Biennial report North Carolina Department of Agriculture

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UNIVERSITY OF
NORTH CAROLINA
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NORTH CAROLINIANA
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BIENNIAL REPORT
NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
L. Y. BALLENTINE, Commissioner
RALEIGH, N. C.
OUR COVER PICTURE
The photo reproduced on our cover
shows the front of the recently com-pleted
Annex to the Agriculture
Building in Raleigh. The first two
floors and a mezzanine are devoted to
the State Museum of Natural His-tory.
The other three floors provide
additional laboratory and office space
to meet the growing needs of the
Department of Agriculture.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Board of Agriculture 8
Personnel 9
Commissioner's Summary 17
Highlights of Board Meetings 25
Accounting Division 31
Chemistry Division 36
Aerial Crop Dusting Law 36
Anti-freezes 42
Commercial Feeds 39
Economic Poisons 40
Fertilizers, Fertilizer and Liming Materials 37
Foods and Drugs 42
Linseed Oils 42
Oleomargarine 47
Credit Union Division 49
Dairy Division 53
Entomology Division 59
Markets Division 67
Commodity Distribution 88
Cooperatives 90
Cotton 68
Dairy 85
Fruits and Vegetables 71
Grain 76
Livestock 79
Market News 91
Poultry and Eggs 81
Tobacco 73
Transportation 92
Museum Division 95
Publications Division 101
Seed Testing Division 106
Soil Testing Division Ill
TABLE OF CONTENTS—Continued
State Fair Division 119
Statistics Division . . : 125
Test Farms Division 133
Coastal Plain Test Farm, Willard 142
Mountain Test Farm, Waynesville 140
Peanut Test Farm, Lewiston 137
Piedmont Test Farm, Statesville 145
Tidewater Test Farm, Plymouth 134
Tobacco Test Farm, Oxford 149
Upper Coastal Plain Test Farm, Rocky Mount 152
Upper Mountain Test Farm, Laurel Springs 154
Veterinary Division 160
Anthrax 161
Brucellosis 161
Hog Cholera 165
Hog Diseases 168
Horses and Mules, Diseases of 169
Poultry Diseases 168
Public Livestock Auction Markets 170
Tuberculosis • • • • 162
Vesicular Exanthema 165
Warehouse Division 171
Weights and Measures Division 173
L. Y. Ballentine
Commissioner of Agriculture
John L. Reitzel
Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
L. Y. Ballentine, Commissioner
Ex-Officio Chairman
Glenn G. Gilmore Julian
HoYLE C. Griffin Monroe
Claude T. Hall Roxboro
0. J. Holler Union Mills
George P. Kittrell^ Corapeake
J. Muse McCotter New Bern
Charles F. Phillips Thomasviile
J. H. Poole West End
A, B. Slagle Franklin
J. E. WiNSLOW Greenville
'Appointed by the Governor to replace R. V. Knight, Tarboro. Mr. Knight served under
an interim appointment from December, 1952 to May, 1953, to fill out the unexpired term of
Miss Ethel Parker, resigned. Miss Parker had served on the Board continuously since June,
1941.
PERSONNEL
OF THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
JUNE 30, 1954
L. Y. Ballentine, Commissioner
Administration
John L. Reitzel Assistant Commissioner
Lillian R. Parker Stenographer Clerk I
Phoebe D. Powers Stenographer Clerk III
Doris B. Wofford Stenographer Clerk III
Division of Accounts
A. R. POWLEDGE Chief Auditor
Dorothy A. Cash Accounting Clerk I
Mary B. Crawford Accounting Clerk 1
Ella V. Dodson Accotinting Clerk II
Elsie W. Jordan Accountiyig Clerk III
Grace H. Malloy Accounting Clerk IV
Myrna L. Nowell Accounting Clerk I
Helen C. Shinn Accounting Clerk 1
Lunelle Yeargan Accounting Clerk 11
Publicity & Publications
Blackburn W. Johnson Public Information Officer III
M. Pauline DeCosta Information & Editorial Assistant
Ermine B. Hampton Stenographer Clerk II
Joseph A. Hunter Clerk 11
Bettye T. Rogers Clerk I
Inspection
E. H. Cooper Tax Auditor III
Lindsey Ennis Feed, Fertilizer & Insecticide Inspector I
Clyde A. Jackson Feed, Fertilizer & Insecticide Inspector II
Harvey C. McPhail Feed, Fertilize)' & Insecticide Inspector I
Markets
John A. Winfield Director Agricultural Marketing
Dorothy L. Bailey Stenographer Clerk II
Jo Ann C. Bell Stenographer Clerk II
Wilbur S. Brannan Marketing Specialist 11
Gilbert Clark Marketing Specialist 111
Grady Cooper, Jr Marketing Specialist 111
J. B. COTNER Marketing Specialist III
John H. Cyrus Marketing Specialist II
Jay p. Davis Marketing Specialist IV
Louise T. Dunn Stenographer Clerk III
Ollie W. Faison Marketing Specialist IV
Jesse R. Ferrell Marketing Specialist 11
Jean L Ford Stenographer Clerk II
Cleo M. Gault Laboratory Technician I
10 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Gladys J. Gooch Stenographer Clerk II
Joe B. Gourlay Marketing Specialist III
Thomas E. Green, Sr Marketing Specialist II
John W. Hamby, Jr Marketing Specialist II
Wendell P. Hedrick Marketing Specialist IV
Vernon W. Hill Marketing Specialist III
Ruby M. Hinson Stenographer Clerk III
Leon Holland Marketing Specialist I
Julius P. Jenrette Marketing Specialist III
Albert B. Johnson Marketing Specialist II
Fred P. Johnson Marketing Specialist IV
Betty Lou Jones Stenographer Clerk II
Ralph B. Kelly Marketing Specialist IV
Ethel Y. Kiker Marketing Specialist II
Hazel M. Maddrey Accounting Clerk I
Pauline M. Maney Typist Clerk I
Hugh B. Martin Marketing Specialist III
Candler C. Miller Marketing Specialist III
HoBART W. Myrick Marketing Specialist III
Mary L. Norman Stenographer Clerk II
Mary M. Patrick Stenographer Clerk III
H. D. Quessenberry Marketing Specialist IV
Evelyn R. Ramey Stenographer Clerk II
Mildred S. Rawls Laboratory Technician I
Dorothy Y. Reaves Stenographer Clerk III
B. S. Rich Marketing Specialist IV
Carson W. Sheffield , Marketing Specialist IV
Horace A. Smith Marketing Specialist I
Anne B. Stoddart Accounting Clerk I
Curtis F. Tarleton Marketing Specialist IV
Carl H. Tower Marketing Specialist III
George H. Turner, Jr Marketing Specialist II
Dew^ey C. Wayne Marketing Specialist IV
James A. Williams Marketing Specialist I
Earl M. Yandle, Jr Marketing Specialist I
Credit Union
D. R. Graham Credit Union Administrator
A. S. Bynum Fiscal Examiner II
Myrtice B. Wilder Stenographer Clerk II
Howard L. Pijahn Fiscal Examiner II
Dairy
C. W. Pegram Director of Dairy Service
Lafayette H. Boykin, Jr Dairy Specialist II
Elmo H. Hollomon Dairy Specialist II
Paul R. Jordan, Jr Bacteriologist
W. L. McLeod Dairy Specialist II
Robert L. Merritt Laboratory Assistant
Francis Patterson Dairy Specialist II
Mary M. Weathers Stenographer Clerk II
Giles M. Williams Dairy Specialist II
Mary Sue P. Williams Laboratory Technician II
Entomology
C. H. Brannon State Entomologist
James F. Greene Entomologist I
J. A. Harris Entomologist II
Ellison C. Nelson, Jr Entomologist I
Pauline P. Newsom Stenographer Clerk II
D. L. Wray Entomologist II
Report for 1952-54
—
Personnel 11
Seed Laboratory
WiLLARD H. Darst Director of Seed Testing
Magdalene G. Brummitt Seed Analyst III
Walter E. Burgiss Seed Specialist
Mahlon B. Dickens Seed Specialist
Stella W. Etheredge Seed Analyst II
Joan M. Godwin Stenographer Clerk I
Frances Hippert Seed Analyst II
Bettie B. Hutchinson Seed Analyst I
Murphy G. McKenzie, Jr _ Seed Specialist
Kenneth M. Mintz ' Seed Specialist
Evelyn J. B. Murdoch Seed A7ialyst I
EVALDS Smits Seed Analyst II
Joe N. Tate, Jr Seed Specialist
Mildred W. Thomas Seed Analyst II
Analytical
E. W. Constable State Chemist
L. V. Amburgey Microanalyst
Henry W. Barnes, Jr Chemist II
Elizabeth F. Bartholomew Chemist I
Samuel C. Boyd Lahorator-y Assistant
Z. B. Bradford Chemist III
BuRNEY A. Britt Chemist II
David E. Buffaloe Chemist III
Margaret B. Carter Chemist II
James A. Chapman Laboratory Assistant
Dorothy M. Davis Stenographer Clerk II
J. Whitt Davis Feed, Fertilizer & Insecticide Inspector I
John J. Filicky Chemist II
Evelyn A. Freeman Stenographer Clerk I
Charles H. Godwin, Jr Food, Drug & Cosmetic Inspector
Heber B. Hatch Typist Clerk III
Samuel H. Hinton Laboratory Assistant
Eugene T. Hord, Jr Chemist II
Velva E. Hudson Typist Clerk III
Jesse G. Jernigan Chemist II
Delwin P. Johnson Chemist II
H. D. Matheson Chemist II
W. P. Matthews Chemist III
Harry A. Miller Assistant State Chemist
William A. Morgan Laboratory Assistant
L. M. Nixon Chemist IV
Fred P. Nooe Food, Drug & Cosmetic Inspector
H. F. Pickering Chemist III
J. S. PiTTARD Chemist III
Elizabeth L. Powell Stenographer Clerk II
L. B. Rhodes Food Chemist
Bob S. Roberson Chemist I
Clyde W. Robesits Food, Drug & Cosmetic Inspector
William Sylver, Jr Laboratory Assistant
Robert T. Teague, Jr Chemist II
Muriel M. Weathers Chemist I
Vernon A. Williams Laboratory Assistant
Hazel L. Willis Stenographer Clerk III
Crop Statistics
John T. Richardson Administrative Officer
Raymond R. Alford, Jr Duplicating Machine Operator I
12 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Frances D. Chandler Research Assistant
Sarah F. Drake Research Assistant
Martha F. Early Research Assistant
Jean D. Frazier Research Assistant
William C. Hinson, Jr Junior Statistician
Sallie H. Jordan Research Assistant
Pearl K. Joyner Vari-Type Operator II
William E. Kibler Analytical Statistician GS7
Helen E. Kornegay Research Assistant
Roland C. Mullen Duplicating Machine Operator II
Janie H. Murph Research Assistant
Francis M. Nine, Jr Duplicating Machine Operator II
Olaf Wakefield Senior Statistician
Rosa M. Wrede Research Assistant
Soil Testing
James W. Fitts Director of Soil Testing
Joanne S. Boerner Stenographer III
Mildred S. Combs Typist Clerk I
Winifred H. Cranor Chemist I
Vera A. Culler Chemist I
Joseph E. Douglas Laboratory Assistayit
Lucy D. Elmore Chemist II
Yvonne M. Finch Typist Clerk I
Ruth S. Gardner Chemist I
Arthur Giles Laboratory Assistant
Estelle a. Grant Stenographer Clerk II
Nancy Ann House Stenographer Clerk I
Mary W. Mathers Chemist I
Gerald D. McCart Agronomist I
Adolf Mehlich Assistant Director
Margaret E. Stancil Typist Clerk II
Alice L. Wall Typist Clerk I
Charles D. Welch Agronomist II
Veterinary
Hal Judd Rollins State VeteHnarian
Josephine A. Allen Stenographer Clerk III
William A. Andrew Poultry Specialist I
John D. Baker Veterinarian II
W. R. Baynes Veterinarian III
Samuel 0. Benson Veterinarian II
G. I. Bullock Poultry Specialist II
Julius B. Cashion Poultry Specialist 1
Jesse J. Causby Poultry Specialist II
Kenneth G. Church Poultry Specialist I
James H. Clegg Poultry Specialist I
William W. Clements Veterinarian II
Henry B. Collins Livestock Inspector
Donald E. Cooperrider Veterinarian IV
Eugene C. Couch Poultry Specialist I
W. J. Elkins Poultry Specialist I
L. J. FOURIE Poultry Specialist III
James A. Frazier Poultry Specialist I
George D. Fuller Livestock Inspector
L. M. Greene Vetei'inarian III
Frank S. Hall Clerk I
Frank Howard, Jr Laboratory Assistant
G. W. IVEY Poultry Specialist II
R. Russell Jeter Veterinarian II
Report for 1952-54
—
Personnel 13
Annie L. Justice Laboratory Technician I
James D. Kelly Poultry Specialist 1
Fred D. Long Poultry Specialist I
N. P. McDuFFiE Poultry Specialist J
Sue F. Morgan Stenographer Clerk II
Peter S. Penland Poultry Specialist I
Betsy P. Penny Stenographer Clerk II
YerIjIN E. Reese Poultry Specialist I
James U. Richardson Laboratory Assistant
Phil R. Sandige Poultry Specialist I
Arthur L. Shealey Veterinarian II
Barbara H. Weiler Laboratory Technician II
Thomas L. Wellborn Poultry Specialist I
John Williams, Jr Laboratory Assistant
John R. Woody Poultry Specialist I
Auburn L. Wright Poultry Specialist I
Test Farms
Cecil D. Thomas Director Test Farms
Thomas E. Nichols, Jr Administrative Assistant
Nancy C. Watlington Stenographer Clerk II
Elwood a. Allen Senior Herdsman
Herbert W. Allen Farm Foreman II
Lillian A. Bishop Stenographer Clerk I
Fenner B. Harris Herdsman Tidewater Test Farm
J. L. Rea, Jr Test Farm Superintendent
Clifton M. Blackwell Farm Foreman II
J. M. Carr Test Farm. Superiyitendent
Joyce H. Dixon Stenographer Clerk I
Elizabeth Floyd Stenographer Clerk II
Chester Kearney Feed and Farm Laborer
Warren H. Bailey Test Farm Superintendent
Hannah B. Goff Stenographer Clerk I
Melvin R. Thomas Farm Foreman II
Randolph Whitley Herdsman
Joseph L. Boone Poultryman
Rufus Curtis Dairyman
James R. Edwards Dairy Research Supervisor
Bernice H. Harrell Stenographer Clerk II
Garfield Harris Farm Foretnan II
William C. Holder Dairyman
Murray R. Whisenhunt Test Farm Superintendent
Gordon D. Sheets Farm Foreman II
Anna Lee Shepherd Stenographer Clerk I
Dan Lafayette Taylor Herdsman
Dana F. Tugman Test Farm Sriperintendent
Ernest W. English Poultryman
Jacob B. Matthews Dairyman
Thilbert a. Suggs Farryi Foreman II
Jesse W. Sumner Test Farm Superintendent
B. L. Williams Steywgrapher Clerk II
Vester N. Baird Farm Foreman II
J. W. Hendricks Test Farm Superintendent
Rose B. Ingram Stenographer Clerk II
Dwight C. Austin Farm Foreman II
Clyde Z. McSwain, Jr Test Farm Superintendent
Betsey M. Thompson Typist Clerk I
Weights & Measures
C. D. Baucom Superintendent Weights & Measures
Director Gasoline & Oil
Mary A. Britt Stenographer Clerk II
14 N. C. Department of Agriculture:
Latta W. Cook Liquid Fertilizer Specialist
Joseph P. Crawford Weights & Measures Inspector
Charles E. Dolan Heavy Duty Scale Inspector
Arnold B. Goetze Weights & Measures Inspector
Dorothy Goodson Stenographer Clerk II
Marion L. Kinlaw, Jr Weights & Measures Inspector
Grover R. Kiser Weights & Measures Inspector
T. Wavely Lucas Truck Driver
EUFUS A. Malloy Weights & Measures Inspector
John L Moore Weights & Measures Inspector
Supervisor
William Shook Heavy Duty Scale Inspector
James M. Vestal, Jr Weights & Measures Inspector
James E. Williams Truck Driver
S. M. WoOLFOLK Weights & Measures Inspector
State Museum
H. T. Davis Museum Director
LuDiE V. Ashe Maid
Clare S. Johnson Clerk I
Julian W. Johnson Museum Exhibits Designer
Mary Knight Stenographer Clerk II
F. B. Meacham Zoologist
Owen Woods Janitor-Messenger
Hog Cholera Work
Charles R. Border Veterinarian III
Ralph Hamilton Veterinarian I
Custodial
Robert Harris Stock Clerk I
Worth Jeffries Stock Clerk I
State Warehouse System
A. B. Fairley Warehouse System Superintendent
Elouise S. Byrd Stenographer Clerk II
Hazel K. Cobb Clerk II
Wayne B. Ferrell Warehouse Examiner
Hallie K. Morrow Stenographer Clerk II
