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®Ij? library of % Intoriattg nf Nartff Carolina (EoUertton of Notify (Haroltmatta C(o3c>.Cd Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Ensuring Democracy through Digital Access (NC-LSTA) http://www.archive.org/details/reportofagricu19361938 REPORT of The North Carolina Department of Agriculture For the Biennium 1936-1938 OWEN G. DUNN STATE PRINTEE NEW BERN. N. C. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL To His Excellency, Clyde R. Hoey, Governor of North Carolina: Sir: In compliance with Chapter 248, Public Laws of 1929, I submit the following report of the work of the Department of Agricul-ture for the biennium 1936-1938. Respectfully, ^rtuA^^ Commissioner of Agriculture. Raleigh, N. C, November 1, 1938. REPORT OF The North Carolina Department of Agriculture For the Biennium 1936-1938 PERSONNEL OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE W. Kerr Scott, Commissioner, Chairman, Raleigh Mrs. L. L. Stevens . .Shawboro C. S. Young Shelby D. R. Noland.. Clyde T. G. Currin Oxford J. H. Poole .....West End M. L. Aderholdt .....Lexington Chas. F. Cates Mebane W. G. Hargett Richlands Lionel Weil Goldsboro W. I. Bissette Grifton Administration W. Kerr Scott Commissioner D. S. Coltrane Assistant to the Commissioner Myrtha Fleming Stenographer Secretary Mary Knight Purchasing Agent A. R. Powledge Senior Auditor Donnie M. Norman. Senior Accounting Clerk C. P. Deyton .Senior Accounting Clerk Louis H. Wilson Editor of Publications Jerrie Wheless .Senior Stenographer Clerk Chas. Higgs Janitor Glerk Worth Jeffreys. Janitor Messenger Robert Harris ...Janitor Inspection Martin McCall Inspector Chas. H. Godwin, Jr Inspector E. J. Harrington Fertilizer Inspector C. Grant.. Fertilizer Inspector Harvey McPhail... Fertilizer Inspector J. D. Johnson Fertilizer Inspector John F. Reinhardt Fertilizer Inspector J. W. Turner ; Fertilizer Inspector J. E. Greene, Jr .Fertilizer Inspector Marion Clark .Fertilizer Inspector Markets R. B. Etheridge.... Chief C. W. Sheffield Senior Marketing Specialist H. T. Westcott ....Associate Specialist Mabel Haynes ...Senior Stenographer Clerk W. P. Hedrick Senior Marketing Specialist A. B. Harless.. Senior Marketing Specialist Paul L. Fletcher ..Senior Marketing Specialist Mrs. Frances Harrison. _ Telegraph Operator Mrs. Sabra Bailey Senior Stenographer Clerk 6 Biennial Report Credit Union C. C. Booker Superintendent Credit Union D. R. Graham ..Junior Auditor Mary McMillan.. _ Stenographer Entomology C. H. Brannon Senior Entomologist J. A. Harris. Associate Entomologist C. S. Brimley. Junior Entomologist D. L. Wray Junior Entomologist P. G. Craddock Apiary Inspector Cary Hansell Bean Beetle Inspector Pauline P. Newsom Senior Stenographer Clerk Seed Laboratory J. W. Woodside.... Senior Botanist S. D. Allen ....Senior Seed Analyst Elizabeth Eby .Senior Seed Analyst Mildred Henry Senior Seed Analyst Elsie W. Earp Junior Seed Analyst Magdalene Brummitt Junior Stenographer Clerk Joshua James .Feed Inspector C. H. Lutterloh .Feed Inspector T. A. Holcombe ..Feed Inspector Velva Hudson Junior General Clerk Analytical B. W. Kilgore ..._. ....Senior Chemist L. B. Rhodes Associate Chemist W. A. Queen Associate Chemist E. W. Constable Associate Chemist Pearl Koontz Senior Stenographer Clerk Sarah G. Allen Principal General Clerk W. C. Hammond, Jr Food Inpsector W. E. McNeill Food Inspector Gordon Powell ....Laboratory Helper L. M. Nixon... Associate Chemist Z. B. Bradford Associate Chemist E. T. Hord... Associate Chemist H. F. Pickering.. Junior Chemist J. S. Pittard Junior Chemist W. P. Matthews..... Junior Chemist M. S. Birdsong Secretary Heber B. Hatch Senior Stenographer Clerk Mose Lord Laboratory Helper Elvin Rogers.. Laboratory Helper H. D. Matheson Junior Chemist Frank H. Brown Junior Chemist Lewis Terry... ...^ Junior Chemist J. O. Dunston Junior Chemist L. W. Purdy Junior Chemist Carl W. Kelly Junior Chemist L. V. Amburgy Microscopist Robert L. Harris = Laboratory Helper David Edward Buffaloe Assistant Chemist Crop Statistics W. H. Rhodes..... Senior Statistician S. M. Hines. Junior Statistician T. L. Stuart Junior Statistical Clerk W. T. Garriss ..Junior Statistical Clerk Sarah Drake .'. Senior Statistical Clerk Commissioner of Agriculture 7 E. R. Simpson Senior Statistical Clerk Bessie Kellogg '. Junior Statistical Clerk Eva May Lassiter Junior Statistical Clerk Margaret Taylor Junior Statistical Clerk Herbert Barnes.... Senior Mail Clerk Museum H. T. Davis Senior Curator H. H. Brimley - — - Senior Curator Roxie Collie .Preparator and Taxidermist Sophia Green Junior Stenographer Clerk Veterinary William Moore. _ Veterinarian L. J. Faulhaber Associate Veterinarian H. S. Wilfong Junior Bacteriologist Grace John.... Junior Stenographer Clerk Edna Lee Laboratory Aid John J. Filicky. Junior Bacteriologist Frank Howard —. ..Laboratory Helper W. R. Baynes Associate Veterinarian C. E. Cox Associate Veterinarian L. J. Fourie Laboratory Aid Test Farms F. E. Miller ..Director Kathleen Harrison .Senior Stenographer Clerk J. L. Rea, Jr Assistant Director in Charge, Blackland Station, Wenona F. B. Harris .Herdsman A. P. Lefever .....Foreman Lula Holton Stenographer, Clerk Chas. T. Dearing Assistant Director in Charge, Coastal Plain Station, Willard C. O. Bollinger. Poultryman D. P. Southerland Foreman Bennie L. Williams.... Stenographer, Clerk Fred Stevens Assistant in Dairying G. A. Meckstroth Associate Pathologist, U. S. D. A. S. C. Clapp Assistant Director in Charge, Mountain Station, Swannanoa Hazel Drake ..Stenographer, Clerk R. L. Yory ..Assistant in Dairying W. W. Ross Assistant in Horticulture W. M. Whisenhunt .Foreman H. B. Coulter. Dairyman H. D. Smith.. Poultrxjman J. W. Hendricks .....Assistant Director in Charge, Piedmont Station, Statesville Rose Bradford Stenographer, Clerk Grady Berry .Foreman R. E. Stitt Assistant Agronomist, U. S. D. A. E. G. Moss.. Assistant Director in Charge, Tobacco Station, Oxford Elizabeth Floyd .Stenographer, Clerk James F. Bullock Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. K. J. Shaw.. Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. T. E. Smith ..Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. A. B. Deans Foreman, U. S. D. A. Joe L. Rand .Foreman, McCullers Tobacco Station, U. S. D. A. R. E. Currin, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Upper Coastal Plain Station, Rocky Mount. W. C. Allsbrook Foreman Mary W. Currin Stenographer, Clerk J. P. Young Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. 8 Biennial Report Dairy C. W. Pegram Dairy Specialist W. E. Fuller . Junior Dairy Specialist State Warehouse System A. B. Fairley - Superintendent C. R. Reynolds. _ Chief Cotton Classer J. B. Haywood... .-..Cotton Classer Robert S. Pou Warehouse Examiner Mrs. J. N. Mason Senior Stenographer Clerk Mrs. Hallie K. Morrow Senior Stenographer Clerk Elizabeth Fleming .Junior General Clerk E. L. Upchurch .....Senior General Clerk Fred Johnson.. Gin Expert Weights and Measures C. D. Baucom - Superintendent H. W. Hood _ Inspector George S. Turner Inspector John Archibald Cook Inspector N. C. State Fair J. S. Dorton... _ ..Manager Edna Dees Senior Stenographer Clerk G. C. Ellis Caretaker BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE By W. Kerr Scott, Commissioner of Agriculture. North Carolina's Department of Agriculture has been revi-talized during the biennium. Work of divisions has been consolidated to eliminate over-lapping activities and to effect economy. Equipment has been added to increase efficiency. Changes in personnel and the ad-dition of needed specialists have made it possible to give greater inspectional, regulatory and service work. Changes in the laws affecting the welfare of the farmer have been made with the deliberation and cooperation of all agencies involved. Facts point to the progress made by the Department already, but demands for services are increasing and the Commissioner of Agriculture and his personnel are aware that there are other agricultural challenges to be met in the broad program to help the farmer increase his income. The Commissioner of Agriculture is not unmindful that he is the trustee of funds provided by the farmer for the operation of the Department of Agriculture. Each change of policy and law, each revision of activity, each addition to the personnel and equipment has been made as an investment to yield dividends of service and provide "the