and the duties of such inspectors are defined. Very full provision is made for the inspection of horticultural stock and products and places, packages, and transportation vehicles used in the packing, storing, and transportation of the same, and for the prevention and extirpation of pests and diseases therein. (Laws of 1897, chap. 119, as amended by Laws of 1899, chap. 127.) Dealers engaged in the sale or importing of fruit trees, etc., must have a license; application voucher must be made to the commissioner, together with a bond in the sum of $1,000. The law provides that the commissioner shall prescribe remedies and publish them in bulletins for distribution to prevent the introduction and spread of pests. The law provides that the inspector shall disinfect infected premises if the owner does not do so in a specified time. Appeals may be made to the Commissioner of Horticulture, and his decision shall be final. (Laws of 1899, chap. 127.) BEES. It is unlawful for any person to willfully or maliciously place any poison or sweetened substance for the purpose of injuring honey bees in any place where it is exposed tc honey bees. (Laws of 1897, chap. 12.) SUGAR BOUNTY. The law provides for the payment of 1 cent per pound to anyone engaged in the manufacture of sugar from beets grown in the State, under the condition that it shall contain at least 90 per cent crystalized sugar, and only upon sugar produced from beets for which an average price not less than $4 a ton has been paid to the producer. Verified statements must be made to the president of the State agricultural college, whose duty it is to determine the quantity and quality of sugar on which said bounty shall be paid. The sum of $50,000 is the limit to be paid in any one year. The benefits of this act accrue to persons erecting a complete sugar factory before November 1, 1901, and the bounty shall be paid for a period of 3 years from the time such factory shall have been completed and in operation. (Laws of 1899, chap. 17.) WEST VIRGINIA. STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. The State Board of Agriculture is composed of one commissioner from each Congressional district and one from the State at large, all to be appointed by the Governor. They must be practical farmers, and not more than 3 shall belong to one political party. The term of office is 4 years. They are required to meet semiannually, and oftener if required. They shall elect a president from their number for a term of 2 years, and a secretary, not of their number, for the same term. They are allowed $4 a day and actual traveling expenses while attending the meetings of the board. The secretary is allowed a salary of not to exceed $1,000 a year and actual traveling expenses. The duties of the board are to advance the agricultural interests of the State in every way, promote the formation of agricultural and horticultural societies, circulate information, make reports, and issue a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly publication containing crop reports and other agricultural matter and statistics. The board is required to report biennially to each session of the legislature. The secretary's office is to be located at the seat of government. The board is also charged with the duty of enforcing the laws against contagious diseases of animals. (Code of 1899, App., pp. 1129–1132.) FARMERS' INSTITUTES. Farmers' institutes are to be held, under the direction of the State Board of Agriculture, at such times and places as the board may think proper. (Ibid., p. 1130, par. 5.) DISEASES OF ANIMALS. The law provides that the State officers shall cooperate with the United States in the suppression and extirpation of pleuro-pneumonia, and authorizes the Governor to accept the rules and regulations prepared by the Commissioner of Agriculture under and in pursuance of section 3 of an act of Congress approved May 29, 1884. I VOL XI- -14 United States inspectors have the right of inspection, quarantine, and condemnation of animals affected with any contagious disease, etc. The expenses of any or all measures that may be used to suppress and extirpate pleuro-pneumonia shall be paid by the United States. (Laws of 1891, chap. 53.) FERTILIZERS. The law covers the sale and labeling of fertilizers, and gives the standard. It is required that the manufacturer who offers fertilizers for sale must, before doing so, file with the director of the West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station a certified copy of the statement required to be made, and deposit with said director a sealed package containing not less than 1 pound of the described fertilizer with an affidavit that it is a fair sample thereof. The law provides for the payment of an analysis fee of $10, to be paid by the manufacturer, etc., and these fees shall be paid to the treasurer of the West Virginia University for the use of the agriculture experiment station. The director of the experiment station shall immediately after filing the receipt issue a certificate to the party making such payment. Tags or labels are to be furnished by the director in quantities of 100, or multiples thereof, at 50 cents for every hundred. The law provides that the director shall publish, by bulletin, the name and location of the manufacturer, and the chemical analysis of every fertilizer analyzed by him. (Ibid., chap. 