Gasoline & Oil Inspection
T. W. Anderson . Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Gilbert L. Arthur Chemist I
Carey M, Ashley Chemist I
Milton Barefoot Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Boyd Lee Barnette Chemist I
I. L. Blaylock Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Malver L. Boyette Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Kathleen C. Brafford Chemist I
Kenneth E. Brown Calibrator
John A. Bynum Gasoline & Oil Inspector
William L. Carpenter Chemist II
Jack C. Connolly, II Chemist I
William T. Crawford Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Joseph Denton Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Lemuel S. Dowdy Calibrator
Otto Duncan Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Report for 1952-54
—
Personnel 15
Paul H. Etheridge Chemist I
J. A. Galloway Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Joseph E. Gillespie Chemist I
Elliot Harrison Laboratory Assistant
H. H. Hatcher Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Hugh F. Hayes Chemist II
Horace E. Herman Calibrator
Ira G. Holloway Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Alton E. Hoyle Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Edwin H. Hutchins Chemist I
Herman L. Jones Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Robert H. McArver Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Archie D. McGirt, Jr Chemist I
Roy a. McKeithan Calibrator
Virginia B. Moore Stenographer Clerk II
Francis W. Oakes Gasoline & Oil Inspector
W. T. O'Briant Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Douglas M. Pait Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Nellie A. Parrish Stenographer Clerk I
Harvey R. Pearman, Jr Chemist II
William H. Perry Calibrator
Parley B. Rasmussen, Jr Chemist II
James R. Rivers Gasoline & Oil Inspector
David J. Secor Chemical Engineer
H. L. Shankle Chemist IV
J. T. Shaw Chemist II
Harry W. Shelton Chemist I
Ray D. Sigmon Gasoline & Oil Inspector
KOY S. Smith Gasoline & Oil Inspector
Nora Newton Stell Stenographer Clerk I
Nina G. Sumner Chemist I
Ralph G. Thornburg Chemist II
Thomas G. Trogdon Chemist II
Leon E. Van Brunt Calibrator
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BIENNIAL REPORT
OF THE
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
By L. Y. Ballentine
Commissioner of Agriculture
Two age-old recurring farm problems—drought and economic
uncertainty—have occupied the foreground of the agricultural
picture during the period covered by this report.
Generally dry weather has, in fact, prevailed during the past
four growing seasons, but in the last two years drought has
reached disaster proportions in some areas of the state.
Economic recession caught the farmer in a cost-price squeeze.
While his production costs continued at a high level, the prices
he received for many of his products declined. Adding to his
uncertainty for the future has been the enactment of federal
legislation to substitute flexible price supports for the rigid,
90-percent-of-parity on most controlled crops.
The State Department of Agriculture has taken what steps
it could to mitigate these and other special problems. Its part in
the emergency drought-relief program is reported elsewhere in
this section. It has vigorously opposed flexible price supports
at every opportunity. It will continue to voice its opposition to
this measure and to any other proposals for undermining the
program which has given some stability to our agricultural
economy.
In times like these the Department's normal, everyday func-tions
take on added importance. With production costs cutting
more and more into farm income, enforcement of laws and
regulations having to do with full measure, minimum standards
of quality and true labeling means proportionately more to the
farmer.
The Department's free soil-testing service makes his fertilizer
dollar go farther and increases his crop yields. Its farm market-ing
program helps him to get the best possible price for his
products. Its test farms in various sections of the state provide
facilities for research applicable to farming in the area where
each is located; and serve to demonstrate good farm manage-ment
and cultural techniques for the local farmers.
18 N. C. Department of Agriculture
These are but a few examples. More detailed discussion of
these and other functions of the Department will be found in
reports of the various divisions, each of which is assigned a
chapter in this book.
Building For Service
New facilities constructed during this biennium mark a great
forward step for the Department, and will add immeasurably to
the effectiveness of its work.
Through the years there has been a steady increase in the
Department's responsibilities and activities. Yet in more than
a quarter of a century very little was added in the way of office
and laboratory space. This resulted in more and more crowding
of personnel and equipment into quarters which became increas-ingly
inadequate for operation at maximum efficiency.
A five-story Annex to the Agriculture Building was completed
late in this biennium. As this report is written, moving into the
new quarters is well under way; and offices vacated are being
renovated or remodeled for expansion of those divisions remain-ing
in the old main building.
Also completed late in this biennium were the combination cal-ibrating
station and gasoline-and-oil laboratory for the work of
the Weights and Measures Division; and a large-animal diag-nostic
laboratory for use by the Veterinary Division. Both of
these buildings are located on Western Boulevard in Raleigh.
New buildings and improvements at the fairgrounds not only
enhance the effectiveness of the State Fair as an annual event,
but provide long-needed facilities for agricultural and other
meetings throughout the year.
Laws and Regulations
Laws and regulations have added some new responsibilities
to the Department of Agriculture in this biennium. Many of
them are discussed in reports of the individual divisions which
administer them. Others, however, are mentioned here because
they devolve more directly upon the office of the Commissioner.
In 1953 the General Assembly enacted a law creating the
North Carolina Milk Commission. This law stipulates that the
Commissioner of Agriculture shall serve as an ex-ofiicio member,
and instructs him to provide "as far as practical without addi-tional
compensation such technical and other services as may be
Report for 1952-54
—
Administration 19
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act." Members
appointed by the Governor took the oath of office on August
11, 1953, and on that day the newly created Commission began
its work.
A report of the Commission's accomplishments has no place
here. But it is pertinent for me to report that I have devoted a
great deal of time to meetings and hearings held by the Com-mission,
and that the dairy section of the Department's Division
of Markets has, from the very beginning, assisted and cooperated
in the Milk Commission's work.
Another law enacted in 1953 has to do with the licensing and
regulation of rendering plants and rendering operations. Author-ity
to adopt the regulations is given to the Commissioner of
Agriculture, after consulting the rendering-plant inspection com-mittee.
Under the law this committee is composed of three mem-bers,
one each designated by the State Health Officer and the
Commissioner of Agriculture and the third designated by the
Director of the North Carolina Division of the Southeastern
Renderers Association. Dr. H. J. Rollins, State Veterinarian,
serves as the Department of Agriculture representative on this
committee.
Drawing up regulations which would be safe and reasonable
and carry out the intent of the law has required considerable
study and field work on the part of the inspection committee.
This was completed just as the biennium drew to a close, and
the regulations were promulgated on July 2, 1954.
A law which permits growers to assess themselves for the
purpose of promoting the use and sale of their products was
amended in 1953 to authorize the Department of Agriculture to
collect such assessments from buyers of the products, if the
growers' association elects to have collections made in this way.
Since October 1, 1953, the Department has been making such
collections for the North Carolina Peanut Growers' Association.
This association was certified by the State Board of Agriculture
as the authorized agency representing peanut growers to con-duct
a referendum on the question of an assessment. On August
29, 1953, the growers voted, by an overwhelming majority, in
favor of an assessment of one cent per hundred pounds of peanuts
sold.
Firms and individuals engaged in buying farmers' stock pea-nuts
in North Carolina deduct the assessment from the grower's
20 N. C. Department of Agriculture
payment and turn it over to the Department of Agriculture,
which, in turn, remits the funds so collected to the Peanut
Growers' Association.
This Department also makes collections under the law popu-larly
known as "Nickels for Know-How." This law, enacted in
1951, authorizes the holding of referenda among farmers of the
state on a proposal to assess themselves five cents a ton on sales
of commercial feeds and fertilizers.
The first referendum, authorized by the State Board of Agri-culture
as provided by law, was held on November 3, 1951, and
the proposal won by much more than the required two-thirds
majority. Collections were started on January 1, 1952. During
this biennium (July 1, 1952, to June 30, 1954) these have
amounted to $285,032.98. These collections are turned over to
the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc., and are used
to supplement existing funds for agricultural research and dis-semination
of research information.
Under the law this matter must be re-submitted to eligible
voters at three-year intervals. In April, 1954, the North Carolina
Agricultural Foundation, Inc., North Carolina Farm Bureau
Federation and North Carolina State Grange petitioned the
Board of Agriculture for authority to hold another "Nickels"
referendum. This petition was granted and these three agencies,
designated by the law to do so, plan to hold the referendum on
October 15, 1954.
A regulation adopted by the Board of Agriculture in June,
1953, will add a major undertaking to the Department's activ-ities.
This regulation, which became effective July 1, 1954, re-quires
each fertilizer manufacturer to report to the Commis-sioner
of Agriculture the tonnage of each grade of fertilizer
shipped to each destination in North Carolina.
This measure was adopted at the request of the North Caro-lina
Experiment Station to aid technical workers in research,
and permit them to make fertilizer recommendations based on
knowledge of plant food applications in various sections of the
state.
Alternative methods of reporting are provided in the regula-tions.
Manufacturers may send a copy of the invoice or order
(minus price quotation) on each shipment of fertilizer in or in-to
the state ; or they may submit summary reports of shipments
by grades and by destinations at six-month intervals. Coord-
Report for 1952-54
—
Administration 21
inating- and summarizing this mass of data into a form suitable
for use will require the services of a statistician and a statistical
clerk. This additional help has been included in the Department's
budget request.
During this biennium two emergency regulations were issued
by the Commissioner under authority of a gubernatorial procla-mation
of August 1, 1952. Both were essential in the control
and eradication of vesicular exanthema, a virus disease which
threatened the state's swine industry.
The first was promulgated on August 1, 1952, to prevent entry
of diseased or exposed hogs into the state. At that time North
Carolina was free of the disease. In April, 1953, after several
outbreaks of vesicular exanthema in the state had been traced
to the feeding of raw garbage, emergency regulations were
issued to quarantine all garbage-fed swine and prevent their
movement to livestock markets. Such swine could be moved only
under a permit from the State Veterinarian after inspection
had been made to determine that the animals were healthy and
had been fed on garbage which had been cooked by approved
methods. The General Assembly had, two days earlier, enacted
the Garbage Feeding Law, but this did not become effective
until 90 days after its ratification. These stop-gap measures were
necessary to prevent vesicular exanthema from sweeping the
state, which would have resulted in closing down our hog-buying
markets, halting the movement of North Carolina swine to other
states, and untold financial loss to our farmers.
Supervision of Fairs
The value of local fairs has long been recognized. Their stimu-lation
of competitive spirit and their educational worth are
obvious. Unfortunately, however, the fair's deservedly good
name was at times exploited by the unscrupulous to attract the
solid citizens of a community to events which were mere enter-tainment,
and often the worst type of entertainment.
With a view to fostering bona fide agricultural and industrial
expositions, the 1949 General Assembly enacted a law designed
to prevent the word "fair" from coming into disrepute. Adver-tising
as a "fair" any traveling show, carnival, circus or the
like is forbidden in the law.
To further carry out this purpose, the law provided for li-censing
and supervision by the Commissioner of Agriculture of
22 N. C. Department of Agriculture
all local fairs in the state, under regulations approved by the
State Board of Agriculture.
In 1952 licenses were issued to 67 fairs in 52 counties of the
state, and all were inspected by representatives of the Depart-ment
of Agriculture. In 1953 the number of fairs licensed in-creased
to 77 in 58 counties, and 74 inspections were made. As
a whole, there has been excellent compliance with the law and
regulations. Only one or two fairs inspected failed to meet the
minimum requirements.
