn and destroy about 50,000 orchard trees during the year. These trees were for the most part beyond recovery, and were destroyed in order to prevent the further spread of the pest to adjacent orchards.
I am still recommending 20 per cent, kerosene in mechanical mixture with water as a winter treatment for the scale, and 10 per cent, kerosene as a summer treatment. I am making a series of experiments with the use of crude petroleum against the scale, and up to date very satisfactory results have been obtained, but further experiments must be made before I can recommend it for general work.
We have the work so well in hand now that the pest should not be very difficult to hold in check, but it will require careful and thorough work.
A number of other insect pests have required attention during the year, but this brief report will not admit of their mention.
The brown rot was very destructive to the peach and plum crops this season, owing principally to the excessive rains in June. In my opinion, a conservative estimate of the loss by rot of the peach crop over the State this year would be about 40 per cent. Beginning in 1898, and running through this year, I have conducted a series of experiments that show conclusively that this trouble can be prevented to a large extent by the use of Bordeaux mixture.
The peach leaf curl is becoming a serious fungus disease of the peach, particularly in North Georgia. In some localities a large per cent, of the crop was lost from the effects of this disease. Experiments that I con ducted last spring at Marietta show that this disease can also be controlled by the use of Bordeaux.
NURSERY INSPECTION.
Perhaps the most important work of this department is the annual in spection of nurseries. The inspection for this season is now being made, and fifty nurseries have already been inspected, leaving about twenty yet to be inspected. As a rule, the nurseries are in fair condition. Four have been found infested with the San Jose scale, and certificates were withheld from these.
The insects and diseases that have been most commonly found in the nurseries are as follows: On the apple, the wooly Aphis, the plant louse; also the crown gall and root-rot, a disease not yet well understood. On the peach, the nematode root-knot, crown gall and a new species of Aphis. On the plum, crown gall and the Aphis, referred to under the peach.
OFFICIAL TAGS.
According to the rules of the Board, nurserymen in other States doing business in Georgia must file their Entomologist's certificate of inspection with this department, and, if these certificates he found satisfactory, we issue official tags bearing the Board's certificate, which tags must be at tached to every shipment of nursery stock coming into Georgia.
These tags, or permits, were issued to forty-four outside nurserymen last year. In one case last spring, a bill of infested trees was shipped into the

15

State under the official tags of the Board. I seized and destroyed these trees, and the nurserymin who shipped them will not be permitted to ship into Georgia next year. This system of protection is giving satisfac
tory results.

EXPENDITURES OF THE DEPARTMENT PROM JANUARY 1ST TO OCTOBER 1ST, 1900.

Traveling expenses...........................................................................$18407

Expense of Board meeting......................................................... 2815

Office help...................................................

64 37

Office equipment.............................................................................. 14375

Postage and stationery.....................................................

58 19

Printing............................................

160 00

Telegrams.......................................................................................... 370

Express and freight......................................................................... 143

Materials for experiments..................................................... 24 17

$667 83
The fiscal year of this department does not end until December 31st, and this report is only preliminary. A full report will be made to the Board at its next meeting, the first of next year.
The Georgia State Horticultural Society at its last session unanimously adopted a resolution providing for a committee to prepare a memorial to the legislature asking for an additional appropriation of $2,500 per annum, to put the department on a footing commensurate with its importance. The State Agricultural Society adopted a similar resolution appointing a committee to act in conjunction with the committe from the Horticultural Society in asking for this appropriation.
Respectfully submitted, W. M. Scott, State Entomologist.

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REPORT OF CATTLE INSPECTOR.
To Hon. O. B. Stevens, Commissioner of Agriculture, State of Georgia, At lanta, Ga. Dear Sib--I have the honor to submit to you the following report as
Cattle Inspector for the counties of Rabun, Towns, Union and Fan nin, in the State of Georgia :
The people of the several counties have appointed the following Special Inspectors to assist me in the work : In Rabun, M. W. Swofford; Towns. John C. Penland; Union, J. E. Collins, and Fannin, E. A. Griffith, who have done proficient work and rendered me much valuable service in the discharge of the arduous labors incumbent upon mein this early and almost experimental stage of the work.
Taking the extent of the territory over which I am called to labor into consideration, the inspection has been thorough and pains-taking.
In the County of R ibun there are two quarantine lines, one known as the Federal line, which divides the county almost in twain, running east and west, the other running with the Habersham county line and the South Carolina State line, known as the Local line. There are at least 4,000 head of cattle in this county, almost all of which have been inspected either by Mr. Swofford or myself. There have been found only two infected places, which are of small area: one was in and about the pastures of Jasper S. Bleckley in the extreme eastern part of the county near the South Carolina State line, the other was in and about the pastures of James McClain in the extreme southwestern part of the county near the Habershamcounty line, both secti.ns of infection were north of what is known as the Federal line. In each case quarantine regulations were strictly and rigidly enforced, and within a few weeks the infection or irregularity totally disappeared. No infection or irregularity of any kind has been found to ex ist between the two lines, and we especially thank and compliment the people of this territory for their diligence in observing and enforcing all laws, rule and regulations in the premises.
The people of Rabun are thoroughly in accord with the law under which we are operating, which has been shown by their willingness to maintain and enforce it at any and all times when infringements have occurred.
In the county of Towns there are at least 2,500 head of cattle, almost all of which have been specially inspected either by Mr. Penland or my self, There have been three sections of small area in this county found to be slightly infected, but by strictly and rigidly enforcing the quaranine rules and regulations and by administering local disinfectants all these irregularities have been thoroughly removed and the county seems to be perfectly healthful at present. The people of this county are to be specially complimented for their loyal support and valuable help rendered me in bringing about the good effects above mentioned.
In the county of Union there are at least 4,000 head of cattle, most of which have been specially inspected either by Mr. Collins or myself. There