72.) WISCONSIN. STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. The Department of Agriculture is under the management of the State Board of Agriculture. Its objects are the promotion of the interests of agriculture, dairying, horticulture, manufactures, and the domestic arts. The board consists of one member from each Congressional district and two from the State at large, all to be appointed by the Governor for a term of three years. Not more than two-thirds of the board shall belong to the same political party. They shall not receive any compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenditures made by them in the discharge of their duties. They are required to meet annually on the first Tuesday of March and to elect at such meeting one of their number as president and another as vice-president, and some person not a member as secretary to hold office one year. The State treasurer is ex officio treasurer of the board. The board is required to hold its office at the seat of government, to conduct all State fairs and regulate the same, award premiums, etc., and report biennially to the Governor. The State is exempt from liability for the debts of the board. Four thousand dollars annually is appropriated for the State board; but before this is made available a certificate must be signed and presented by the president and secretary to the State treasurer that the sale of intoxicating liquor has been prohibited and prevented on the State fair grounds. A like provision is made in regard to the northern Wisconsin State fair. (Sanborn and Berryman's An. Stat., secs. 1456-1458d.) LOCAL AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS. Local agricultural societies are authorized to incorporate, one in each county or by combining two or more counties jointly, by adopting a constitution and by-laws, electing a president, one or more vice-presidents, secretary, and treasurer, and filing a certificate of organization signed by the president and secretary and a copy of the constitution in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the corporation is organized. (Ibid., sec. 1460.) Police powers are conferred upon State and local agricultural societies. (Ibid., sec. 1466.) Property owned by the State or any local agricultural society used exclusively for fair grounds is exempt from taxation. (Ibid., sec. 1038, par. 4.) HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. The Wisconsin State Horticultural Association is incorporated, and its duties are to aid in the formation and maintenance of county and local horticultural societies and promote the horticultural interests of the State, by holding meetings and discussions, and by the collection and dissemination of information. It is authorized to hold $5,000 worth of property and receives an appropriation of $1,750 annually from the State. The executive committee consists of the president, secretary, treasurer, and one member from each Congressional district in the State to be chosen by the local horticultural societies. The duties of such committee are prescribed and the secretary is required to report biennially to the Governor. (Ibid., secs. 1459-14596.) FARMERS' INSTITUTES. The board of regents of the State University is empowered to hold farmers' institutes and make rules and regulations for the same. DISEASES OF ANIMALS. The law provides for the appointment by the Governor of a veterinary surgeon, whose duty it shall be to suppress and prevent the introduction and spread of contagious and infectious diseases among domestic animals, and cooperate with the State Board of Health, etc. The State Veterinarian has authority to quarantine any premises upon which diseased animals are, or that are suspected to be infected with disease, and it is unlawful to remove diseased animals from such quarantine. The law provides for punishment for violating this law. The law provides for the destruction of diseased animals, and further provides, in case of horses affected with glanders, that the appraisal shall not exceed $50. It is unlawful to import domestic animals affected with, or that have been exposed to, infectious diseases. Compensation for animals killed is provided for to the extent of two-thirds of the appraised value, and the State Veterinarian is given authority to settle with the owner if he admits that the appraised value is greater than the real value. 1897, sec. 1492a. HORTICULTURE. (Laws of The law authorizes the director of the agricultural experiment station of the University of Wisconsin to inspect through his agent any nursery, fruit, or garden plantation, etc., that he suspects of being infested with San Jose scale or other injurious insects and fungous diseases. The law prescribes the duty of the agent in regard to inspection and what steps are to be taken for eradication. It is unlawful for any person to grow or offer for sale any nursery stock known to be infected with the San Jose scale, etc. The law provides for the issuance of certificates, and the furnishing of tags or labels, and provides that the sum of 30 cents per 100 may be charged for the same. A report must be made by the director of the experiment station to the Secretary of State on the last week day of May of each year. (Laws of 1899, chap. 180.) FERTILIZERS. The law provides that fertilizer costing over $10 a ton shall bear a printed statement of the number of net pounds contained therein, name or trade-mark, name