Emergency Hay Program
When the prolonged drought of 1953 caused pastures and feed
crops to fail in some areas of the state, livestock farmers were
faced with loss of their foundation herds. Agricultural agencies
of the state cooperated to assess the need and back Governor
Umstead in his requests for federal funds to defray half the
transportation costs of hay shipments to the drought-stricken
areas.
The Department of Agriculture, of course, took an active part
in the preliminary phases of this program, and helped in mapping
out procedures for distributing the funds granted. And the De-partment
was made responsible for all disbursements under the
program.
The program was launched in early November and terminated
on April 15 of the following year. In this period more than
15,000 tons of the emergency hay came into the state, for which
freight reimbursements totaled $94,821. During part of this
time freight rates on the hay were reduced fifty per cent by
voluntary action of the railroads, and this meant an additional
saving of around $70,000 on transportation.
Assistant Commissioner John L. Reitzel, who supervised the
Department's participation in this program, estimates that more
than 10,000 head of livestock were fed, wholly or partially, on
the emergency hay.
Personnel Changes
During this biennium the Department lost, by retirement, two
of its oldest and most valued employees. Miss Susie D. Allen,
supervising seed analyst in the Seed Testing Division, retired
in the summer of 1953. She had held this position 38 years and
Report for 1952-54
—
Administration 23
made a vital contribution toward raising the Seed Laboratory
to the eminence it now enjoys. With her retirement the labor-atory
would have suffered irreparably had it not been able to
obtain the services of Miss Magdalene Brummitt, who had
trained under Miss Allen and worked with her for a number of
years. Miss Brummitt has also had three years of valuable
experience in federal seed laboratories.
Frank Parker, who directed the Department's statistical work
for 37 years, retired in the spring of 1953. In the dual capacity
of State Statistician for the Bureau of Agricultural Economics
of USDA and director of the Statistics Division of the North
Carolina Department of Agriculture, Mr. Parker had through
the years expanded this service from a one-man office to an
organization employing 35 full-time workers, a number of other
part-time employees and a small army of volunteer crop and
livestock reporters. He developed statistical reports covering
nearly every phase of the state's agriculture, and initiated the
annual County Farm Census. He traveled the state and knew the
farming pattern in every section. Shortly before his retirement
he was awarded a superior service citation by the U. S. Depart-ment
of Agriculture.
The Department was most fortunate in the appointment of
Henry L. Rasor to take over Mr. Parker's work. Mr. Rasor has
held a succession of responsible assignments in the Crop Report-ing
Service for 26 years. He was agricultural statistician in
charge of the Louisiana office at the time of his transfer to North
Carolina.
In August, 1953, A. Hugh Harris, who had been Assistant Com-missioner
of Agriculture since 1949, resigned to look after his
farming and business interests. Mr. Harris had been "drafted"
to his position in the Department and labored zealously here at
the expense of his personal affairs. When these could no longer
be denied his attention, his resignation was reluctantly accepted.
A combination of fortunate circumstances brought John L.
Reitzel to the Department to fill this post. Mr. Reitzel's train-ing
and experience were such as to eminently qualify him for the
job. A native of Iredell County, he holds a bachelor of science
degree from North Carolina State College, he has taught voca-tional
agriculture, served as assistant county agent in Cleveland
and Haywood Counties, and as county agent in Wake County.
24 N. C. Department of Agriculture
His release from active military service made him available very
shortly after Mr. Harris' resignation, and he assumed his duties
with the Department late in August of 1953.
Board of Agriculture
No report of this Department would be complete without
recognition of the important services of the State Board of
Agriculture. This policy-making and regulatory body is the guid-ing
hand back of all the Department accomplishes.
All busy farmers, the members of this Board give unstintingly
of their time and efforts to the responsibilities of their office.
In addition to the time spent in meetings of the whole Board,
members work long and tirelessly on committees appointed to
study and make recommendations on complicated matters which
the Board must review. Particularly has this been true during
the period covered by this report, when relocation of a test farm
has involved all the investigations requisite to buying and selling
large tracts of land.
Many intricate or controversial regulatory matters have come
before the Board also in this two-year period, and to all of these
the Board has given careful, objective consideration and wise and
impartial decision.
Following is a brief listing of the meetings and actions of the
Board during this biennium.
HIGHLIGHTS OF BOARD MEETINGS
1952-1954 Biennium
Aug. IJi, 1952
Raleigh
Budget
Sept. 2S, 1952
Raleigh
Budget
Test Farm Land
Rocky Mount
Tobacco-Curer
Fees
Feed Standards
Protein
(12<7c Dairy)
Oct. 13, 1952
Raleigh
Tobacco Weight
Tolerances
Quitclaim
Deed—Old
Fairgrounds
Dairy
Regulations
Dept. of Agri-culture
Exhibit —N. C. State
Fair
Dec. 8, 1952
Raleigh
New Member
Piedmont
Test Farm
Upper Mountain
Test Farm
N. C. Markets
Authority
Lease of
Facilities
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Claude T. Hall, J. Muse Mc-
Cotter, Charles F. Phillips, Miss Ethel Parker, 0. J.
Holler, A. B. Slagle.
Reviewed Department Budget requests for 1953-55 bien-nium.
Suggested revisions. Appointed Committee to re-view
and revise budget before its presentation to Advi-sory
Budget Commission in September.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, O. J. Holler,
J. Muse McCotter, Charles F. Phillips, J. H. Poole, A. B.
Slagle, J. E. Winslow.
Attended hearing on Budget before Advisory Budget Com-mission.
Approved terms of lease of land from Upper Coastal
Plain Experiment Station to J. L. Wiggins for construc-tion
of dam. Authorized presentation of lease to Council
of State and recommended it be granted.
Adopted order and findings of fact in matter of reduc-ing
charges for seals of approval, in accordance with mo-tion
passed on June 17, 1952.
Amended chemical standards for mixed feed to include a
12 per cent protein dairy feed.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, 0. J. Holler, J. Muse McCotter, Charles F. Phillips,
A. B. Slagle, J. E. Winslow
Heard report on abuses of tobacco weight tolerances al-lowed
under regulations and authorized the Commissioner
to hold a hearing in this matter.
Recommended that Council of State authorize execution
of quitclaim deed to small strip of land which had been
part of the old fairgrounds in Raleigh and to which legal
title was defective.
Approved recodification of one section of the Dairy Reg-ulations.
Heard and discussed plans for an over-all Department of
Agriculture exhibit at the State Fair in 1953 and ensuing
years.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, O. J. Holler, Charles F. Phillips, J. H. Poole, J. E.
Winslow, R. V. Knight
Introduction of new member, Mr. R. V. Knight, of Tar-boro,
appointed to unexpired term of Miss Ethel Parker,
who resigned.
Authorized Commissioner to take steps to effect trans-fer
of Federal land to State at this Station.
Approved Commissioner's proposal that he ask Dean of
Agriculture at North Carolina State College to designate
members of his staff' to work with Board's committee in
locating new Piedmont Test Farm.
Approved purchase of a commercial garage building and
lot adjacent to Upper Mountain Test Farm, Laurel
Springs, and requested Budget Bureau to approve trans-fer
of funds for this purpose.
Considered proposal to renew lease from Johnston County
Commissioners for marketing facilities near Smithfield.
Authorized Commissioner to investigate and act as he
sees fit with reference to renewal.
26 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Secy. & Treas.
Japanese Beetle
Quarantine
Vesicular
Exanthema
March 11, 1953
Raleigh
State Fair
Audit
State Fair,
Appointment
of Manager
State Fair
Promotion
Director
Insecticides
in Fertilizer
Feed Regulations,
Urea and Fibre
in Dairy Feeds
Test Farm Land,
Mountain Test
Farm
Elected John A. Winfield as Secretary-Treasurer of the
North Carolina Markets Authority.
Amended regulated areas under Japanese Beetle Quaran-tine—
adding three counties and one township in another
county.
Heard report from Dr. H. J. Rollins, State Veterinarian,
on measures taken to prevent entrance into North Caro-lina
of infectious swine virus, vesicular exanthema.
Present: Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T. Hall, 0. J. Holler,
R. V. Knight, J. Muse McCotter, Charles F. Phillips, J. H.
Poole, A. B. Slagle, J. E. Winslow.
State Auditor's report on State Fair for calendar year
1952 presented by Dr. J. S. Dorton, Fair Manager, and
accepted by the Board with commendation for the man-ager
and his staff.
Rehired Dr. Dorton as State Fair Manager for another
year.
Passed motion requesting Personnel Department to class-ify
position and set salary for John W. Fox, promotion
director.
Heard recommendations from Experiment Station to add
certain insecticides to those already permitted under reg-ulations
for admixture with fertilizer. Agreed to call pub-lic
hearing on this matter at next meeting.
On recommendation of Experiment Station, Department
of Animal Husbandry, amended regulation to restrict urea
in feeds to two per cent of the total mixture. Deferred
action on Experiment Station recommendation to change
maximum fibre content of dairy feeds from 15 to 13 per
cent.
Postponed action on request from Henry Miller to buy
strip of land from Mountain Test Farm (3/10 acre).
Test Farm
Relocation of
Piedmont
Station
Approved purchase of three adjoining farms in Rowan
County (approximately 1,000 acres) for relocation of
Piedmont Test Farm. Requested Council of State to pro-vide
funds and permit reimbursement from sale of farm
at Statesville.
Apr. 27, 1953
Raleigh
Dairy Regulations
Definition
of Cream
Milk solids
not fat
Labeling of
Buttermilk
Address on
label of
milk containers
Diabetic
Ice Cream
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, O. J. Holler, R. V. Knight, J. Muse McCotter, Charles
F. Phillips, J. H. Poole, A. B. Slagle, J. E. Winslow.
Held hearings on proposed changes in dairy regulations
(Chapter IV of Regulations.)
Definition of (1) single cream, (2) double, or whipping
cream, and (3) half and half. (Adopted as proposed.)
Deleted definition of whipping cream from Chapter IX.
Changed minimum per cent of milk-solids-not fat, from
8.50 to 8.25, wherever it appears in definitions.
Heard proposal to permit Grade A labeling of buttermilk
made from powdered milk, if powder is known to be
made from Grade A milk for pasteurization. Voted against
proposal.
Amended regulation to require address of plant where
contents pasteurized on all milk bottles.
Adopted regulations for special dietetic ice cream to be
sold as "diabetic ice cream," effective through October
31, 1953.
Report for 1952-54
—
Administration 27
Tobacco Weight
Tolerances
State Fair
Regulations
Mortars
Urea in Feeds
Loans From
Warehouse
Fund
Interest Rate
on Warehouse
Loans
Milling Grade
of Corn
June 22, 1953
Raleigh
Fertilizer
Regulations
Fertilizer Grade
List; High-
Analysis Grades
Insecticides in
Fertilizer
Grade Tonnage
Reports
Bread Standards
Crop-Dusting
Peanut
Referendum
Test Farm Land,
Statesville
Camellia Flower
Blight
Sept. H, 1953
Raleigh
Labeling of
Buttermilk
Held hearing and amended regulations reducing tobacco
weight tolerances allowable for variation due to changes
in atmospheric conditions.
Adopted regulations and rental schedules for operation
of State Fair Arena.
Approved transfer of mortars at front corners of Agricul-ture
Building to Division of State Parks for removal to
Fort Macon.
Rescinded change in regulation regarding maximum urea
in dairy feed, adopted at meeting on March 11, 1953.
Approved loans of $33,000 to W. S. and W. G. Dean,
Roanoke Rapids; $50,000 to Lincoln Bonded Warehouse,
Lincolnton, and $25,000 to House Milling Co., Newton
Grove.
Voted to raise interest rate on warehouse loans from 4
per cent to 5 per cent.
Considered telegraphic request from Western Corn Mil-ler's
Association that Board established grade standards for
a milling grade of corn. Deferred action until Department
specialists could confer with USDA officials to see if
grade and methods of checking could be established.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, O. J. Holler, J. Muse McCotter, Charles F. Phillips,
J. H. Poole, J. E. Winslow, George P. Kittrell.
Held hearings on changes in fertilizer regulations.
Adopted official fertilizer grade list for 1953-54, includ-ing
for the first time several grades of higher analysis.
Added aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor and toxaphene to list of
insecticides permitted to be mixed with fertilizer under
certain conditions.
Adopted regulation requiring manufacturers to report
shipments of fertilizer in or into the State by grades for
each destination.
Adopted new regulations pertaining to definition and
standards for bread.
Held hearing and adopted regulations governing aerial
application of pesticides, under new law enacted by the
1953 General Assembly.
Certified North Carolina Peanut Growers Association, Inc.,
as agency authorized to hold a referendum among peanut
growers on the question of levying an assessment for pea-nut
marketing promotion, and approved holding such
referendum on August 29, 1953.
Approved granting highway right-of-way through Pied-mont
Test Farm, involving 15 acres at $250 per acre.
Added area in Wilson County to Quarantine ai'eas in
North Carolina.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, O. J. Holler, George P. Kittrell, J. Muse McCotter,
Charles F. Phillips, J. H. Poole, A. B. Slagle, J. E. Wins-low.
Heard request from George Coble and others for permis-sion
to use the word "churned" on cultured buttermilk,
or definition for churned buttermilk to apply when cul-tured
milk has butter added and undergoes high-speed
agitation. Authorized appointment of a committee to draw
up a proposed definition of "churned buttermilk" for dis-cussion
at a later meeting.
28 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Appointment of
Division Head
Seed
Regulations
Test Farm Land,
Oxford
Test Farm Land,
New Piedmont
Station, Rowan
County
Loan From
Warehouse
Fund
Tobacco Curer
Inspection Fees
Oct. 19, 1953
Raleigh
Liquid
Fertilizer
Warehouse Loan
Application
Feb. 2, 195i
Raleigh
Warehouse Loan
Applications
Concrete Block
Regulations
Employee Drivers
Liability
Buttermilk,
Definition
Approved appointment of Henry L. Rasor as head of
Statistics Division, replacing Frank Parker, retired.