greatest good to the greatest number." Strict enforcement of the regulatory and inspectional laws has brought definite savings and protection to the farmer who buys fertilizers, feeds and seeds and equal protection has been given the honest manufacturer. A report of the Department is a report of its divisions. Letting "the record speak for itself," a condensation of division activities follows Markets: A federal-state market news service has been added, providing growers with last-minute information on agri-cultural price trends and conditions to enable them to more in-telligently market their commodities. A tobacco marketing specialist, first employed in the Department's History, is now promoting proper grading, sorting and tying practices as a means of increasing the farmer's income. A livestock marketing special- 10 Biennial Report ist has been employed in an effort to assist livestock men in climbing above 38th place in farm cash income from livestock. Egg grading and certification work was inaugurated last year. Chemistry: Compared with the past biennium, there has been a 37.3 per cent increase in fertilizers analyzed, 151 per cent in feeds analyzed, 24.6 per cent in foods or an average of 35.3 per cent increase in work on fertilizers, feeds, foods and all other materials of a general agricultural nature. Two laboratories have been added to give growers information as to whether their fertilizer is acid forming or non-acid forming and the degree to which it is guaranteed and also to determine the magnesium con-tent of fertilizer. The Pure Food Division and Fertilizer Analyt-ical Division were combined in the interest of efficiency and economy. Sanitary conditions, under which ice cream is made, have been improved. Test Farms: Appropriations and federal grants for the six Test Farms have been the largest in the history of the farms, permitting an enlarged experimental program in answer to the increasing demand for new information on farm production problems. A total of 143 experimental projects dealing with horticultural and field crops, livestock and poultry are under way. A total of 407 acres of new land has been bought for experimental work and nine additional acres leased for peanut disease control studies. All roads to the farms have been paved or are scheduled to be paved. An $80,000 federal appropriation for laboratory buildings and an office at the Tobacco Test Farm (Oxford), $39,000 from the WPA to build modern dairy barns and secure equipment for the Coastal Plain Test Farm (Willard) and an annual appropriation of $7,500 from the Bureau of Dairy Industry for dairy research at Willard have been secured. Veterinary: Addition of five veterinarians to the Depart-ment's staff has made it possible to launch a swine disease con-trol program with definite progress already reported. Hog cholera control and eradication is an immediate goal of the di-vision. Protection of the poultry industry has been increased with the addition of five inspectors who have doubled the number of birds tested for the dreaded Pullorum disease. Tests for Bang's disease, a costly disease of cattle, have been completed in six counties ; tests are underway in 16 counties and 15 counties are on the waiting list. The number of cattle tested has been tripled. A 25 per cent increase in investigations of contagious livestock disease outbreaks has been achieved. Dairy: A system of "test supervision" has been set up to protect dairymen from inaccurate or careless testing, weighing and sampling of milk and cream sold Dy them. Definite check- Commissioner of Agriculture 11 test investigations are made rather than test observations as were made in the past. A total of 21,000 tests have been made compared with 7,903 during 1934-36. Warehouse: A gin inspector has been added to the staff to give ginners mechanical aid and service work with resultant bene-fits to the growers. A heavy-duty scales testing unit has been purchased and is now being used in a state-wide gin scales testing program. Federal funds have been obtained for the erection of a modern classing and grading building costing $42,000, enabling the Department to render more prompt and efficient grading and stapling service. Credit Unions: With $4,500 obtained from the general fund to match an equal amount from the Department for organization and auditing of rural and urban Credit Unions, results are indi-cated during the past fiscal year by the fact that members have increased 44.6 per cent; assets, 25.6 per cent; number of loans 45.2 per cent; reserve, 31 per cent and surplus, 27 per cent. Entomology: A state apiary inspector has been employed for the first time and is now waging a productive campaign to protect the state's $1,500,000 honey industry from destruction by the costly foulbrood disease. An appropriation of $5,000 has been made to partially match federal funds for the protection of the white pine trees against white pine blister rust. Publication of a book by Dr. C. S. Brimley on "Insects of North Carolina" is a distinct contribution in the field of natural science in the nation. Statistics: More than 180 original reports on practically all phases of agriculture have been compiled by the state-federal crop reporting service. With a slight increase in personnel, in-creased efficiency has given the division national recognition with relation to presentation of county farm facts, reports, reliability of information developed and scope of service. Accounts: Handling of all accounts, purchases and invento-ries, heretofore scattered throughout the divisions, has been centralized in the Division of Accounts, created in the interest of efficiency and economy. A modernized accounting system, im-proved methods of handling the sale of fertilizer, feed, and seed and other tax tags have made it possible to render quicker service at a minimum overhead. Weights and Measures: Purchase of new equipment and ad-dition to the inspection staff have been made possible with an increase of funds appropriated by the General Assembly. It is now possible for the Department to test weights and scales from one-tenth of a grain to ten tons. From January, 1937 to July 12 Biennial Report 1938, a total of 124,440 inspections have been made and 8,098 places of business have been visited. Seed Laboratory: Once known as the "dumping ground" for poor quality seed, North Carolina has joined the more progressive states with the perfection of a seed testing laboratory second to none in the South. Seed tests for germination and purity were increased 65 per cent over the previous biennium. A total of 20,714 seed tests were made free of charge for farmers. With the addition of one analyst, the capacity for work has been approximately doubled. State Fair: The Great State Fair, operated under private lease for many years, was taken over by the Department in 1937, and operated at a profit for the first time under State manage-ment. Agriculture, industry and education were paramounted in exhibits and the fact that the number of individual exhibitors was doubled attests the people's approval of an exposition pre-sented as a state institution. While reports on the 1938 Fair have not been completed, it is definitely known that this exposi-tion was an educational and financial success. State Museum: Addition of new exhibits, improvement of old exhibits with an increase in appropriations have made it possible to make the museum more attractive and serviceable to the 200,000 or more annual visitors. The first printed pamphlet on the activities of the museum was published in 1938. Publications: A weekly news service of six or seven stories, covering virtually all phases of the Department's work, has been furnished for the first time and generally used by the newspapers and agricultural publications. THE AGRICULTURAL REVIEW, semi-monthly news organ of the Department, has been materially improved and furnishes 18,000 farm families up-to-date, accurate information on the Department's services, program and general agricultural material. An appreciation of the enlarged activities of the divisions has been indicated by newspapermen who have requested and received an increasingly large number of special stories. Upon recommendation of the Commissioner, the Board of Agri-culture was increased from five to ten members so that its mem-bers would more nearly represent every section and phase of agriculture in the state. Authority in matters of policy, also upon request