of manufacturer, place of manufacture, etc., and gives the standard. The sum of $25 must be paid annually to the director by every manufacturer, etc. A sample of every fertilizer exposed for sale must be analyzed annually. (Rev. Stat., 1898, secs. 1494c., 1494d., 1494e.) BEES. The law provides that the Governor may appoint, under certain conditions, for the period of two years, a State Inspector of Apiaries. The inspector when notified shall examine all reported apiaries to ascertain the presence of disease, etc. It is the duty of the inspector to give the owners full instruction as to how to treat said cases. It is the duty of the inspector to visit all diseased apiaries a second time, and if necessary, destroy the same. It is unlawful for the owner of the diseased apiary to sel, or give away any bees, etc., and he is liable to a fine if he violates the law. The law prescribes that the Inspector of Apiaries shall make an annual report to the Governor, and what that report shall contain. (Laws of 1897, chap. 150.) SUGAR BEETS. The law provides that the State University shall investigate the most suitable localities for growing sugar beets, and provides that each member of the legislature may furnish the agricultural experiment station of the State University a list of 100 farmers desirous of testing beets, etc. Seed is furnished free. An appropriation of $500 is made to the board of regents of the State university for purchasing and mailing beet seed. (Laws of 1897, chap. 230.) The law exempts all factories or plants for the manufacture and refining of sugar from beets from taxation, except special assessments in cities and villages, for the term of five years from the passage and publication of the act. (Laws of 1897, chap. 158.) The standard weight of a bushel of beets is 50 pounds. (Rev. Stat. of 1898, sec. 1655.) WYOMING. LOCAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. The citizens of any county, or of two counties jointly, may organize a county stock and agricultural society, not more than one in a county, with corporate powers, and may purchase and hold real estate to be devoted solely to the objects of the association, which while so used is exempt from taxation. (Rev. Stat. of 1887, sec. 644; Rev. Stat. of 1899, sec. 3246, sec. 3225, par. 14; but see acts of 1895, chap. 52.) Such societies are directed to hold annual meetings for the election of officers, and to have their records carefully kept by the secretary. Such records may be read as evidence in any court. (Rev. Stat. of 1887, sec. 645; Rev. Stat. of 1899, sec. 3247.) Three or more persons may form a corporation to establish and maintain grounds for the exhibition of live stock and agricultural, mechanical, and mineral products, with power to offer and award premiums. (Ibid., sec, 566; Rev. Stat. of 1899, sec. 3226.) Any corporation so organized is entitled to receive annually from the State 25 per cent of the first $500 paid in premiums, 10 per cent of any additional amount up to $1,000, and 5 per cent of the excess up to $5,000. Such corporations have police powers over their fair grounds. secs. 578, 646; ibid., p. 3227.) AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. (Rev. Stat. of 1887, To the Secretary of State are assigned the duties of Commissioner of Immigration and State Statistician. He is required to collect, publish, and distribute information on all matters concerning the agricultural, manufacturing, commercial, stock, and mining interests of the State; and he is authorized to obtain from county officers and otherwise statistics concerning agriculture and live stock. (Law of 1888, chap. 34; const., art. 21, sec. 3; law of admission, approved July 10, 1890, 26 U. S. Stat., 222, sec. 21.) DISEASES OF ANIMALS. The law provides that the Governor shall appoint a Board of Sheep Commissioners, to consist of three members. This board has power to district the State for inspection purposes, and provide for inspection when necessary. The duties of the board are prescribed. Upon complaint being made to the board that contagious or infectious diseases exist in any locality in any other State or Territory, the said board shall cause an investigation of such complaint, and if the complaint is well founded the facts shall be certified to the Governor of the State. The Governor shall by proclamation, upon the receipt of such certificate, designate such localities diseased and class of live stock infected, and prohibit the importation from such localities of live stock affected or that has been exposed to contagion, except such stock as has been held in quarantine under the control and supervision of the State Veterinary Surgeon, or a sheep inspector, for a period of 90 days. (Laws of 1899, chap. 26.) HORTICULTURE. The law provides for the destruction of diseased or infested fruit trees, etc., and fixes a penalty. (Laws of 1897, chap. 71.) BEET SUGAR FACTORIES. The law provides that the property engaged in the manufacture of beet sugar, or any of the products of the sugar beets, shall be exempt from taxation annually during the actual use of such property for that purpose for a period of 10 years. No factory so engaged shall be entitled to such exemption unless at least 75 per centum of the sugar beets consumed during each year shall have been grown in Wyoming, provided a sufficient supply can be obtained in the State. (Laws of 1897, chap. 50.) |