Held scheduled public hearing on proposed amendments
to seed regulations. Amended lists of restricted and pro-hibited
noxious weeds and clarified certain administrative
provisions.
Approved exchange of 18.84 acres from Tobacco Test
Farm for a like amount of land offered by City of Oxford.
Test farm land needed by city to enlarge its reservoir.
Heard report from Director of Test Farms Division that
purchase completed and deeds delivered on three tracts
of land in Rowan County for new Piedmont Test Farm.
Approved loan from Warehouse Fund of $35,000 to Con-way
Bonded Warehouse, Inc., to be used in construction
of new warehouse for storage of cotton and peanuts.
Amended regulations to set fee of 50 cents for tags to be
attached to tobacco curer assemblies, in line with provi-sions
of law enacted by the 1953 Legislature.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Claude T. Hall, O. J. Holler,
George P. Kittrell, J. Muse McCotter, Charles F. Phillips,
J. H. Poole, A. B. Slagle, J. E. Winslow.
Held hearing and adopted regulations governing the
handling and sale of liquid fertilizers.
Received application for loan of $42,500 from Mount Olive
Grain Co., R. B. Williams, President. Asked Warehouse
Superintendent to obtain additional information.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, O. J. Holler, J. Muse McCotter, George P. Kittrell,
Charles F. Phillips, J. H. Poole, A. B. Slagle, J. E. Wins-low.
Gave further consideration to application for loan from
Mount Olive Grain Co. Authorized appointment of a com-mittee
of specialists to work with applicant in preparing
working schedule and financial plan to ensure a profitable
operation, and to make recommendations to the Board.
Received application from Gurley Milling Co., of Selma,
N. C, Inc., for loan of $150,000 from Warehouse Fund to
construct a grain elevator at Selma. Authorized same com-mittee
of specialists to work with applicant in the same
way as above, and make recommendations to the Board.
Approved increasing loan to Conway Bonded Warehouse
from $35,000 to $45,000, because building costs were high-er
than anticipated.
Heard resolution of North Carolina Concrete Masonry
Association, presented by secretary-treasurer, requesting
Board to amend regulations to require registration by
manufacturers of concrete masonry units, regular inspec-tion
of plants, and publication of inspection results. Post-poned
action until public hearing could be held.
Adopted resolution requesting Governor and Council of
State to make provisions for insurance coverage of De-partment
employees when driving State-owned cars, as
required under the Motor Vehicle Safety and Financial
Responsibility Act of 1953.
Received proposed new definition of churned cultured
buttermilk prepared by committee authorized on Septem-ber
14, 1953. Took no action.
Report for 1952-54
—
Administration 29
Buttermilk Label-ing,
"Churned"
Called Mis-branding
April 7, 195i
Raleigh
Coastal Plain
Test Farm
Power Line
Conveyed to
C. P. & L.
State Fair Audit
State Fair
Manager
Appointed
"Nickels For
Know-How"
Referendum
"Nickels For
Know-How'
Report
Loans From
Warehouse
Fund
Concrete
Masonry
Units
Admission of
Brucellosis
Vaccinates to
Fairs and Live-stock
Shows
White-Fringed
Beetle
Quarantine
Test Farm Land
for Tobacco
Research
Went on record as being of the opinion that cartons con-taining
cultured milk products and labeled "churned but-termilk"
are misbranded under North Carolina dairy laws
and regulations.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, O. J. Holler, George P. Kittrell, J. Muse McCotter,
Charles F. Phillips, J. H. Poole, A. B. Slagle.
Approved conveying electric light lines and poles at
Coastal Plain Test Farm, Willard, to Carolina Power and
Light Co., for cash and other considerations.
Received from State Fair Manager report on the audit
of the North Carolina State Fair for the period January
1, 1953, to December 31, 1953, prepared by Department of
State Auditor. Accepted and approved the audit report
and adopted motion expressing gratitude and commenda-tion
to Fair Manager for his fine work.
Reappointed Dr. J. S. Dorton as manager of North Caro-lina
State Fair for the ensuing year.
Received petitions from North Carolina Agricultural
Foundation, Inc., North Carolina Farm Bureau and North
Carolina State Grange for authorization to hold a "Nickels
for Know-How" referendum in 1954. Authorized referen-dum
as requested.
Heard report from L. L. Ray, Director of Foundation at
North Carolina State College, on projects financed by
"Nickels for Know-How."
Approved loan of $4,000 to Wall Warehouse and Storage
Co., of Wadesboro, for construction of facilities to store
lespedeza seed and grain.
Heard report on committee authorized February 2, 1954,
to work with Mt. Olive Grain Co., Inc., and Gurley Mill-ing
Co., of Selma, N. C, Inc. Committee recommended
loan of $55,740 to Mount Olive Grain Co., for construction
of facility with 107,000 bushels capacity, and this loan
was approved by the Board.
Committee recommended that loan to Gurley be limited
to $135,000 maximum, because total of only $250,000 now
available for lending from Warehouse Fund. Board with-held
approval of loan because Gui'ley concern had not ob-tained
finances for its half of construction costs. Board
also agreed that not more than $100,000 should be put
into any one loan.
Adopted amendment to strengthen regulations governing
registration, inspection and load-bearing strength of con-crete
masonry units, as requested on February 2, 1954 by
North Carolina Concrete Masonry Association.
Heard requests from manager of Winston-Salem Fair that
calfhood vaccinated animals showing a titer up to 18
months of age be allowed entry at livestock shows and
fairs if they come from certified Bangs' free herds. Post-poned
action pending hearing.
Amended areas of quarantine for White-Fringed Beetle.
Discussed advisability of buying land for tobacco research
in areas where land is now rented for this purpose. Re-quested
Department of Agriculture and Experiment Sta-tion
personnel to confer and make recommendations.
30 N. C. Department of Agriculture
May J,, 195A
Raleigh
Peanut Test
Farm; Ease-ment
for
Power Line
Test Farm Visit-ing
Committee
Brucellosis
Vaccinates,
Admission to
Fairs
May 26, 1954
Raleigh
Seed Regular
tions. Noxious
Weeds
Fertilizer
Grade List
Coastal Plain
Test Farm
Power Line
Statesville
Test Farm
June 23, 195J,
Raleigh
Bulk Milk
Dispensers
Statesville Test
Farm, Offer for
Tract of Land
Swine
Diagnostic
Laboratory
Dairy
Regulations,
Babcock Test-
Present: Claude T. Hall, 0. J. Holler, George P. Kittrell,
Charles F. Phillips, J. H. Poole, J. E. Winslow.
Approved granting easement to Roanoke Electric Service
Corporation granting right-of-w^ay through Peanut Test
Farm for poles and lines to provide povrer for the farm.
Authorized committee from Board to visit test farms to
study their appropriation needs for the next biennium.
Held hearing on proposal of Winston-Salem Fair Manager
presented at April 7 meeting. Agreed to make no change
in the regulations.
Present: Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T. Hall, 0. J. Holler,
George P. Kittrell, J. Muse McCotter, Charles F. Phillips,
J. H. Poole, A. B. Slagle, J. E. Winslow.
Added wild mustard to list of restricted noxious weeds,
limited to 500 seeds per pound of weed seed.
Adopted official fertilizer grade list for year beginning
July 1, 1954.
Approved conveying additional power lines at Coastal
Plains Test Farm to Carolina Power and Light Co.
Authorized committee from Board to act for the Board in
conducting preliminary negotiations for sale of land from
the Statesville Test Farm, and to make recommendations
on over-all policies to be followed in selling this farm.
Present: Glenn G. Gilmore, Hoyle C. Griffin, Claude T.
Hall, O. J. Holler, George P. Kittrell, Charles F. Phillips,
J. H. Poole, A. B. Slagle, J. E. Winslow.
Held public hearing on proposal to amend regulations to
allows sale of milk from refrigerated bulk dispensers in
public eating places. Authorized committee representing
various interested agencies to draft proposed regulations
permitting dispensers under safeguards as to sanitation,
trade practices, size of servings, and effective date.
Heard report of Statesville Test Farm committee on offer
of firm to buy tract of land from Statesville Test Farm to
erect factory which will ultimately employ 600 people.
Representative of Department of Conservation and De-velopment
expressed interest in bringing this business to
North Carolina. Board authorized committee to proceed
with negotiations.
Mr. Kittrell reported interest of Eastern North Caro-lina
swine producers in having a diagnostic laboratory
in that area. Authorized a committee to investigate the
feasibility of establishing such a laboratory and make rec-ommendations.
Approved amendment to Dairy regulations to describe in
detail procedures for testing milk and cream by the Bab-cock
method.
ACCOUNTS
A. R. POWLEDGE
Chief Auditor
The financial report of the Department
and the various divisions is as follows
:
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Code 1101
Statement of Disbursements
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
A. R. POWLEDGE
Summary by Purposes
1953-54
I. Administration $ 39,247.01
Accounting Office 28,468.42
Publicity & Publications 33,558.22
II. Inspection 50,943.21
III. Markets 289,296.09
IV. Credit Union 22,017.79
V. Dairy 53,580.42
VI. Entomology 50,079.17
VII. Seed Laboratory 66,294.02
VIII. Analytical 195,848.98
IX. Crop Statistics 139,488.57
X. Soil Testing 82,810.19
XL Blister Rust Control
XII. Veterinary 224,812.62
XIII. Test Farms 452,076.03
XV. Weights & Measures 88,494.75
XVI. State Museum 29,101.67
XVII. Hog Cholera Work 14,692.34
XVIII. Custodial 13,326.00
XIX. Miscellaneous 97,821.74
XX. Rabies
XXL Japanese Beetle Control 2,133.50
XXII. White Fringed Beetle Control 9,435.21
XXIII. Indemnity Diseased Slaughtered
Livestock 13,641.22
XXV. Vesicular Exanthema 33,648.91
Total Expenditures $2,030,816.08
Summary By Objects
1953-54
11. Salaries & Wages $1,288,698.06
12. Supplies & Materials 118,042.93
13. Postage, Tel., & Tel., Express 28,359.20
14. Travel Expense 191,898.98
15. Printing & Binding 26,823.56
16. Motor Vehicle Operations 13,141.91
17. Light, Power & Water 5,363.59
18. Repairs & Alterations 11,177.81
1952-53
35,949.61
20,190.60
34,166.73
77,468.81
266,564.11
21,773.19
56,375.29
42,139.67
38,061.88
194,737.19
134,621.57
71,139.33
4,698.53
208,518.30
409,558.76
81,958.20
26,893.17
13,849.83
12,956.40
90,364.02
48.51
597.95
9,321.27
16,074.27
$1,868,027.19
1952-53
$1,192,595.58
107,912.55
27,283.25
174,014.72
27,941.94
13,830.40
4,756.19
13,228.82
32 N. C. Department of Agriculture
19. General Expense 105,677.44 108,062.01
22. Insurance & Bonding 2,801.43 3,667.98
23. Equipment 105,634.24 75,120.12
32. Additions & Betterments 39,537.52 33,080.16
33. Stores for Resale 19,211.47 22,437.83
Contribution to Retirement System 74,447.94 64,095.64
Purchase of Land
Total Expenditures $2,030,816.08 $1,868,027.19
Less Transfer from RMA Fund 48,990.34 44,708.22
Less Transfer from USDA
Cooperative Agreement 559.24 481.39
Less Test Farm Perquisites 8,125.00 7,230.00
Pulpwood—Lewiston 4,683.74
Total $1,973,141.50 $1,810,923.84
Condition of Funds
Treasurers Cash—June 30 $ 51,100.38 $ 314,009.54
Investments in Bonds and
Premiums on Bonds 103,874.98 103,874.98
Total Credit Balance June 30 $ 154,975.36 $ 417,884.52
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Code 1101
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Fertilizer Tax $ 448,977.85 $ 438,821.82
Cottonseed Meal 962.50 1,475.21
Feed 259,213.33 272,387.48
Seed Licenses 27,765.00 26,568.00
Condimental Feed 4,292.00 2,660.00
Serum 13,202.21 11,673.45
Costs 15,352.42 18,969.31
Linseed Oil 610.27 837.82
Bleached Flour 8,520.00 8,363.79
Bottling Plants 1,610.00 1,680.00
Ice Cream 1,550.00 2,978.00
Insecticides 25,340.00 23,790.00
Test Farms 133,478.59 138,558.94
Bakeries 2,420.00 2,520.00
Chicken Tests 46,341.69 35,330.57
Seed Tags 21,872.15 21,838.28
Inspection Entomology 6,452.00 6,011.05
Oleomargarine 1,375.00 1,500.00
Land Plaster & Agriculture Lime 19,872.06 23,297.85
Fertilizer Registration 5,143.00 4,942.50
Miscellaneous 2,842.24 1,229.30
Feed Registration 6,851.00 6,169.00
Canned Dog Food Registration 332.01 714.00
Lime Registration 504.15 360.00
Land Plaster Registration 50.00
Livestock Marketing Permits 8,300.00 6,100.00
Dog Food Stamps 9,653.98 7,977.05
Hatchery Fees &, Supplies 4,019.00 3,827.05
Permits for Out-of-State Milk 225.00 925.00
Interest on Investments 2,500.00 2,500.00
Report for 1952-54
—
Accounts 33
Anti-Freeze Permits 1,375.00 1,250.00
Credit Union Fees 14,036.89 12,515.04
Weights & Measures Fees 13,984.00 16,993.15
Garbage Permits 958.00
Babcock Testers License 251.00
Total Agricultural Receipts $1,110,232.34 $1,104,763.66
Contribution from General Fund 600,000.00 885,191.00
Total Revenue $1,710,282.84 $1,989,954.66
SHEEP DISTRIBUTION PROJECT
Special Fund—Code 3
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Credit Balance—July 1 $ 38,291.40 $ 26,730.41
Revenue Collections 96,678.25 152,661.37
Disbursements 114,171.42 141,100.38
Credit Balance—June 30 $ 20,798.23 $ 38,291.40
DISTRIBUTION OF SURPLUS COMMODITIES
Code 19
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Credit Balance—July 1 ' $ 109,681.70 $ 108,689.72
Repayments 5,852.76 9,762.75
Disbursements 9,119.33 8,770.77
Credit Balance—June 30 $ 106,415.13 $ 109,681.70
N. C. AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND MARKETING ACT,
FEDERAL FUND
Special Fund—Code 51
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Credit Balance—July 1 $ 1,099.17 $ 3,807.39
Receipts—RMA Matching Fund 50,000.00 42,000.00
Disbursements
Marketing Division Expenses in connection
with RMA project—Transferred to Code
1101 48,990.34 44,708.22
Credit Balance—June 30 $ 2,108.83 $ 1,099.17
SPECIAL DEPOSITORY ACCOUNT REPORTING SYSTEM
Code 56
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Receipts
Cash-Bond Deposits (Reporting System) ..$ 3,500.00 $ 3,500.00
Credit Balance—June 30 $ 3,500.00 $ 3,500.00
34 N. C. Department of Agriculture
GASOLINE AND OIL INSPECTION
General Fund—Code 320
STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Revenue Appropriation $ 323,277.00 $ 379,257.00
Disbursements 280,377.83 342,916.49
Unspent Balance of Appropriation $ 42,899.17 $ 36,340.51
STATE WAREHOUSE SYSTEM—SUPERVISION
Special Fund—Code 1801
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
Credit Balance—July 1 $ 32,696.92 $ 38,985.96
Receipts
Revenue Collections 31,335.95 29,881.74
Miscellaneous Collections 11,424.04 3,377.37
Expenditures 34,463.34 35,470.78
Miscellaneous Expenditures 16,010.71 4,077.37
Credit Balance—June 30 $ 24,982.86 $ 32,696.92
STATE WAREHOUSE SYSTEM—PRINCIPAL
Special Fund—Code 1802