of the Commissioner of Agriculture, was transferred from the Commissioner to the Board in the interest of democracy. AGRICULTURAL LAWS: Changes and Enforcement By D. S. COLTRANE, Assistant to the Commissioner. Changes in the Fertilizer, Feed and Seed laws of North Caro-lina have been made during the biennium with the view of giving the farmers, manufacturers and dealers greater protection. Realizing the inter-dependent relationship between the farmer, manufacturer and dealer, representatives of all commercial and non-commercial agricultural agencies affected under laws en-forced by the Department of Agriculture have gathered at the conference table and contributed their thought and co-operation to the end that the present statute changes have yielded inesti-mable service to the state. The Department will continue its policy of inviting farmers, manufacturers, research leaders, farm agencies and others to give their views and co-operation when the need for changes in laws is presented. It is realized that the maximum enforcement of agricultural laws or any other laws cannot be realized without the support of all parties concerned. As an inspection, regulatory and service agency, the Depart-ment realizes that no part of its work is more important than the strict enforcement of the Feed, Fertilizer and Seed laws, especially since our farmers annually purchase approximately $25,000,000 worth of fertilizer, about $10,000,000 worth of feed and around $5,000,000 worth of seed. INFORMAL FERTILIZER CONFERENCE Realizing that the fertilizer law did not include all the desired guarantees and sufficient penalties for failure to meet some of the existing guarantees, an informal conference was held in February, 1937. Representative farmers, manufacturers, farm organizations and research authorities drafted amendments that were acceptable to the General Assembly. Amendments provided: (1) Guarantee as to whether the fertilizer is acid or non-acid forming; (2) For the guarantee of minimum per cent magnesium oxide; (3) Optional guarantee as to the minimum per cent of calcium oxide and (4) Optional guarantee as to the maximum sulphur in tobacco fertilizer. 14 Biennial Report Under amendments, penalties were provided for failure of manufacturers to meet the additional guarantees allowed and for failure to meet other provisions of the law such as the nitrate and water insoluble nitrogen guarantees. FEED CONFERENCE Discovery that many feeds sold in North Carolina contained rice hulls, an ingredient prohibited in feeds under the law and regarded as injurious to livestock, a general conference was called by the Department in July, 1937. An investigation re-vealed that some mills had hundreds of bags of rice hulls. Meeting with Department officials, the North Carolina Feed Manufacturers, in informal conference, passed a resolution pledging co-operation in eliminating rice hulls as a feed ingredient and further pledging to remove all feeds containing rice hulls that were in the hands of dealers. Strict inspection of the feed tags was of material aid in keeping feeds containing rice hulls off the market. SECOND FEED CONFERENCE Since the State Feed Law had been regarded as nothing more or less than a "correct labeling act," the State Board of Agri-culture exercised its authority to make rules and regulations and adopt feed standards for various special purpose feeds and generally provide for regulations commensurate with progressive agricultural legislation. Feed manufacturers, farm organization representatives from the Farm Bureau, Grange, Farmers Federation and others, the State Dairymen's Association, the State Poultry Association with feed experts from the Department and State College participated in the second informal conference in October, 1937. A com-mittee was appointed by the group to draft feed rules, regu-lations and standards for approval of the Board of Agriculture and the board approved the changes January 5, 1938 to become effective April 1, 1938. SPECIAL PURPOSE FEEDS Prior to April 1, 1938 the only standard for feed stipulated that the minimum protein should be nine per cent. Changes in regulations now place the minimum protein for dairy feeds at 15 per cent, minimum fat at three per cent and maximum fiber at 15 per cent; in hog feeds, minimum protein at 14 per cent, minimum fat at three per cent and maximum fiber at eight per cent; in most poultry feeds, minimum protein at 15 per cent, Commissioner of Agriculture 15 minimum fat at four per cent and maximum fiber at seven per cent. Registration of all feeds that did not meet the new standards was cancelled April 1, 1938. LOW GRADE MATERIALS A new standard for maximum fiber content for feeds was set to exclude excess fillers and assure a high percentage of nitrogen free extract. New regulations prohibit the use of peanut shells, ' peanut hulls, oat hulls, clipped oat by-products, rice hulls, rice chaff, rice straw, barley hulls, coffee hulls, chaff, sawdust, sand, dirt, ground soy-bean stems, ground corn cobs, corn stalks, cocoa-nut shells, wheat straw, or any other substance injurious to the health of animals or having little or no feeding value. An experienced microscopist was employed to determine (1) whether the feed contained the guaranteed ingredients and the quality of each; (2) whether the feed contained other ingredients and whether or not they were adulterants ; (3) whether any of the ingredients were present in quantities too small to affect the nature of the feed. SEED LAW AMENDED Governor Clyde R. Hoey and Commissioner of Agriculture W. Kerr Scott promised the farmers they would take steps to stop the sale of poor quality seeds in the state, should they be elected to office. A study of the Seed Law revealed it did not provide ade-quate protection to the farmer; amendments were drafted, presented to the General Assembly and unanimously approved. Before the amendments were presented to the Legislature, they were approved by the N. C. Crop Improvement Association and the N. C. Seed Dealers Association. RETAIL SEED DEALERS LICENSE REDUCED The wholesale and retail seed dealer's license had been $25 since 1918, but records revealed that only a small per cent of all * dealers actually paid a license fee. Believing that if one dealer paid the license in conformity with the law, all should pay, the Department began strict enforcement of the seed statute. Believing the retail license of $25 was too high, one amendment lowered the tax to $10. Revenue obtained from the sale of licenses made it possible to make the Seed Laboratory self-sup-porting, made it possible to give adequate inspection service and permitted the purchase of equipment to give the state one of the best seed laboratories in the nation. 16 Biennial Report FERTILIZER Adequate fertilizer inspection service has been provided North Carolina farmers who have continued to lead the Nation for 19 consecutive years in fertilizer purchases. One sample of fertilizer was taken for approximately each 200 tons sold. An effort was made to secure a reasonable number of samples from each company. Twelve part-time inspectors were used during the biennium, regularly taking samples and making inspections in all sections of the state. A total of 10,447 samples of fertilizer were collected and reported during the biennium, representing an aggregate of 108,144 bags officially sampled for analysis. Improvement in the quality of fertilizer sold in the state is indicated by the fact that the manufacturers were penalized on only 2.4 per cent of the samples drawn. Penalties levied on 317 lots of fertilizer amounted to $7,995.29. Of the 4,854 samples reported in 1937, a total of 4,050 were equal to or above the guaranteed value ; 688 samples were below guarantee, but within the tolerance allowed under the law. These facts substantiate the value of careful enforcement of regulatory measures and indicate protection given the farmer as well as the honest manufacturer. The Department invited farmers to request inspectors to take special samples wherever desirable. A total of 395 special farm samples were secured. FEED INSPECTION SERVICE INCREASED Feed and Seed inspectors were increased from two to four after the first eight months in the biennium and one chemist added to the feed laboratory under the Department's program to render a greater inspectional and regulatory service. As feed samples were secured, they were analyzed immediately, whereas in the past several weeks