17
have been found only two infected places in this county, both of which were in Dooly District in the northwestern part of the county. These in fections were promptly removed by quarantining ;the infected animals and applying local disinfectants. The county now seems to be perfectly healthful. The people of this county are thoroughly in accord with the law, and ar? to be congratulated for their valuable assistance rendered me in getting the county in its present healthful condition.
In the county of Fannin there are at least 4,000 head of cattle, a large number of which have been specially inspected either by Mr. Griffith or myself. This county seems to be healthful except a section of some 3 by 7 miles in and around Mineral Bluff, and this section is now being rigidly quarantined, and the owners of the cattle therein are daily applying local disinfectants, which, we hope, in the near future, will place this county in good condition. The people of this county are doing all in their power to thoroughly remove all irregularities on this line, and are to be specially complimented for their loyally in enforcing and upholding the law on this subject.
In all cases of infection the irregularities have been indicated by the u tick." No other contagious or infectious disease has been found to exist among any of the cattle in my territory. There has not a single death oc curred during this year among the cattle in this territory from the " tick " or any other contagious or infectious disease, that the law under which we are operating, was intended to eradicate. A number of deaths from
ticks " and other irregularities among the cattle are reported to have oc curred in each and all of these counties last year, and, in fact, for several years prior to this, I am satisfied, that these diseases have been avoided during this year on account of the enforcement of the law enacted by our last Legislature for the protection of cattle in this State.
All of which is respectfully submitted by W. G. Statham, Cattle Inspector.

18
REPORT OF FISH COMMISSIONER.
Hon. O. B. Stephens, Commissioner of Agriculture for Georgia: Sib :--In conformity to your request, I have the honor to submit my
annual report as Superintendent of Fisheries for the State of Georgia, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1900.
During the period covered by this report there has been a marked im provement in the observance of the laws pertaining to fish throughout the State. The distribution of the booklet, "Georgia Fish Laws," over the State and the work of the Fish Wardens, has resulted in the accomplishment to a large measure of the end desired. During this year the violations of these laws have been less than any former year. This is especially notice able in the inland counties. The number of fish has noticeably increased. The abundance has been remarked on by citizens throughout the State. More fish have been used and sold, both on the coast and inland, than for years past.
The following statistics taken from the latest authority are given to show the amount involved and interested in the fisheries:
"In 1897, 1,869 persons were engaged in the fisheries of Georgia--159 in the vessel fisheries, 1,245 boat fishermen, and 465 shoresmen. The invest ment in the fisheries amounted to $284,864. Fifty-one vessels were em ployed, worth, with their outfit, $28,833, and 680 boats, valued at $20,277. The apparatus of capture was valued at $17,898, while the shore property and cash capital amounted to $217,856.
"The yield of the fisheries of this State was 4,995,100 pounds, worth $170,605. The most important items in the fisheries of Georgia are oysters, the yield being valuedat $86,709, and shad, the value of which was$46,705. The catch of terrapin was valued at $11,254, and sturgeon at $4,060. The value of products, when compared with that of 1890, shows an increase of $47,042."
The Superintendent wishes especially to commend the work done by the Fish Wardens throughout the State. They have shown interest and activity, and have succeeded very effectually in enforcing the laws. The compensation provided for these Wardens by the Code is " one-half of the fines and forfeitures imposed by the court and paid by the violators." Under the construction which has been placed on these words, when they have been construed, the Wardens get nothing when the defendant is sent to the chaingang in default of paying his fine. This works a manifest in justice. I would recommend that these Wardens be paid the same pro portion of the amount realized from the hiring out of a defendant to a chaingang, where he does not pay the flue, as is given the Warden when the fine i- paid. The labor performed by these men in securing the con viction of criminals and the enforcing of the laws makes this just. And the provision should be the same, whether the money comes directly from the payment of the fine or from the hiring out of the defendant.
During this year I have distributed over the State more than one thousand copies of the Georgia Fish Laws. The good which has already

19

resulted from the publishing of this booklet is great and will continue.

In many counties the wardens have reported to me that, with the distri

bution of these laws, violations have practically ceased. An addendum

has been prepared giving the public and local laws enacted by the last

legislature. I will be glad to furnish upon request either this addendum

or the Fish Laws to those wishing. The large demand already made for

copies evidences the interest in and appreciation of the publication.

Although no systematic effort has been made to investigate the various

streams and lakes stocked with new varieties of fish, this office is in con

stant receipt of information showing the result of their introduction.

The United States has established a fish cultural station at Cold Springs,

Bullochville, Ga., and there some of the fishes most suitable to the warm

waters of the South Atlantic and Gulf States will be propagated. The

results of this, I believe, will be most gratifying.

The expenses of this department from October 1st, 1899, to October 1st,

1900, have been $56.34, as shown by the attached itemized statement.

(See Exhibit A.)

Very Respectfully,

A. T. Dallis,

Superintendent of Fisheries, State of Georgia.

In closing my report I wish to thank you for the uniform inter est and courtesies shown this department in your official capacity.
Respectfully submitted,
O. B. Stevens,
Commissioner.