STATEMENTS OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Cash on hand—State Treas.—July 1 $ 28,420.99 $ 9,234.63
Receipts
Repayment of Loans 13,635.08 19,186.36
Sale of Bonds 105,393.19
Total Availability 147,449.26 28,420.99
Disbursements
Loans to Warehouses 141,000.00
Transfer of Funds 749.43
Treas. Cash—June 30 5,699.83 28,420.99
Loans to Warehouses 295,900.00 168,535.08
Invested in 21/2% Gov't. Bonds 440,000.00 550,000.00
Total Worth^une 30 $ 741,599.83 $ 746,956.07
COOPERATIVE INSPECTION SERVICE
Special Fund—Code 1803
STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Treas. Cash^July 1 $ 29,035.30 $ 62,361.30
U. S. Treasury Bonds—2^/2% Par Value 40,000.00 40,000.00
Premium on Bonds 1,175.00 1,175.00
Credit Balance—July 1 70,210.30 103,536.30
Receipts 291,646.35 253,781.35
Disbursements 272,389.42 287,107.35
Credit Balance-^une 30 $ 89,467.23 $ 70,210.30
Report for 1952-54
—
Accounts 35
north carolina educational radio & television
commission
General Fund—Code 637
STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS
August 1, 1953-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Appropriation (for 1953-55 Biennium) $ 12,000.00
Disbursements 2,423.91
Unspent Balance of Appropriation $ 9,576.09
NORTH CAROLINA MARKETING COMMISSION
General Fund—Code 642
STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS
March 1, 1954-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Appropriation (for 1953-55 Biennium) $ 2,550.00
Disbursements 335.38
Unspent Balance of Appropriation $ 2,214.62
ADVANCE FOR LAND PURCHASE
General Fund—Code 3213
STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS
August 1, 1953-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Appropriation $ 115,000.00
Disbursements 109,869.49
Unspent Balance of Appropriation $ 5,130.51
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS—ADDITIONS AND BETTERMENTS
Code 14391
STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS
September 1, 1953-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Appropriation $ 86,500.00
Unalloted Balance 22,500.00
Allotments Made 64,000.00
Disbursements 28,589.80
Unspent Balance of Allotment $35,410.20
EMERGENCY HAY PROGRAM
Code 22
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS
November 1, 1953-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Credit Balance—November 1
U. S, Department Agriculture Allotment $ 135,000.00
Disbursements 94,522.20
Credit Balance—June 30 $ 40,477.80
CONTRIBUTION FROM THE GENERAL FUND
General Fund—Code 3212
STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS
July 1, 1952-June 30, 1954
1953-54 1952-53
Revenue Appropriation $ 889,868.00 $ 712,565.00
Expenditures
Contribution to Department of
Agriculture—Code 1101 $ 600,000.00 $ 712,000.00
Unspent Balance of Appropriation $ 289,868.00 $ 565.00
Dr. E. W. Constable
DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY
Dr. E. W. Constable
State Chemist
The Division of Chemistry is concerned
in the administration of control laws deal-ing
with fertilizers; liming materials and
land-plaster; livestock feeds; insecticides;
foods, drugs and cosmetics; linseed oils;
automotive anti-freeze; and the applica-tion
of pesticides by aircraft. The latter
is a new law enacted by the 1953 Legis-lature
and is dealt with in detail in a
following section.
A requirement common to each of these laws, excepting the
aerial crop-dusting law, is that the products covered shall bear
specific labeling that must be true, and shall be given specific
guarantees that must be met. Further requirements for foods,
drugs and cosmetics are that they shall be wholesome and free
from adulteration or exposure to insanitation and that drugs
shall carry cautions and adequate directions for use. Pesticide
labeling also must give directions for use, warning against
dangers, antidotes and first aid procedures.
Aerial Crop-Dusting Law
The North Carolina Aerial Crop-Dusting Law became effec-tive
July 1, 1953. It was the legislative response to complaints
and fears which arose as a result of certain careless and irre-sponsible
applications of pesticides by air. Such applications per-mitted
pesticides to spread beyond the areas intended to be
treated, involving other crops, pastures, livestock, fish ponds,
travelers on public highways, residences and settlements. At
times damage to power and telephone lines and to buildings by
low-fiying airplanes was ignored by operators. This type of per-formance,
while limited, served to bring disrepute on the entire
airplane dusting industry.
The purpose of the law and regulations promulgated there-under
is to provide protection to farmers and to the airplane
dusting industry. "Contractors" and "applicators" (pilots)
are required to procure state licenses to engage in this line of
Report for 1952-54
—
Chemistry 37
business. To qualify for such licenses, they must show reason-able
knowledge of the proper use of pesticides, the dangers in-volved
and the precautions necessary in handling these materials.
Applicators must also carry not less than $20,000 liability in-surance
against damage by aircraft to persons or property.
Licenses may be revoked for fraudlent practices, for faulty,
careless or negligent application or for other failure to comply.
All licenses expire on December 31 of each year. During the
first six months after the law became effective (July through
December, 1953) licenses were issued to 34 contractors and 64
applicators. From January 1, 1954, to the date of this report, 57
contractors and 113 applicators were licensed.
Considering all circumstances, compliance and cooperation
have been effective, but the fact that no funds were provided
for enforcement has been a handicap. By integrating this with
feed and insecticide inspection and by employing additional
temporary office help, the work has been carried on. However,
it is obvious that a fully effective control program cannot be
accomplished, nor adequate protection afforded, under these
limitations. Therefore, a request is being made in the 1955-57
budget for one additional inspector to be employed jointly in
aerial crop-dusting inspection and general insecticide inspection.
Commercial Fertilizers and Liming Materials
Among the provisions of the fertilizer and lime laws is the
requirement that official samples be collected and analyses be
made to determine whether these products meet the guarantees.
Analyses of fertilizers may cover only one or a number of items,
namely, nitrogen, phosphate, potash, calcium, magnesium, chlo-rine,
sulphur, boron, manganese and acid-forming and non-acid-forming
qualities. Liming materials are limited to calcium, mag-nesium
and acid neutralizing value; landplaster to calcium sul-phate.
The number of samples analyzed during the biennium was
21,122 an average of 10,561 per year. With present facilities this
is about the maximum volume that can be effectively handled and
prepared for publication in reasonable time. Special attention is
given to brands which appear to be running off-guarantee. How-ever,
in order that all brands on the market may be given due
38 N. C. Department of Agriculture
evaluation and credit, it is necessary that a certain balance ac-cording
to distribution be maintained. Coverage for the two
years was as follows
:
Official fertilizer samples 20,697
Unofficial fertilizers and
fertilizer materials for farmers 141
Official liming material with
potash, and landplaster 153
Research samples,
N. C, Experiment Station 131
Total 21,122
In order that the work may be of full value, every effort is
made to turn out analyses and reports as early as possible. The
flow of analytical reports during the fertilizer season therefore
is exceptionally heavy. It is not possible for the regular staff to
keep this work current. Part-time help has been employed for
several years on lapsed and transfer funds. This cannot be de-
Laboratory where fertilizer is analyzed for phosphorus. This is one of
several laboratories for determining the various ingredients in commercial
fertilizers.
Report for 1952-54
—
Chemistry 39
Commercial stock and poultry feeds are analyzed in this section
of the laboratory.
pended upon, however, and a budget request is being made to
provide for a part-time employee from April through Septem-ber
of each year.
Commercial Feeds
In keeping with the provisions of the feed law and the canned
dog food law, official samples for checking are collected from all
parts of the state. Chemical analyses are made for protein, fat,
crude fibre, ash and urea, the latter having come into promi-nence
as a component of certain feeds. The individual materials
of which a feed is composed is an equally important considera-tion.
These are determined microscopically. Canned dog foods
are also analyzed for moisture.
The capacity of the present laboratory and personnel is
around 2,200 samples a year. As with fertilizer, while giving
special attention to brands that tend to run off-guarantee, the
general plan of operation is to prorate coverage in a manner
so as to give all brands due evaluation and credit.
40 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Results of the work for the biennium show that standards
were maintained at a normal level. Coverage for that period was
as follows
:
Official samples 4,825
Unofficial and miscellaneous samples 471
Total 5,296
Among the needs for this work is a more comprehensive cov-erage
of drugs and antibiotics contained in medicated feeds, and
of mineral supplements. New space now available will provide
more room for such activities. However, in view of the limited
number of such analyses that can be handled by an analyst and
the full load that present personnel carries, expansion in this
field will be dependent on additional help.
Economic Poisons
A period of rapid development and expansion has character-ized
the insecticide field for a number of years, due to the greatly
increased demand for these products and the development of
many new ones. This trend now appears to have evolved into a
period of relative stability, although there still are changes and
additions.
The prominent period of expansion was through the years
1946-1951, during which time registrations of insecticides grew
from approximately 400 to 2,000 items per year. Following that
period the number of items have ranged from 2,100 to 2,300 per
year.
Within certain bounds these trends have been reflected in the
Department's activities in insecticide control. The number of
official samples collected for analysis has increased from approx-imately
300 per year in 1946 to an average of 1,500 per year at
the present time. This volume filled to capacity the Depart-ment's
facilities for handling these products, particularly that
of the field inspection staff.
The insecticide control program was effective within the limits
of the provision previously made for it. However, when the in-secticide
need and demand shaped into a definite pattern, and
when these limits became apparent, it was obvious that the cov-erage
afforded was inadequate to permit a properly propor-tioned
pesticide control program.
Report for 1952-54
—
Chemistry 41
Instrument laboratory for spectro-photometric and other types of
analyses of various products
Two bottlenecks which obstructed adequate coverage were
lack of laboratory space and shortage of field inspection person-nel.
The Legislature, in recognition of these facts and of the
indispensability of adequate and reliable supplies of pesticides
in bringing through the crops of today, provided for adequate
laboratory facilities. The need for inspection help is the remain-ing
bottleneck. This has been intensified because of the necessity
of adding the inspection required under the aerial crop-dusting
law to the duties of the feed and insecticide inspectors. As stated
in the foregoing section on the aerial crop-dusting law, one addi-tional
feed and insecticide inspector is being requested.
Other problems of critical nature arise from carelessness and
misuse of pesticides. These stem largely from failure to read
labels and heed cautions and directions. Three cases of serious
injury were reported, one involving the sickness of a baby due
to exposure to an insect spray and two involving the loss of an
eye.
An example of misuse is the application of oil-base sprays to
grain as a grain fumigant. Grain so treated is unfit for any fur-ther
use except perhaps as seed. Every effort is being made to
safeguard the use of insecticides.
42 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Linseed Oil
Linseed oil is highly susceptible to hidden adulteration. The
purpose of the linseed oil law is to circumvent this type of
fraud. Surveys for the biennium covered 531 lots of oil. With
only several exceptions, these were found in good order and
unadulterated. The unsatisfactory lots were removed from sale.
Thirty-eight lots which did not carry the required inspection
stamps were stopped from sale until these were applied.
Automotive Anti-Freezes
The internal combustion anti-freeze law has continued to show
the high level of effectiveness which has characterized it since
its enactment in 1949. No brand of anti-freeze has been offered
for registration that has been found unacceptable. No complaints
of damage to automotive equipment has reached the Depart-ment,
nor has any illegal brand of anti-freeze been found on
sale in the state.
A large measure of credit for this level of effectiveness is due
to the full cooperation of dealers, the Oil Jobbers Association
and to ethical manufacturers. It appears practically impossible
to sell any jobber or dealer in the state a stock of anti-freeze
without showing that it is under current registration. This sta-tus
doubtless reflects back to the great damage and loss suffered
by citizens of the state prior to the advent of the present law.
Fifty-nine brands were registered for 1952-53, and 56 for
1953-54. These represent 33 manufacturers.
Food and Drugs
The North Carolina Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act is the state's
basic law for affording its citizens safe and wholesome supplies
of these products. It is supplemented by specific laws dealing in
fuller detail with bottling plants, bakeries, cereal products and
oleomargarine. These laws require that these products shall be
free of adulteration by additions, abstractions or exposure to
insanitation and that they bear factual labeling which shall not
be false or misleading in any particular. Primary operations in
accomplishing these purposes are the inspection of processing
plants, storage and sales outlets and the collection and analysis
of samples.
Report for 1952-54
—
Chemistry 43
Section of laboratory where various types of foods are analyzed.
This work has been seriously handicapped by limited person-nel
in inspection, chemistry and office work. North Carolina's
population has grown over a period of years and demands have
increased while the staff has remained static or has decreased.