elapsed before reports were given. By speeding up the analytical work, the sale of poor quality feed was stopped before it was all sold. From all sections of the state, inspectors collected 2,196 official feed samples, 483 miscellaneous feed samples and 164 cotton seed meal samples. A reasonable number of samples was sought from each feed company and extra precaution taken to secure samples of brands previously found below guarantee. Penalties amounting to $1,326.50 have been assessed and paid to cover feed seizures. Six hundred lots of feed were seized and held for satisfactory adjustment and in most cases the feed was released after penalties were paid and the product re-tagged to Commissioner of Agriculture 17 show the correct analysis in conformity with the laboratory report. A strict enforcement of the feed law has made it possible for a feeder of livestock and poultry to buy a brand of feed with reasonable assurance that it will contain guaranteed ingredients. The farmer can buy with greater economy if he will study the chemical analysis and ingredients of feed as guaranteed on the tag, selecting the feed best suited for his livestock and poultry. A program designed to reduce the number of grades of ferti-lizer and increase the plant food content has been initiated by the Department of Agriculture. The movement has been recog-nized by fertilizer experts of state and national reputation as being agronomically and economically sound. Under present plans, a reduction of the 202 grades of ferti-lizer is being sought to relieve the farmer of much confusion when he goes to buy his requirements. Realizing that the average fertilizer purchased in the state contains an average of only 15.2 units of plant food, while the United States' average is 20 units, steps are being taken to promote greater use of high analysis fertilizer. Definite progress has been made. Comparative Statement showing activities of inspectors in the inspec-tion OF FERTILIZER, FEED, SEED, LIME, LAND PLASTER AND INSECTICIDES DURING years ending june 30, 1937 and june 30, 1938. Fertilizer Year Ending Year Ending June 30, 1937 June 30, 193S Number of Tons sampled 28 , 732 29 , 918 Number of Tons drawn 5,629 4,818 Number of Tons seized... 126 528 Number of Seizures for violation of law 20 82 Number of penalties assessed manufacturers 116 146 Aggregate Amount of Penalties Assessed ...$3 ,760 .91 $4 ,234 .38 Number of bags sampled 50 , 883 52 , 236 Feed Number of Tons sampled 2,286 3,216 Number of samples drawn 741 1,443 Number of seizures for violation of law 133 467 Number of tons seized 304 616 Aggregate amount of penalties assessed ....$ 465.00 $ 861.00 Cottonseed Meal Number of samples of cottonseed meal analyzed 98 132 Number of seizures for violation of law 10 29 Seed Number of samples taken 147 616 Number of seizures No provision 25 Number of samples of lime and land plaster 79 Number of seizures Lime and land plaster (failure to guarantee analysis) 24 Number of Insecticides samples for the biennium 86 PUBLICATIONS DIVISION Louis H. Wilson A general increase in the regulatory, inspectional and service work of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture has furnished the Publications Division with news that has been readily accepted and printed by the Newspapers and agricultural publications of the State. Information concerning the Department's program and pro-gress has been furnished virtually every news-gathering agency in the state. A conscientious effort has been made to place quality of news stories above quantity. Constant requests for special stories by newspapers and other publications attest the interest in the Department's activities and indicate a growth in the demand of the Publications Division services. Netvspapers: A weekly news service of six or seven stories is being furnished all newspapers of the state for the first time. Press Associations: Current information on all phases of the Department activities is furnished promptly to the Associated Press and the United Press which serve the daily newspapers of the State. The press associations together with the Bureau of the North Carolina Association of Afternoon Dailies, have been furnished advance and current information on agricultural events, addresses and feature articles. One of the most acceptable services of this division has been the weekly farm page article prepared exclusively for the Associated Press for release in Monday morning newspapers. All news services have been given special stories upon request. Agricultural Revieiv: Voluntary requests made by farmers and other citizens for the Revieiv have resulted in the addition of approximately 5,000 names to the mailing list within the past 12 months, bringing the total circulation to 18,000. The Revieiv is a four-page publication, issued twice a month and sent free to farmers or any other citizen upon request. It is the official organ of the Department and contains news stories of particular interest to the farming population. One section of the publication contains a detailed list of "Low Analysis and In-correctly Labeled Feeds found in the State," a new service furnished farmers with the view of giving them more infor-mation to be used in intelligent buying of feedstuffs. An increasingly popular feature of the publication is the want-ad section, restricted to the use of farmers and others having articles "for sale" or "exchange." Advertisements are printed Commissioner of Agriculture 19 without charge as a marketing service primarily for farmers and the policy of the Review does not permit the acceptance of advertisements from commercial concerns. Bulletins: Improvements have been made in all regular bul-letins issued by the Department during the biennium. Appro-priate illustrations have been used, special folders have been issued and in all publications greater "reader appeal" has been obtained with the use of pictures. Explanatory articles by the various heads of divisions and by agricultural authorities co-operating with the department have added to the attractiveness of such regular publications as "Analyses of Commercial Ferti-lizer" and "Analyses of Mixed Feeds." Pictures: More and more, newspapers are becoming "picture conscious." The Publications Division has furnished many news-photos to the daily press and other publications to be used in illustrating articles on inspectional, regulatory and service work of the Department. Special picture assignments made by news-papers have been promptly completed ; and while the picture service of the Department is relatively new, it is of distinct value to the press and adds materially to the attractiveness of most newspaper articles. Radio: Special broadcasts on outstanding events and news have been given through cooperation and courtesy by Radio Station WPTF in Raleigh. The United Press, which is furnished all current news concerning the Department, releases news arti-cles to the major radio stations—thus "radio coverage" is furnished listeners as frequently as the news-value of the story permits. Information: Many requests for information on agriculture and other subjects have been handled by the division. In cases where the questions require attention of various agricultural specialists, the requests are forwarded to the most logical or-ganization or authority. State Fair: Publicity for the Great North Carolina State Fair has been handled by the Publications Division since the Department took over the operation of the exposition in 1937. Newspapers and the radio stations have been generous in ac-cepting articles on the fair, particularly since it has become a state institution with a management paramounting agriculture, industry and education. The revitalization of the Department of Agriculture, and the aggressiveness and determination of the present Administration to enlarge the regulatory, inspectional and service work of the various divisions have made news in North Carolina and brought sympathetic editorial treatment from the agricultural, daily and weekly newspaper editors. DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY C. H. Brannon This Division submits the following report for the past bien-nium: DUTIES The Division of Entomology is engaged in inspections, quaran-tines and other regulatory and law enforcement work in con-nection with plant pests, insects affecting man and animals and bee diseases. Keeping up to date its valuable collection and records is also a major activity. NURSERY INSPECTION The biggest single project of the Division of Entomology is the annual inspection and certification of all North Carolina nur-series. This tedious work requires the efforts of two of our staff, Mr. J. A. Harris and Dr. D. L. Wray, during July, August and September. Nurseries which are found apparently free from dangerous plant pests are issued a certificate of inspection which expires September 30, of the following year. The North Carolina certificate of nursery inspection is accepted by all states and the Federal Government. 