Present coverage is entirely inadequate, and a request is being
made for two additional food and drug inspectors, two food and
drug chemists and one stenographer-clerk. The latter is further
explained under ''Personnel".
Inspection of Plants and Sales Outlets
One of the best methods of avoiding trouble is to prevent it^
occurrence at likely points of origin. This is the purpose of the
periodic inspections of food processing plants, storage and sales
outlets. It is required that certain standards be maintained as
to environment, housing, equipment, facilities, processing, sani-tation
and labeling and that only sound and wholesome materials
be used.
Systematic inspections are made of plants, storage and outlets
to see that these standards are met. If defects of a minor nature
are found, they usually can be corrected by suggestion. Major
defects may require stoppage of operations until correction is
made, embargoing of materials not meeting requirements, or
other appropriate action as circumstances dictate. Of a total of
44 N. C. Department of Agriculture
8,081 labels inspected in detail, 645 were found to be defective
and correction required. With only limited exception, those who
engage in food handling have a high sense of responsibility and
cooperate fully.
Summary of Food Plant Inspections
Bakeries and Doughnut Plants 2,055
Bottling Plants 1,373
Other types of plants (processing and packag-ing
meats, pickles, seafoods, flour and meal,
candy, potato chips, fruits and vegetables, etc.) 2,941
Total 6,369
Plant Operations Suspended
Bakeries 17
Bottling Plants 3
Others 11
Total 31
Adulteration and Misbranding of Foods
There are many ways through which the public's food supply
may become unwholesome, fraudulent, or dangerous to health.
These include addition of poisonous or deleterious substances,
decomposition, insanitation, exposure to vermin, slaughter of
diseased animals, misrepresentation, abstraction of valuable
constituents, addition of cheap or worthless dilutents.
One of the most insidious forms of adulteration arises from
spoilage which results in food poisoning. A great majority of
these cases, particularly the less serious ones, do not come to
the attention of the Department. Twelve cases were dealt with
during the biennium, known to have affected approximately 400
people. Involved were such products as custards and pies, meat
and potato salads, seafoods, sandwiches, ice cream and meats.
In the more serious ones, illness affected 275 school children, 70
college students, and 17 lunchroom patrons. A number of these
were hospitalized. Dried egg powder (baby food) affected an
unknown number of babies.
Report for 1952-54
—
Chemistry 45
Other instances of adulteration and misbranding were dealt
with. In a total of 225 actions approximately 3,000 tons of food
products were removed from the market and either destroyed
or diverted to uses other than for human food.
A large proportion of these activities are based on analyses of
official samples. The Department food inspectors collect these
from all parts of the state, both for routine checking and for
the evaluation of situations in which unusual issues arise. A to-tal
of 1,035 samples were collected by food inspectors during
the biennium. Each year a large number of unofficial samples are
submitted to the Department for analysis. They represent a
variety of products and interests. Effort is made to analyze as
many of these as the individual situations merit and as time vdll
permit.
Fires, Floods and Wrecks
Fires, floods, storms and wrecks often involve quantities of
foods and drugs. Overzealousness in salvaging to minimize loss
always involves danger to consumers. The Division is partic-ularly
attentive to such situations and acts promptly.
Of this category, fires constituted most of the losses and prob-lems
during this biennium. These involved food and drug sup-
A Greensboro food store destroyed by fire. Little can be salvaged from
this type of exposure that is suitable for human consumption.
46 N. C. Department of Agriculture
plies in Charlotte, Clinton, Concord, Dunn, Durham, Elizabeth
City, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh, Tarboro, Washington and
Wilmington. One of the most destructive occurred in Wilming-ton,
resulting in a loss above one and one-half million pounds of
sugar, only a limited part of which could be salvaged. Storms
and wrecks, fortunately, caused less damage. The approximate
total losses involved were 5,800,000 pounds of foods, valued at
$900,000.
Drugs
Chemical control of drugs is designed to make available to the
professions prescribing and selling them, and to consumers, a
supply of reliable, honestly labeled drugs; and to afford protec-tion
from charlatanism and abuses. The Department's facilities
for this work are limited, but every effort is made within these
limits to afford the maximum protection.
The more prominent activities in this field concerned illegal
sale of dangerous drugs, removal from sale of unsatisfactory or
harmful drugs, and the sale of "quack" or "cure-all" remedies.
Some of the more powerful drugs are unsafe for self-administra-tion.
Therefore, the law restricts their sale to prescription only.
The barbiturates, or "sleeping pills", are prominent among
these. Others are stimulants.
The demand for these drugs makes them attractive items in
the illegal drug trade. Twelve such cases in as many towns or
locations were investigated. In some instances purchases were
attempted to procure evidence. In all cases, either the procedure
of investigation or a warning resulted in the cessation of such
violation.
Periodically, drugs appear on the market which by some de-fect
or mishap are unsatisfactory or dangerous. Prompt atten-tion
is given to stopping sale and recalling these. Twenty such
instances occurred during the biennium. Close cooperation with
the U. S. Food and Drug Administration is maintained in this
activity.
The "quack" and "cure-all" remedies are always a lucrative
and inviting field to charlatans. Such remedies appear periodi-cally
and include such items as soap bark at seven dollars per
pound to cure arthritis; a tonic to remove kidney stones, made
by boiling common brown wrapping paper in water ; and the in-herited
secret formula alleged to cure many ailments, including
Report for 1952-54
—
Chemistry 47
epilepsy and cancer. One such operation was set up in a small
town near Raleigh. The entire stock and promotional literature
were placed under embargo. These, abandoned by the owner who
left the state, were destroyed. One death from epilepsy was asso-ciated
with the sale of drugs by mail. This method of selling re-mains
a problem.
Oleomargarine
Limited inspection has been carried out under the oleomarga-rine
laws. Failure to display the required sign stating that oleo-margarine
is served are found and corrected without trouble.
An amendment to the law in 1949, permitting the serving of
the colored product in public eating places, created a tremendous
inspection job; but no appropriation was made for carrying this
out. It is not possible for the present limited inspection staff to
do this job adequately while performing the many other duties
required. Under the section of the law requiring the licensing
of wholesale dealers 111 licenses were issued.
Cooperation with Other Agencies
In line with the policy of cooperation with other agencies,
work in certain lines was carried out on a level of effectiveness
not otherwise possible. These agencies were the U. S. Food and
Drug Administration, the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy
and the Boards of Health of the state and various cities and
counties.
Among the items involved were stopping illegal sale of drugs,
and removal from sale of deteriorated and dangerous drugs, in-jurious
baby foods, fast moving and perishable products such
as watered oysters, and other items of less critical nature. One
item new in this area, and of particular concern, was contamin-ation
of food crops by irrigation with stream water which was
polluted with raw sewage. This resulted in the destruction, by
court order, of a large crop of cabbage. Stream pollution becomes
a hazard to the food supply.
Laboratories and Equipment
Since the new annex to the Agriculture Building is completed
and additional space allotted, activities now are underway for
48 N. C. Department of Agriculture
expanding and renovating laboratories. This is a much needed
relief to the congested and crowded conditions which developed
over a period of years as a result of periodically increased load
and which have been a handicap both in the chemical work and
to laboratory personnel.
Personnel
As discussed in preceding sections of the report, some of the
programs have been handicapped by lack of adequate staffs. To
correct this, requests have been made for additional personnel
as follows : Part time help, six months per year, for work on
fertilizer records and in getting out fertilizer reports ; one in-spector
for joint field inspection in aerial crop-dusting, insecti-cides
and feeds; two inspectors and two chemists for food and
drug work, and one secretary to relieve the heavy overload of
office work. The latter arises from the new laws added—insecti-cides,
anti-freeze and aerial crop-dusting, as well as others
—
fertilizers, feeds, food and drugs, bottling plants, bakeries, lin-seed
oil, bleached flour, etc.
Commendation and appreciation are due the personnel of the
Division for the level and volume of work carried out during the
biennium.
D. R. Graham
CREDIT UNION DIVISION
D. R. Graham
SM2)eri7ite7ide7it
The North Carolina Credit Union Law
was enacted by the 1915 General Assem-bly.
North Carolina was the third state in
the union to adopt such legislation. Be-cause
its primary purpose was to provide
a way for farmers to take care of short-term
credit needs through their own co-operative
efforts, the law designated the
Department of Agriculture as the admin-istrative
agency.
A credit union may be organized by any group having a com-mon
bond of association, occupation or residence. Capital from
which loans are made is accumulated from the savings of mem-bers,
and loans are made at a maximum interest rate of six per
cent per annum.
When the Federal Government entered the field of assisting
farmers in financing their operations, interest in rural credit
unions lagged; but in recent years a number of rural credit
unions, mainly in eastern North Carolina, have been organ-ized
and many of them are going a long way toward taking care
of the short-term credit needs of the people within their field
of membership.
Credit Union National Association, the trade organization of
credit unions, has engaged in a nation-wide advertising cam-paign
during the past two years, using magazines, newspapers
and radio for the purpose of acquainting people throughout the
country with the advantages of credit unions. A number of
credit unions have been organized in this state as a direct result
of this campaign.
In the meantime, we have continued our efforts to weed out
those credit unions which have not operated according to law
and good credit union practice. The principal reasons for these
liquidations continues to be lack of interest and failure to keep
proper records. These groups are in the minority, but liquida-tion
procedure is so cumbersome that a considerable part of our
time is required for this work.
50 N. C. Department of Agriculture
The following breakdown into classification does not include
credit unions which are dormant or which we have in the process
of liquidation : Rural community, 48 ; urban community, 32
;
manufacturing, 36 ; public utilities, 21 ; government, state,
county and municipal employees, 19 ; postal employees, 16 ; retail
merchandise, 2 ; newspapers, 9 ; restaurant, 3 ; miscellaneous, 17.
laneous, 17.
A new field of credit union service has recently been opened.
The town of Hope Mills tried repeatedly to obtain banking serv-ice
without success and upon learning of the credit union plan
called on this Department for assistance. We set up a credit un-ion
for them and it is operating very successfully. Although
under the law credit unions are restricted and are unable to per-form
many of the functions of a bank, the Hope Mills credit
union is going a long way toward filling that community's need
for banking service.
There are numerous communities in the state which are too
small to justify a bank and we are confident that within the next
few years we will be able to carry the credit union plan to them^
in order that they may take care of their short-term credit needs
at home and at the same time give the people of the community
a convenient place where small amounts of money may be saved.
Active credit unions as shown by the table below have only
increased by two in number during the past two years. This
small increase was brought about by liquidations referred to
above. Total resources and loans to members continue to increase
and we have every reason to believe that within the next two
years we will be able to complete liquidation of the inactive
credit unions and will then be able to devote our full time to the
promotion of new credit unions and the careful supervision of
the credit unions now in existence.
NUMBER, MEMBERSHIP AND ASSETS
OF STATE-CHARTERED CREDIT UNIONS
June 30, 1952 June 30, 195U
Active Credit Unions 211 213
Total Members 55,081 61,463
Total Assets $11,314,522.03 $14,704,742.81
Report for 1952-54
—
Credit Union 51
Credit Union loans, large and small, help industrial workers to augment
their income through farming operations. Down payment for the 4i-acre
farm and orchard shown in the top photo, and money to purchase cows
shown in the lower picture, were provided by loans to two members of the
Enka Credit Union. There ai'e also many other types of groups benefiting
from Credit Unions. Communities that are too small to support a bank can
partially fill their needs for banking services through such an organization.
52 N. C. Department of Agriculture
NORTH CAROLINA CREDIT UNIONS
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
June 30, 1954
ASSETS
June 30, 1952 June 30, 1954-
Cash on Hand $ 2,207,593.25 $ 2,199,213.29
Loans to Members 6,998,183.61 10,297,167.68
U. S. Government Bonds 1,944,308.35 2,049,366.10
Other Assets 164,436.82 238,995.74
Total Assets $11,314,522.03 $14,704,742.81
LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL
Shares $ 8,584,978.68 $11,648,608.28
Deposits 1,050,826.11 1,261,862.47
Reserve Fund 478,763.32 681,323.95
Undivided Earnings 356,561.68 480,439.42
Other Liabilities 843,392.24 632,508.69
Total Assets $11,314,522.03 $14,704,742.81
C. W. Pegram
DAIRY DIVISION
C. W. Pegram
Director
Dairying, one of North Carolina's basic
industries, continues to grow. Data from
the Federal-State Crop Reporting Service
indicate that milk production for the first
six months of 1954 was 907 million
pounds, nine percent above the same
period in 1953, and the largest production
of record for these months. North Caro-lina
dairymen received $56,209,000 cash
income from sales of milk, cream and but-ter
in 1953, and gross farm income from dairy products for
that year was $101,931,000.
During the last three years 1,527 new producers have gone
into Grade A production. On January 1, 1954, there were
411,000 milk cows on farms, an increase of more than 19 percent
since 1940. Average milk production per cow is now reported at
4,490 pounds, a marked increase over the average production of
2,600 pounds for 1900. These data indicate that North Carolina
dairymen are materially increasing their efficiency in breeding
and herd management.
It is interesting to note that North Carolina ranks 23rd in
the nation with respect to cash receipts from livestock and live-stock
products. This is evidence that there is room for further
expansion in dairying and other livestock enterprises. Over four
million people depend on the dairy industry in this state for milk
and dairy products. Despite sharply increased milk production,
it was necessary to bring in from outside the state 42,000,000
pounds of milk in 1952, and nearly 16,000,000 in 1953. The
greatest demand for milk is during the fall months. Many dairy-men
would receive larger returns if they adjusted their produc-tion
to this period of peak demand.
Markets for milk and dairy products are being expanded.
Paper cartons, technical advances in refrigeration, good rural
roads and increased population have all played their part in
this expansion. Milk is now available to all communities through-out
the state.
54 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Problems have also grown with dairy development, and the
1953 Legislature provided for the creation of a North Carolina
Milk Commission. This Commission has been active for the past
year. It has held hearings, divided the state into marketing
areas, and has issued orders setting minimum prices to be paid
to producers. Regulations governing base production plans have
been established, and trade practices in the industry have been
given attention by the Commission.
The Milk Commission is a separate agency from the Depart-ment
of Agriculture, but close cooperation exists between them.
The Board of Agriculture has given considerable time and
thought to dairy problems during this biennium. After several
public hearings it rendered a decision interpreting the regula-tions
relating to use of the word "churned" and other words or
pictures on containers of cultured buttermilk which might tend
to mislead the consumer. A proposal to permit "Grade A" label-ing
of recombined buttermilk and chocolate milk, under certain
conditions, was also considered and denied.
The Board adopted new definitions and standards for single
cream, double cream and sour cream. Regulations for butterfat
testing were revised. The minimum percentage of solids-not-fat
of milk, buttermilk, lactic milk and reconstituted or recombined
milk was changed from 8.50 to 8.25, to conform with the U. S.
Public Health Milk Code.
Regulations pertaining to sampling and testing milk and
cream were amended by the Board of Agriculture on June 22,
1954. The changes made were in line with recommendations
promulgated by The American Dairy Science Association. The
new regulations spell out the necessary steps to be followed in
securing representative samples and accurate testing of milk and
cream by licensed testers. North Carolina is the first state to
adopt the procedures proposed by this association.
The Board of Agriculture has received several requests that
the dairy regulations be amended to permit the sale of milk from
refrigerated bulk dispensers in restaurants and other public
eating places. The restaurant industry, as well as manufacturers
of the dispensers, have urged this proposal. The dispensers are
permitted by law and regulation in numerous other state, and
this Division has made an extensive survey of the experience
and regulatory measures prevailing in those states.
Report for 1952-54
—
Dairy 55
Recently the Board authorized the appointment of a commit-tee,
representing various segments of the dairy industry and
the State Department of Health, to recommend regulatory pro-visions
governing the use of such dispensers. This committee's
work is nearing completion and its recommendations will be
presented to the Board in the near future.
Bulk tank cooling of milk at the farm, with tank truck pick-up
delivery to milk plants, is another innovation facing the dairy
industry. It is believed that this movement will lower collection
and receiving costs and improve milk quality. It also eliminates
the conventional 10-gallon can.
However, this system has the disadvantage of being practical
only for producers who have sufficient volume to justify installa-tion
of costly farm bulk tanks. Regulations designed to provide
uniformity of installation and sanitary practices are in process
of preparation for consideration by the Board of Agriculture.
Milk dispensers and farm bulk milk cooling tanks indicate
that dairying is advancing with modern technology. As new
systems of milk marketing and handling are adopted, new safe-guards
and control measures are necessary, which increase the
responsibility and activity of this Division.
Perhaps the most outstanding achievement of this Division
during the biennium has been the highly successful operation of
a new mobile dairy laboratory. This portable unit has made a
marked contribution to the milk control program and has pro-vided
full laboratory services to communities which did not have
adequate laboratory facilities. In many cases it was used to
augment local health-department and dairy-plant laboratories.
Full cooperation was offered milksheds needing assistance. As
a result, milk coming to dairy plants is of better bacteriological
quality than ever before.
Ice Cream
North Carolinians consume around 31/3 gallons of ice cream
and other frozen desserts per capita annually. Estimated pro-duction
for 1953 was 13,602,000 gallons.
To maintain the standards of purity and identity, the field
force of this Division is constantly checking all manufacturers.
There are 65 ice cream plants and 230 counter and soft ice cream
operations in the state. During the 1952-54 biennium 1,795 in-spections
were made and 2,408 official samples were purchased
56 N. C. Department of Agriculture
and delivered to the central laboratory where full analysis is
made. If a product is found deficient in composition or carries
a high bacteria count, it is embargoed by a Stop-Sale order.
When violations are repeated or wilful, the offending manufac-turer
is prosecuted.
Milk Imports
Seasonal fluctuations in milk production, and requirements of
military installations located in the state, make it necessary to
import some Grade A fluid milk from other states. The out-of-state
supplier and the receiving plant in North Carolina are
both required to obtain permits from this Department. Before
such permits are issued, information is secured regarding the
sanitary rating of the out-of-state supplier, and sometimes it
is necessary to send a representative of this Division to make
a plant inspection.
During 1952 it was necessary to import 42,109,000 pounds
of milk, but only 15,697,000 pounds were imported in 1953.
With the rapid expansion of our dairy industry sufficient milk
should be available in the state throughout the year in the near
future.
Exterior view of the Department's mobile dairy laboratory, which was
put into service in the spring of 1953. This laboratory has proved of
inestimable value in the Dairy Division's inspection and testing w^ork.
Ranging the state, it moves from plant to plant and supplements the work
of the central laboratory in Raleigh.
Report for 1952-54
—
Dairy 57
mmmmmm mmmglR
Interior view of the mobile dairy laboratory. Used also to augment
health-department and milk-plant laboratories, this mobile unit is now
filling gaps in laboratory facilities which have existed in some communities.
Supervision of Babcock Testers
The Babcock Test Law requires every person testing milk and
cream to be licensed. The Dairy Division supervises the testing
and sampling of 106 licensed testers at 106 milk and dairy pro-cessing
plants. During this biennium 1,000 plant investigations
were made, covering 24,198 samples. Improvements in sampling
and testing are noted throughout the state. To secure accurate
samples from some weigh tanks, new regulations require that
mechanical agitators be installed.
Much time and travel is spent on this program, and it can be
positively stated that our dairymen are getting accurate butter-fat
tests. Milk varies because of many factors, such as lactation
period, weather and other conditions. This Division, acting in
the capacity of a referee, makes for better understanding be-tween
producer and distributors.
58 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Inspecting, Grading and Testing Dairy Products
This important program has been accelerated during the past
biennium. Over 10,000 official samples of milk and other dairy
products were analyzed, including producers' milk as well as
finished products. Laboratory analyses covered plate count for
bacteria, butterfat and solids tests, including lactometer and
cryoscope determination. In cases where samples showed de-ficiencies,
reports were made to producer or plant and to local
health officials. Follow-up field inspection was made whenever
possible. Nearly 1,800 farm inspections were made. This project
was carried on in very close cooperation with local health de-partments.
The mobile laboratory was of great value in this
work, as it was moved from plant to plant throughout the state.
To prevent fraud and deception the regulations set up specific
labeling requirements. To maintain the standards of purity and
identity for these products, the Division's field men are con-stantly
checking manufacturing and production practices.
Milk from North Carolina Farms is coming to dairy plants
cleaner and of better bacteriological quality than ever before.
However, there is opportunity for further iiyiprovement. Our
goal is to secure the best possible milk and dairy products for
all our people.
STATISTICAL REPORT
Plant investigations (Butterfat check testing) 1,002
Testers Licenses issued (yearly) 106
Testers Examinations 25
Butterfat check tests (Fresh daily) 22,860
Composite Samples (check tests) 1,338
Total Butterfat Tests 24,198
Official Milk and other Dairy Products analyzed 10,123
Unofficial Milk Samples 371
Official Ice Cream and Frozen Dairy Products 2,408
Unofficial Ice Cream Samples 20
Ice Cream Plant Inspections 1,739
Dairy Farm Inspections 1,795
Butter Plant Inspections 10
Cheese Plant Inspections 2
Out-of-State Milk Inspections 15
Lactometer 1,110
Court Convictions 1
Gallons, Ice Cream Embargoes 24
Gallons, Ice Cream Mix Embargoes 140
Gallons, Milk Embargoes 378
Ice Cream Plants ordered closed . 3
Milk Can Warnings issued 1,115
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY
C. H. Brannon
State Entomologist
The Division of Entomology is charged
with the responsibility of enforcing the
state plant pest and honey bee laws, rules
and regulations. It also cooperates with
the Federal Government in the adminis-tration
of Federal plant pest quarantines
which apply to North Carolina.
The Division also maintains an excellent
insect collection which has been developed
over a period of fifty years. Detailed
records are also kept in connection with the collection. The
collection and records are available for consultation by any
competent entomologist.
C. H. Brannon
Nursery Inspection
Fifteen years ago there were 150 nurseries in the state. Now
there are approximately 500 nurseries in North Carolina. All
of these nurseries are carefully inspected each year and issued
certifiicates which permit shipment of nursery stock in North
Carolina and to all other states. Such permits are necessary
to comply with various out-of-state regulations. Serious plant
pests would be spread all over the state and the nation, if it
were not for this efficient inspection service, which requires over
three months of concentrated effort by four staff members.
Nurseries located in quarantine areas, or which may have a
serious plant pest problem, are inspected repeatedly to insure
the distribution of clean stock. The nursery industry of the
state has always given this Division excellent cooperation.
Nursery dealers (individuals or stores) are required to obtain
a state license from this Division. Dealers must file a form
with this office which lists their source of supply and pledges
each to obtain stock only from certified nurseries. Each unit of
a chain store group must obtain a separate license. Staff in-spectors
check stores to enforce this requirement.
60 N. C. Department of Agriculture
White-Fringed Beetle
The white-fringed beetle was first found in North Carolina
in 1942. Since that time infestation has been found in the fol-lowing
24 counties, all in eastern North Carolina : Anson, Bruns-wick,
Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Edgecombe, Harnett, John-ston,
Jones, Lenoir, Mecklenburg, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow,
Pender, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Union, Wake,
Wayne and Wilson.
The white-fringed beetle project is a cooperative program
with the Federal Government. The Federal quarantine furnishes
twelve inspectors, cars and spray equipment. These inspectors
are located at Albemarle, Burgaw, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Fu-quay
Springs, Goldsboro, Jacksonville and Wilmington. In addi-tion
to these permanent inspectors ten or fifteen temporary
inspectors are also assigned to the state during the summer
season.
The state furnishes some personnel, insecticides and fumi-gants.
Fifty-six group meetings were held during 1953 and ex-cellent
cooperation was obtained for the program. Cities, coun-ties,
nurseries, commercial concerns and railroads have provided
funds for treating private properties. The North Carolina High-way
Commission has furnished insecticides for the treatment
of their rights-of-way.
The insecticides used in this work at present are Dieldrin
(especially the granular form), chlordane and DDT.
The use of fertilizer-insecticide mixtures has increased during
the past two years.
The white-fringed beetle population has been drastically re-duced
due to this very effective program. Therefore, serious dam-age
by this pest is not an immediate threat to North Carolina.
Bladen County has been released from the quarantine because no
infestation has been found there for several years.
Japanese Beetle
The Japanese Beetle was first found in North Carolina in
1932, and the infested area was immediately placed under state
quarantine. The seriously infested area in the state was placed
under Federal quarantine in 1951, and includes the following
fifty counties: Beaufort, Bertie, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Camden,
Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, David-
Report for 1952-54
—
Entomology 61
son, Duplin, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Gates, Guilford, Greene, Hali-fax,
Harnett, Henderson, Hertford, Hyde, Johnston, Jones,
Lenoir, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Nash, New Hanover,
Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perqui-mans,
Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Rowan, Sampson, Transylvania,
Tyrrell, Washington, Wayne, Wilson, Beaver Dam Township
and city of Canton in Haywood County, and Blowing Rock town-ship
in Watauga County.
A modern North Carolina nursery sales yard.
The state, in cooperation with the federal government, spent
over a half-million dollars in trapping and control work before
the federal quarantine was extended into the state. This ex-penditure
was an excellent investment in delaying severe damage
in North Carolina. However, the Japanese Beetle has now
spread to all sections of the state; and it is now financially and
physically impossible to continue control treatments of several
years ago, except in limited and strategic areas.
The cotton boll-weevil, the Mexican bean beetle and many
other serious insect pests found all over the state, were for-merly
under quarantine. The State and Federal governments
were forced to discontinue large scale control measures, thus
placing control responsibility on counties, municipalities and
individuals.
During the last two years limited foliage treatments have
been applied around produce packing and shipping sheds in
certain heavily infested areas. This treatment has also been
62 N. C. Department of Agriculture
applied along highways, where the infestation is heavy, to pre-vent
beetles from flying into cars and trucks. Airports in the
Asheville-Hendersonville area have been treated. The Coast
Guard and Navy furnished material for treating their grounds
near Elizabeth City.
During the past two years approximately 30,000,000 plants,
with a value of over $1,000,000, were inspected and certified for
movement from plant growing establishments in North Carolina.
European Corn Borer
The European corn borer is now found in 48 counties of the
State as follows : Alleghany, Alexander, Ashe, Avery, Beaufort,
Bertie, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Camden, Catawba, Carteret,
Chowan, Clay, Cleveland, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe,
Gates, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Hyde, Iredell, Jackson,
Lincoln, Macon, Martin, McDowell, Mitchell, Nash, Pamlico,
Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry,
Swain, Transylvania, Tyrrell, Washington, Watauga, Wilkes,
Yadkin and Yancey.
Thirteen new counties were found infested in 1952 and sixteen
newly infested counties were found in 1953. Severe damage to
corn has occurred in eastern North Carolina; slight damage to
potatoes has been reported.
Insect Collection
The Entomology Division has in its care one of the finest insect
collections in the nation. It is by far the most valuable in the
South. The collection has been built up over a period of sixty
years, and it is supplied almost daily with additions. This in-valuable
collection contains approximately 15,000 species and a
total of nearly 1,000,000 insects.
Now housed in the new Agriculture Building Annex, the
Division has for the first time adequate and suitable space to use
and care for the collection. The specimens are in the process of
being transferred from old wooden boxes to the very latest
Cornell-type trays, which are enclosed in moisture- and pest-proof
cabinets. The trays are removable for study at tables
under windows which provide northern light. The new quarters
also provide space for ready access to the Division's extensive
entomological library.
Report for 1952-54
—
Entomology 63
North Carolina's valuable insect collection is now housed in new quarters
and is being transferred to modern equipment. The top photo above shows
how the insect trays fit into moisture- and pest-proof cabinets. Trays are
removable for study, as shown in the lower picture. Windows facing north
provide the best possible light for examining specimens.
64 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Insect control work depends on accurate identification of an
insect pest. Records of its previous occurrence are also invalu-able.
Entomologists from North Carolina and many other states
freely consult the collection and records. Federal entomologists
from Washington frequently have occasion to consult the collec-tion
and records. An experienced and well trained staff member
has charge of the collection to insure proper care and classifi-cation
of specimens.