170 nursery certificates were is-sued in 1936-37. 190 nursery certificates were issued for 1937-38. Certificates are not issued until inspection fees are paid. The nursery fees are as follows: Three acres or less $ 5.00 Four to ten acres 7.50 Eleven to fifteen acres 10.00 Sixteen acres 12.50 10^ for each additional acre. NATIVE PLANT COLLECTORS PERMIT An annual fee of $10.00 is required for a permit to collect and ship wild native plants including boxwood. Approximately 25 such permits are issued each year. NURSERY DEALER CERTIFICATE The annual nursery dealer certificate is $10.00. This applies to individuals or stores. Approximately twenty such certificates are issued annually. This number is expected to increase con-siderably since recent regulations require individual units of chain organizations to obtain separate certificates. Certified dealers Commissioner of Agriculture 21 promise to handle only certified nursery stock and are checked by members of our staff as frequently as funds will permit. A regulation requiring bond of $5,000 of all dealers or nur-series who promise later attention to nursery stock sold in North Carolina was made effective May 19, 1937. A reciprocal regulation was passed by the Board of Agriculture requiring nurseries from states which require out-of-state regis-tration fees to pay the same fee for shipping nursery stock into North Carolina as that charged North Carolina nurserymen for shipping into the respective states requiring such fees. This regulation was effective October 1, 1938. APIARY INSPECTION Mr. P. G. Craddock, North Carolina's first full time Apiary Inspector, was added to the staff July 1, 1937. The Apiary In-spector is engaged in the enforcement of North Carolina's bee disease regulations as a protection to the bee keepers of the State. During the year July 1, 1937 to July 1, 1938, approximately 11,252 colonies of bees were inspected in 48 counties. However, the greater part of this work was done in the following counties Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Haywood, Hyde, Martin, Pender, Robeson and Washington. Three and four-tenths per cent of the colonies inspected were found to be infected with American Foulbrood, the dreaded scourge of the bee and honey industry. Several apiaries were inspected for beekeepers who reside out of the State but who leave their bees in North Carolina perma-nently. Some of these apiaries were badly infected with disease. Eleven certificates for queen rearing were granted during the year. Two permits were issued for bees moving out of the State. One thousand and forty colonies from New York State were inspected. A summer assistant is greatly needed in this work in order to facilitate eradication of bee diseases. North Carolina is fortunate in having undertaken this work before the entire state has be-come heavily infected. If extensive work can be expanded at once there is a good chance of effective control before it is too late. WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST PREVENTION The following report has been submitted by Mr. H. B. Teague, of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, who is State Leader in charge of Blister Rust work in North Carolina. "Since July 1, 1936 the White Pine Blister Rust prevention program has been conducted in the state on private, State and Federal owned lands. The work has been carried out by the 22 Biennial Report U. S. Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the N. C. Department of Agriculture. Federal supervision has been fur-nished by Dr. S. B. Fracker, Chief of the Division of the Plant Disease Control; Mr. Roy G. Pierce, Pathologist, supervisor of Eradicating Ribes grossularia in Edge of Field near House. Located near Craggy, N. C, Buncombe County, (u. s. d. a.) the Southern Appalachian region ; Mr. H. B. Teague, State Leader in charge of North Carolina District supervisors are foremen in the North Carolina Blister Rust Control areas. Blister rust control work has been done in twenty counties. Of these fourteen have been completed for first working, two have been worked the second time, and six have been partially worked the second time and eight remain yet to be completed. Although the project was a Federal undertaking with most of the funds furnished by the Federal Government until July 1, 1937, the State Department of Agriculture was active in giving supervision to the work. Effective July 1, 1937 the State gave $5,000 in addition to other services rendered to supplement the funds allotted by the Federal Government. This state fund is administered by C. H. Brannon, State Entomologist. The object of blister rust control work is to prevent white pines of the state from becoming infected with a fungus disease called white pine blister rust which kills the pines. The life cycle of this disease organism requires for its completion an alternate Commissioner of Agriculture 23 host plant, either currant or gooseberry. By destroying these bushes and breaking the blister rust cycle the spread of the disease to healthy white pines can be prevented. During the past two years blister rust work has consisted of contacting land owners in the white pine growing sections, explaining the dan-gers of this disease, and securing the cooperation of land owners in preventing the infection of their white pines. In most cases the owners agree to destroy their currant and gooseberry bushes or to allow them to be destroyed by the blister rust workers. In a few cases the owners would not consent to have the bushes de-stroyed. The names of all such owners and their addresses have been recorded for future reference. There are three general classes of currants and gooseberries found in North Carolina growing near white pine : cultivated, escaped and wild. Seven different species have been found in cultivation. Four species have been found near abandoned house sites and have escaped cultivation. Two species of native wild bushes have been found growing near white pine. These two species of native bushes are the smooth, wild gooseberry, Ribes rotundifolium, and the prickly wild gooseberry, Ribes cynosbati. Another bush native to the state, but heretofore not found with-in infection range of white pine, is the skunk currant, Ribes grandtdossum. During this biennium, about 60 million board feet of white pine lumber were cut in the state, worth $1,300,000. There are approximately 800 thousand acres of white pine in the state with a seedling value of about seven and one-half million dollars. This acreage has been on the increase for several years, especially since chestnut blight killed the chestnut trees and gave white pine a chance to seed in where seed trees were present. Also in many sections old fields and pasture land have been retired for reforestation, and white pine is seeding in wherever seed trees are present in such sections. Some planting of white pine has been done in the state and intensive planting programs are being planned by the Forest Service, by the Soil Conservation Service and by the T.V.A. Many other divisions are also materially in-creasing the white pine acreage in the state. A program of careful fire prevention and control has been an important factor in the increase of white pine in the state. A member of the Forest Service has stated that the Southern Appalachian region has the possibility of becoming one of the leading white pine producing sections in the country. He pointed out the advantage of soil and climatic conditions, the rapid growth and small damage caused by insects as being in favor of white pine production. He also pointed out the high value of first grade 24 Biennial Report white pine lumber, and the low cost of producing white pine free from blister rust. Good forestry practice increases the value of white pine lumber, and the blister rust organization heartily endorses such forestry practices. In one instance a land owner paid $1.50 per thousand board feet in pruning his white pine trees when they were small, and he received from $40.00 to $60.00 per thousand instead of about $20.00 per thousand board feet which was being paid for knotty, low grade lumber. We are not only interested in the production of white pine free from blister rust, but are also interested in the land owner getting the highest possible prices for his trees when cut. Our organization has worked twenty white pine growing nur-series in the state, including the Soil Conservation Service nur-sery at Chapel Hill, and the State Forest Service Nursery near Hendersonville. Work has been completed on two divisions of Pisgah National Forest and is being carried forward on the two other divisions. Initial work has been completed in the Nantahala National Forest in Jackson and Macon counties, and 14,000 acres have been worked in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The following table summarizes blister rust control activities in North Carolina for the two years period, ending June 30, 1938 Survey Number acres of pine 527,331 Number acres control 1,593,903 Number man days used 18,474 Eradication Number acres pine 527,331 Number acres worked 1,314,375 Number cultivated 269,440 Number wild 434,743 Total 704,183 Number man days 16,608 Costs Federal *$85,182.99 Costs State *$16,884.50 *Add 1938 costs. JAPANESE BEETLE Quarantine The Japanese Beetle Quarantine as included in the last bien-nial report was amended to include the township of Charlotte, effective for the shipping season of 1938. Mr. C. J. Hansel of our staff is located at Greensboro for the purpose of enforcing the Japanese Beetle Quarantine in cooperation with Mr. H. B. Ward of the Richmond office of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine. No nursery, ornamental, or greenhouse stock, or other plants, plant roots, sand, soil, earth, peat, compost, or Commissioner of Agriculture 25 manure can be transported in any manner from the quarantined area without a special Japanese Beetle permit. Rigid inspections of greenhouses and nurseries are made by State and Federal inspectors. Japanese Beetles Covering a Peach, (xj. s. d. a.) In addition to Charlotte township the other areas within the quarantined zone are in the vicinity of Winston-Salem, Greens-boro and Salisbury. Trapping Trapping for the Japanese Beetle is a method of determining the spread of the beetle, and is not intended to reduce the in-festation. The traps contain a bait which attracts the beetle from as far as half a mile. In cooperation with the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine these traps have been placed over the State during the flight periods of the Japanese Beetle. In order to match much larger Federal funds the State of North Carolina, at the request of the Federal Government, allocated $2200 for this work in 1937 and $1338 in 1938 to be administered by this Division. During June and July, 1937, 6,600 traps were placed in 13 cities. A total of 1,110 beetles were caught. All but two of the cities trapped yielded beetles as follows : Asheville 0, Burlington 0, Charlotte 13, Durham 6, East Spencer 194, Elizabeth City 1, 26 Biennial Report Greensboro 370, High Point 3, Raleigh 4, Rocky Mount 3, Salis-bury 6, Spencer 227, Wilmington 9, Wilson 1, Winston-Salem 273. During June and July 1938, 5,830 traps were placed in 23 cities. A total of 152 beetles were caught as follows : Asheville 0, Chad-bourn 0, Concord 0, Durham 15, Elizabeth City 11, Fayetteville 0, Gastonia 0, Greenville 0, Hamlet 5, Henderson 0, High Point 34, Kinston 1, Lexington 2, New Bern 0, Raleigh 20, Reidsville 0, Rocky Mount 1, Sanford 16, Statesville 1, Thomasville 2, Wash-ington 0, Wilmington 40, Wilson 4. The relatively small number of beetles caught in 1938 was due, for the most part, to traps not being placed in the heavily infested areas now under quarantine. ORIENTAL PEACH MOTH PARASITE WORK In cooperation with the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine peach twigs infested with larvae of the Oriental Peach Moth were collected by Mr. J. A. Harris from various points in the peach sections and sent to the Federal laboratory at Moorestown, New Jersey for parasite emergence records. 642 infested twigs were collected in May, 1937. 396 peach moth larvae emerged from these twigs but only one parasite (Macro-centrus instabilis) appeared from the material. Due to condi-tions which are not at present understood, the large number of parasites previously released in the State have not been able to establish themselves. During May 1938, Dr. D. L. Wray collected 859 infested peach twigs which were forwarded to the Federal laboratory. The emergence records from this material are not yet available. NARCISSUS BULB INSPECTION Careful and tedious inspections are required to protect the commercial bulb growers from nematode and bulb fly infestations, which would seriously affect the entire industry if regular in-spections were not made. In the fall of 1936 the storage inspection included the careful examination of 702,000 bulbs on 18 properties. No infestation was found. 116 bushels of bulbs received the regulation hot water treatment because of nematode infestation at spring field inspection. 517 bushels of bulbs found infested with the bulb fly during the spring field inspection were fumigated. During the 1937 spring field inspection 16 properties were inspected which included 78 acres. 6 of these properties were found infested with nematode and 1 was found infested with the bulb fly. Commissioner of Agriculture 27 During the storage inspection in the fall of 1937, 863,600 bulbs were inspected on 13 properties. No infestation was found. However, 402 bushels of bulbs found infested during the spring field inspection were given the standard hot water treatment for nematode. Wk^__M Narcissus Field Inspection: An umbrella is used on bright days to shade the plants, in order that discoloration may be detected, which indicates Nematode infestation. Nematodes have killed plants caus-ing THE OPEN SPACE IN THE FOREGROUND. In the spring of 1938, 100 acres on 18 properties were given the tedious field inspection. One property was found infested with nematode and none found infested with bulb fly. The bulb inspection fee is $5.00 for three acres or less and $1.00 for each additional acre inspected. This fee is for field inspection but also includes the storage inspection if bulbs are to be shipped. These inspections which require painstaking effort were made by Mr. J. A. Harris and Dr. D. L. Wray. 28 Biennial Report PHONY PEACH AND PEACH MOSAIC DISEASE ERADICATION This important work is designed to protect the peach growers of North Carolina from the ravages of the dreaded phony and Mosaic peach diseases. The Mosaic disease has not yet been found in North Carolina. The project is carried out in coopera-tion with the Federal Government. During the campaign to eradicate escaped and abandoned peach trees in the year 1936, between July 1 to December 31, 377,958 peach trees were removed from 1,740 properties. During 1937, when this work was closed out, 107,195 trees were removed from 2,842 properties. From July 1 to October 31, 1936 there were 485,846 trees in-spected on 11,500 properties. 142 phony infected trees were found on 59 properties. All infected trees were removed. In June 1937 there was a nursery environs inspection which included 42,233 trees inspected on 533 properties in the vicinity of 21 nurseries in 11 counties. No infected trees were found in the nursery environs inspection which included areas within one mile of nurseries growing peach stock. The total inspection for 1937 included 73,399 trees inspected on 846 properties in 29 counties. 38 phony infected trees were found on 27 properties. 