Camellia Flower Blight
Camellia flower blight, a serious disease of camellia flowers,
was first found in Brunswick County in 1949. The disease has
spread into New" Hanover, Onslow and Wilson counties. This
Division carefully enforces a quarantine against infected proper-ties
in an attempt to prevent further spread. If this disease were
not held under strict quarantine it might soon ruin all of the vast
camellia plantings in North Carolina.
Bee Work
North Carolina has approximately twelve queen breeders who
are inspected each year, and issued a state certificate. All
states require that the colonies of queen breeders be carefully
inspected and keDt under strict supervision due to the danger of
spreading bee diseases wherever the queens may be shipped.
Beekeepers who move colonies within or outside the state
must obtain a permit certifying that their colonies are free from
bee diseases.
The last General Assembly provided $3,000 for additional bee
inspection work. Several experienced, practical bee keepers are
employed during the spring and summer to aid beekeepers in
cleaning up bee diseases in their colonies. This is a very valuable
service and should be expanded as additional funds may be
available.
White-Pine Blister Rust Quarantine
The last General Assembly transferred the blister rust con-trol
work to the State Forester. This is in line with the policy
of the federal government and many other states. This Division,
however, continues its administration of the blister rust quar-
Report for 1952-54
—
Entomology 65
antine, which controls the movement of white-pine trees or Ribes
plants into or out of the quarantine areas in western North
Carolina. All such movements are closely controlled.
Narcissus Bulb Inspection
Narcissus bulb inspection protects the valuable planting of
North Carolina bulb growers from destruction by the bulb
nematode. This serious pest would have destroyed the bulb grow-ing
industry long ago if it were not for the careful inspection
service each spring by experienced staff inspectors. Several
weeks are required to complete this work each year. In the
1953 season 91 acres on 11 properties were inspected. No nema-todes
were found. During the 1954 season 102 acres on 10
properties were inspected with no infestations located. All bulbs
were also given a storage inspection.
Alfalfa Nematode
A new and serious pest of alfalfa in North Carolina was
found for the first time in 1954. One field in Granville County
was found infested. Research entomologists from North Caro-lina
State College are working on this problem in cooperation
with our staff. No quarantine action is considered feasible at
present.
Ground Pearl
A mealy-bug known as the ''Ground Pearl" was found infest-ing
lawn grass in Wilmington in 1954. Work on the problem
is proceeding in cooperation with N. C. State College research
staff. No quarantine action is contemplated at this time.
Imported Fire Ant
The Imported Fire Ant, a foreign introduction, was first
found in the vicinity of Mobile, Alabama, over twenty years
ago. This ant is a vicious attacker of farm animals, birds and
man. Its mounds cause vast areas to be abandoned for
cultivation.
This insect was found in North Carolina in 1952. Treatments
have been promptly made and it is hoped that serious spread
in this state may be prevented. This problem is being closely
supervised.
66 N. C. Department of Agriculture
Golden Nematode
Federal inspectors, cooperating with this Division have found
North Carolina free from this serious pest of potatoes. The
Golden Nematode is a serious problem on Long Island. Every-thing
possible is being done to prevent its spread to other states
by cooperative inspections which are extremely tedious to carry
out over a wide area.
Larger Staff Needed
The Division of Entomology badly needs two additional staff
members, when funds are available. The duties of the Division
have trebled during the last ten years and we are able to carry
out only the minimum requirements of the laws and regulations
pertaining to plant pests and bee diseases. We should have an
inspector located at Salisbury and another at Greenville to
effectively supervise our manifold activities in the Piedmont
area and Eastern North Carolina. Present staff members located
at Wilmington and Asheville cannot do effective work in such a
large territory. Additional summer bee inspectors are also
urgently needed.
New Quarters
The Division of Entomology is most grateful for the excellent
quarters in the new Annex Building. For the first time in a half
century the Division has adequate space and modern equipment.
The quarters and equipment of this Division are now second to
none of any similar organization in the United States.
DIVISION OF MARKETS
John A. Winfield
Dh^ector
Plagued by extended droughts and un-certain
economic conditions during the
1952-54 biennium, North Carolina farmers
bolstered their efforts to offset as many
of their production losses as possible by
marketing their commodities in an orderly
and efficient manner.
This is evident from the unprecendented
demand for technical assistance which John A. Winfield
the Division of Markets experienced dur-ing
the two-year period. Never before has there been such an
earnest endeavor by farmers and market facility operators alike
to seek advice on marketing problems and then follow it to the
best of their ability.
Just as the production of agricultural products has increased
in complexity, so has the marketing of these products. Time
was when a farm was symbolized by a cheaply paid plowboy
following a mule. Research and experience, however, have
fashioned expensive and complicated farm machines which re-quire
men with training and intellect for their operation. Paral-lel
advances in agricultural marketing have also brought de-mands
for increased knowledge.
The fact remains, however, that the average farmer's opera-tions
are on too small a scale to warrant giving much of his time
to marketing or to performing certain important marketing ac-tivities.
While this results in one of agriculture's greatest
marketing problems, it is only one reason why the ultimate in
efficient marketing cannot be reached at a more rapid rate.
Actually, there is no one marketing problem. The farmer
wants a marketing system which will give him the largest pos-sible
returns for the things he can produce. The middlemen have
as their main objective the largest possible total net profit for
the service they render. And the consumer wants a system which
will provide adequate quantities and desired qualities of foods
and fiber products at the lowest possible cost.
With this in mind during the 1952-54 biennium, personnel of
the Division of Markets planned their work toward: (1) Im-
68 N. C. Department of Agriculture
proving market methods and facilities; (2) reducing distribu-tion
costs; (3) narrowing the price spread between producer
and consumer.
The first comprehensive efforts in the field of transporation
were undertaken in July, 1953, with the employment of an ex-perienced
transportation specialist. While only one year has
elapsed since the inauguration of this service, thousands of
dollars have already been saved for North Carolina farmers
through reduced transportation rates.
Because of the vastness and complexity of our agricultural
marketing system, it is difficult to measure in terms of actual
value the accomplishments made from year to year. It is ap-parent,
however, that definite progress has been made in the
marketing of many of our commodities.
The fundamentals of efficient marketing are generally constant
but changes in production practices or trends have a direct in-fluence
on marketing programs. Although many accomplish-ments
were achieved in the field of agricultural marketing dur-ing
the past two years, there is, of course, a continuing need for
additional efforts along these lines. Several of the state's major
farm enterprises are still expanding and, with each year's
growth, the demands for marketing assistance likewise increase.
It is the desire of the Markets Division to continue its close
working relations with other agencies and to meet these demands
as quickly and as completely as possible.
Following is a summary of activities for the past biennium
in the various phases covered by this Division, together with
some discussion of problems and plans for the future.
Cotton
Since 1948, when the Division initiated its cotton marketing
program and technical assistance to cotton gins, the percentage
of rough preparation (ginning) has declined from a prior aver-age
of 17 per cent to an all-time low of .01 per cent in 1953. In
addition to increasing the comparative value of the state's cotton
crop, improved ginning has expanded the market outlets for
North Carolina cotton and reversed the tendency of the spinning
industry to avoid, or over-discount North Carolina growths.
Normal and better preparation is a prerequisite to the preserva-tion
of fiber spinning properties in the severe pre-ginning proc-
Report for 1952-54
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Markets 69
Pneumatic equipment for handling corn meal was designed by Division
specialists and is now being used in the manufacture of approximately 50
per cent of the corn meal produced in the state.
essing necessitated by machine and rough hand harvesting. Con-sequently,
North Carolina is now in position to make a major
contribution to the solution of the belt-wide problem of fiber
quality.
Near the close of the 1950-52 biennium the cotton section in-stalled
a fiber testing laboratory equipped for testing strength,
fineness, maturity and length uniformity. Laboratory test re-sults
released at 10-day intervals during the past two gin seasons
from 15 selected producing and marketing points in the state
have provided North Carolina with a marketing service normally
confined to areas of greater production. The release and use of
laboratory test data have helped develop a more effective and
practical working relationship between cotton specialists and
mill technicians. This cooperation is essential to any appreciable
progress in cotton quality improvement.
The corn mill program, begun near the close of the last
biennium, was designed to assist corn millers with processing
and sanitation problems. According to the state chemist and
commercial laboratories. North Carolina meal is improving, both
in wholesomeness and in cleanliness. At least two items of
needed equipment designed by Division specialists have been well
70 N. C. Department of Agriculture
received by the milling industry. One of them, a pneumatic
handling system, is now used in the manufacture of approxi-mately
50 per cent of the meal produced in the state.
Other requests for technical assistance have come from seed
cleaning and grading plants, feed mills, oil mills, grain handlers,
and manufacturing plants using pneumatic conveying equipment.
Field procedures for technical assistance are practically the
same for all pre-marketing processing, regardless of the com-modity,
and may be defined as "on the spot" attention to specific
problems.
In lending technical assistance to pre-marketing processing
our specialists made 1,100 visits to cotton gins, 650 to corn mills,
100 to cotton mills and cotton merchants, and 50 to oil mills,
seed cleaning and treating plants, feed manufacturers and grain
elevators. In addition to numerous meetings and conferences
with other agricultural agencies, all proper encouragement and
assistance was given to trade associations in their organized
support of state agency programs.
Practically all technical assistance programs offered unusual
opportunities to promote better inter- and intra-interests rela-tions
and mobilize industry's support and cooperation in state
agency programs. The ginner trade organizations in Carolina
and Virginia began as a Department project incident to tech-nical
assistance to cotton gins. Approximately one-half the
ginners in the state are associated in county group organizations
and meet monthly, functioning largely as agricultural groups.
Working with corn mills gave Division specialists an oppor-tunity
to organize the Western Millers' Association and to pro-mote
their cooperation with the Eastern group and the recently
organized Grain Dealers' Association. The resulting improve-ment
in working relationships between industries and state
agencies, and the co-ordination of state agency programs, have
been so effective that credit for any progress must be shared
with all agencies and interests concerned.
Cotton production in North Carolina, apparently, has leveled
off at approximately 750,000 acres, thoroughly integrated in a
well balanced and diversified agriculture. The positive attitude
of the several raw cotton interests toward the future of cotton
in the state is reflected in the objectives of the Cotton Promo-tion
Committee and the industry-sponsored Cotton Quality Im-provement
Committee.
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Markets 71
Precooling peaches before shipment brought growers several thousand
dollars in extra returns.
Cotton is still the main source of livelihood for many North
Carolina families and it occupies an important place in our
diversified agriculture. But with North Carolina's relatively
small acreage as compared with many of the other states, addi-tional
efforts are needed to assist farmers in overcoming certain
marketing disadvantages. These will be met by continuing to
improve the pre-marketing processing of cotton and by increas-ing
fiber test studies in the laboratory.
North Carolina's rapid development as a corn growing state
is accomplished by an equally gratifying expansion of the corn
marketing and processing industries. The corn milling industry,
in particular, recognizes vast possibilities of expanded market-ing
outlets, both within and without the state.
Fruits and Vegetables
One of the Market Division's objectives is to assist producers
and shippers of fresh fruits and vegetables in an aggressive
marketing program that will protect and expand North Caro-lina's
rightful share of her logical markets. The saleable products
which can be converted into cash determine the degree of ma-terial
progress attained. Marketing facilities and services play
72 N. C. Department of Agriculture
a most important role in securing the value of these cash sales.
Information and assistance to producers, producer groups, and
shippers were emphasized during the biennium. Seasonal
bulletins were prepared giving information as to anticipated
volume, crop conditions, harvest dates, and location of the com-modities.
This information was mailed to about 2,000 buyers
annually in 17 states.
Division specialists were instrumental in getting one of the
nation's largest pecan buyers and shellers to establish buying
points and a shelling plant in the state during the last biennium.
Such facilities were greatly needed to furnish a ready cash
outlet for p€can growers. This firm purchased more than a million
pounds of nuts of the 1953 crop. In addition, one of the east's
well established processors was encouraged to establish a modern
pepper canning plant at Dunn.
Several thousand dollars in extra profits were realized by
North Carolina peach growers, who during the past two years,
installed pre-cooling units in their packing sheds to increase the
shipping quality and shelf-life of their fruit.
Striving for more efficient marketing through more and im-proved
facilities, Division specialists assisted in the organization
and initial operations of four new produce markets within the
state.
Other assistance was rendered by: (1) Procuring approxi-mately
12,000 bushels of the best sweet potato seed stock avail-able
for North Carolina growers; (2) inspecting seed Irish po-tatoes
received by producers and handlers to determine if the
seed stock met the requirements of the Seed Potato Law; (3)
helping peach and potato producers make plans for holding a
referendum which would give producers the right to assess them-selves
a specific fee to raise funds for advertising and promoting
sales of their products; (4) helping apple growers in carrying
out their plans for promoting a more uniform grade and pack
by means of central packing houses and cold storage facilities;
(5) aiding peach growers in developing and carrying out a suc-cessful
advertising program through radio, television and press
releases.
Inspection and certification work was again a major ac-tivity
of the Division specialists. Fruits, vegetables, potatoes and
peanuts are largely bought and sold on the basis of official
grades, without which there would be no dependable basis of
Report for 1952-54
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Markets 73
useful market price information and orderly trading. The appli-cation
of the grades must necessarily be by impartial and well
trained personnel. During the past two years 12,635 carlots of
fruits, vegetables and cleaned and shelled peanuts were officially
certified at various buying stations. In addition, the following
quantities of produce were inspected at auction markets : 355,435
bushels of snap beans, 122,647 crates of corn, 537,497 bushels
of cucumbers, 850,421 bushels of peppers, 169,056 crates of
strawberries, 35,000 bushels of squash, 1,445,939 bushels of
sweet potatoes, and 25,007 containers of miscellaneous products.
Receiving market inspections totaled 774 carlots for whole-salers
and 13,465,134 pounds of various fruits and vegetables
at or for delivery to military installations or state and federal
institutions.
The annual cash value of the fresh fruits and vegetables pro-duced
in North Carolina ranges from about $60,000,000 to
$75,000,000 depending upon production and prices received by
farmers. Our continuing shift from a seller's market to a
buyer's market is increasing the effects of consumer preference
on commodity prices.