15 of these infected trees were found in Anson County and 23 in Robeson County. All infected trees were destroyed. During 1938, 45,871 trees were inspected on 880 properties in the vicinity of 24 nurseries in 11 counties. No infected trees were found in the inspected zone around nurseries. However, 14 in-fected trees were found outside of the nursery areas as follows Anson County 9, Robeson County 4, and Stanly County 1. These infected trees were promptly destroyed. Mr. J. A. Harris was appointed State Cooperator in phony peach and peach mosaic disease work, by the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine. Mr. Harris spent the month of May 1938 in New Mexico at the expense of the Federal Govern-ment, studying Peach Mosaic which may appear in North Caro-lina at any time. Inspections for Peach Mosaic are made during the regular phony disease survey. Dr. D. L. Wray has spent much time in this work also. Messrs. T. B. Copeland and J. W. Coble have been assigned to this work by the Federal Government and have rendered valuable service to the State. Mr. C. H. Hearn of the Federal Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine had charge of the tree removal work during 1936 and 1937 in the State. Commissioner of Agriculture 29 INSECT. TAXONOMY Dr. C. S. Brimley has charge of this work and his eminent position in the field of natural history was recognized by the University of North Carolina which conferred upon him the de-gree of Doctor of Laws at its commencement June 7, 1938. Doctor Brimley has developed one of the finest insect collec-tions in the United States, consisting of approximately 75,000 specimens representing about 10,000 different species. An ex-cellent card catalog is also maintained. These records go back to 1900 when Professor Franklin Sherman first started keeping records of the insects of North Carolina. A list of the "Insects of North Carolina" by C. S. Brimley, LL.D, a truly monumental work, was published in 1938, making available for general use the valuable records of this Division. Doctor Brimley identifies hundreds of insects and is also a recognized Herpetologist and Ornithologist. He is also an able Taxonomic Botanist, identifying many species of plants each year. WHITE FRINGED BEETLE The white-fringed beetle, previously found in Argentina, Chile, Uraguay and Australia, was found to be doing extensive damage in the vicinity of Floralla, Alabama in 1937. The pest seemed to be such a potential threat to the entire South that the State Ento-mologist attended a meeting of the Southern Plant Board at DeFuniak Springs, Fla., in July 1937 to look over the infested area and discuss quarantine measures. In 1938 twelve infested nurseries were found in New Orleans, from which about 600 shipments have been made into North Carolina during the past three years. Shipments had also been made all over the country. As a result another meeting of the Southern Plant Board was held in New Orleans, La., in the summer of 1938 to go more thoroughly into the entire white fringed beetle problem. Federal Quarantine was called for and a public quarantine hearing was held by the Federal Government September 15, 1938, in New Orleans, La. As the white-fringed beetle attacks corn, cowpeas, cotton, velvetbeans, peanuts, cabbage, sweet potatoes, collards, tomatoes, etc., it is considered a very grave threat to Southern agriculture. The white fringed beetle has not yet been found in North Carolina, but that is no assurance that it is not already in the State, or will not soon gain entrance. 30 Biennial Report DIVISION NEEDS The Division of Entomology is handicapped by lack of travel funds for the staff. The $4,000 yearly travel allowance is suffi-cient only for the most urgent demands of the work. Many essential duties such as shipping point and transit inspections, checking on dealers, and other phases of inspection, quarantine and regulatory work must be greatly diminished or entirely omitted. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to acknowledge the splendid interest and support of the Board and the Commissioner. It is also a great pleasure to commend the entire staff of this Division for their loyalty, in-tegrity and efficiency at all times. WAREHOUSE DIVISION A. B. Fairley The State Warehouse System submits the following as a report of the operation of the System for the biennium 1936-1937 and 1937-1938: The number of warehouses licensed was one hundred and ten (110), with a licensed storage capacity of 550,000 bales of cotton. These warehouses handled about sixty per cent of the North Carolina crop during the past two years, and 456,869 bales were handled during the year 1937-1938. There is now a licensed warehouse in practically every cotton-producing county in the State, and these warehouses are easily accessible to the cotton producers. The classing department has classed and supervised the classing of approximately 80,000 bales yearly. In order for the classing division to render more prompt and efficient service, contract has been made for the building of a modern and up-to-date classing room, which should be completed by January 1, 1939. In con-nection with the classing of cotton the division has recently signed a cooperative agreement with the Federal Government whereby the Federal Government is to send a licensed classer and helper, whose office will be in our new classing room, and who will assist our classer in classing cotton raised in North Carolina. The services of a gin inspector were added September 1, 1937. All gins in the State were visited, and advice and help were given the ginners where it was found necessary, the inspector reme-dying any mechanical defect found, and helping the ginner cor-rect any faulty or careless ginning. By this service the farmers were saved thousands of dollars, having a better and smoother sample turned out by the gin. Through the continuation of this service it is hoped that as far as possible gin-cut and napped cotton will be eliminated. During the past year a truck and set of test weights were bought in order to test all gin scales, this division working in cooperation with the Weights and Measures Division in making tests and seeing that the scales are put in condition to insure correct weight determination. The warehouses at Norlina and Benson, which belong to the State, were again leased, and a good rental obtained. Warehouses in debt to the State have continued to lower their indebtedness, and have kept up their interest payments. Below is a statement of the interest and principal received during the 32 Biennial Report past two years ; also a statement of the funds of the State Ware-house System. Amount Collected During The Past Two Years: Interest $ 24 , 336 . 83 Principal. ______ 37 , 222 . 30 Total.. $ 61 , 559 . 13 Loans to Warehouses Sampson Cotton Storage Warehouse Co., Clinton ___ $ 6,000.00 Lincoln Bonded Warehouse, Inc., Lincolnton 3,450.00 Cotton Bonded Warehouse, Lincolnton 6,000.00 Union County Warehouse Co., Monroe 10,000.00 W. W. Holding, Wake Forest 3 , 500 . 00 Beaufort County Storage Warehouse Co., Washington 5,000.00 Total __ ___ $ 33 , 950 . 00 Cash On Hand Cash On Hand Loans—1st Invested In Principal Fund Supervision Fund Mortgage on Whse. Bonds 1937 __ $ 7,417.10 $ 47,020.11 $261,599.00 $378,000.00 1938. $ 27,391.77 $ 53,990.62 $277,818.98 $333,500.00 Purchase of Bonds During Biennium $ 70,947.48 DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY Dr. B. W. Kilgore The Division of Chemistry has the responsibility for the work with fertilizers, foods for human consumption, commercial feeds for livestock and poultry, insecticides and fungicides for com-bating insects and fungus diseases of plants, and the analysis of a rather large amount of materials of an agricultural nature. FERTILIZERS The amount and kind of chemical work performed in the laboratory on fertilizers, feeds, insecticides, cottonseed meals, and materials of a general agricultural nature during the past two years is shown in the following summary Official fertilizers 10,178 Fertilizers and fertilizer materials for farmers 617 Official feeds 2,196 Miscellaneous feeds 483 Insecticides 85 Cottonseed meals 164 Miscellaneous limes and marls 47 Official limes and land plaster 32 Total 13,802 A considerably larger number of analyses of samples of ferti-lizers was made during this biennium than during the past similar period. In addition to the regular determinations made on ferti-lizers heretofore this season is the first time, in accordance with the Act of the Legislature of 1937, that determinations have been made in fertilizers of magnesia and acidity or basicity of the ferti-lizers. This has required additional help and equipment for the laboratory and we now have adequate facilities in the new laboratories and equipment for making these additional exami-nations. Information about the magnesia content of fertilizers and the acid or base condition of the fertilizers will prove valuable to farmers in fertilizing their crops on different kinds of soils. The analyses of fertilizers show that the goods put on the market in this State are what they are claimed to be and are of good quality. COMMERCIAL FEEDS The Feed Laboratory has, during the biennium 1936-38, made analyses of 2,196 official samples of feeding stuffs and 483 mis-cellaneous and unofficial samples. This represents a large in-crease in volume of work over the preceding biennium. 34 Biennial Report Laboratory facilities have been improved by repairs to old apparatus, and where necessary, by replacement with new appa-ratus. Microscopical analysis has been made a part of the regular work of the Feed Laboratory, and now each sample is examined as to its ingredients in addition to the regular chemical analysis. This means that the guarantee of each feed found on sale is checked in every particular. Samples coming into the laboratory have been handled promptly. The feed bulletins have been published as usual. There have been numbers of samples which failed to comply with their guarantees, but upon the whole there now appears to be a distinct and gratifying improvement in the quality of feeds found on sale. INSECTICIDES There has been some increase in the number of samples of insecticides analyzed. These materials have been found to meet the guaranteed analyses, as a whole, and are generally up to standard requirements. FOODS The food work concerns sanitation, adulteration, branding and labeling of food products offered for sale in the State. The work is done through inspection of places where foods are made or handled and by examination and analysis of food samples. It includes cooperative work with city and county health depart-ments and with Federal food and drug officials. During the biennium, 1936-1938, the following samples have been received and analyzed: Flour 957 Hamburger and sausage 476 Ice cream 1,012 Honey 139 Syrup 63 Coffee 398 Olive oil 46 Mayonnaise 85 Vinegar f? 273 Extracts 174 Spray residue 320 Soft drinks 60 Oleomargarine — 185 Herring roe 71 Canned vegetables 256 Canned fruits 21 Miscellaneous .___ 266 Miscellaneous (unofficial) 335 Total . 5,137 Commissioner of Agriculture 35 CANNED GOODS A survey has been made of most of the canneries in the State with the view of helping operators of such industries to bring the canned products up to U. S. standard grade. Whenever in-sanitary conditions were found, such facts were pointed out by the inspectors and recommendations for improvements were made. When samples examined were found that did not meet the requirements for U. S. standard grade, reports were sent to the canners pointing out wherein the sample failed to meet the re-quirements and advising that such products, unless brought up to standard grade, must be labeled "Below U. S. Standard Grade." Inspection of the packs at warehouses was made and samples tested in the laboratory. In the cases where mislabeling or mis-representation of the product by the label occurred, the error was explained and assistance given in proper form of label to comply with State and Federal regulations on labeling. Whenever canned foods, that for any reason, were found unfit for marketing the condition of the pack was pointed out to the canner and the study of the cause for such losses made. In testing canned goods for quality and proper labeling, the standards promulgated by the U. S. Food and Drug Adminis-tration have been used as guides. However, all forms of canned foods packed in the State have been examined, for many of which no specific U. S. standards have been provided. Observations of the methods from the field to the finished product have been made in large and small canning establish-ments, and a record of these is available for supervision of these outputs. ICE CREAM During 1937 considerable time was given to the inspection and analysis of ice cream and other frozen milk products, efforts in this connection being directed toward the elimination of sub-standard products which, either through deliberate intention or carelessness on the part of the manufacturer, were being made and offered for sale to the public. More than 650 samples of such products were examined during the spring and summer of 1937. At the beginning of the investigation nearly half of the samples examined were below the standard in milk fat, while near the end of the season samples deficient in milk fat were seldom found. In all cases of ice cream and other frozen milk products found below the standard in milk fat, the manufacturers and sellers of the products were notified of the findings and warnings to desist from such practices were issued, and in cases of material de-viation from the requirements of the standards, notices of 36 Biennial Report hearings were sent and hearings were given to those responding. All cases in which responses to notices of hearings were not forth-coming, and in which warnings were not heeded, the operators persisting in violating the law through the manufacture or sale of products deficient in milk fat ; were turned over to the courts for determination. It was found necessary to cause nine prose-cutions to be brought, eight of these resulting in convictions. This work has been continued through that portion of 1938 falling within the biennium. Early in 1937, under authority granted by the Ice Cream Plant Inspection Law, Sanitary Regulations were drawn up which were intended to give greater direct effect to the broad general pro-visions of that law. On October 19, 1937, in response to invi-tations sent to all manufacturers of ice cream and other frozen milk products, a large number of such manufacturers met in con-ference with officials of the Department in Raleigh to consider the provisions of the regulations. At this meeting a Code of Sanitary Regulations to govern the operation of the large production type of ice cream plants, and revised Definitions and Standards for Ice Cream, Other Frozen Milk Products and Water Ices were agreed upon. The operators of counter type ice cream freezers requested and were granted an extension of time to prepare for their conference. On November 16, 1937, a conference was held with this group of manufacturers and a Code of Regulations govering the operation of Counter Type Ice Cream Freezers was agreed upon. The group had previously agreed upon the revised Definitions and Standards. Both , Codes of Sanitary Regulations were submitted to, and adopted by the Board of Agriculture on March 10, 1938, which action made the Codes a part of the Law, violation of which car-ries the same penalty as does a violation of the law itself. The revised Definitions and Standards for Ice Cream, Other Frozen Milk Products and Water Ice were adopted by the Board of Agriculture on June 28, 1938, under authority granted by the North Carolina Pure Food Law. Under these Regulations, and for the first time since Ice Cream Plant Inspection was begun, a systematic grading of plants has been undertaken. Practically all of the plants in the State making ice cream and other frozen milk products have been inspected and graded since the adoption of the Regulations. Seven plants which did not score the required grade and could not be so im-proved as to make such grade possible were either closed volun-tarily by the owners or by order from the Department. One manufacturer whose place was thus closed has remodeled his building and installed new machinery of approved type and has Commissioner of Agriculture 37 been permitted to reopen, having received satisfactory rating upon inspection of the new installations. Nine tub type freezers using ice and salt as refrigerant have been replaced by freezing machines of either circulating brine or direct expansion type. With a few exceptions, the operators of Counter-Type Ice Cream Freezers have made the installations, or changes in in-stallation, necessary to bring their machines into conformity with requirements of law. OLEOMARGARINE The Oleomargarine Excise Tax Law provides that an excise tax of 10 cents per pound shall be levied and collected on all oleomargarine containing any fats or oil other than "cottonseed oil, peanut oil, corn oil, soya bean oil, oleo oil from cattle, oleo stock from cattle, oleo stearin from cattle, neutral lard from hogs or milk fat." 185 samples of oleomargarine were bought and examined for total fat and for the presence of "foreign fats"—those not specifically named in the Oleomargarine Excise Tax Law. Of this number 20 samples, representing 9 different brands, from 6 different manufacturers, were found to contain cocoanut oil, palm oil or "Babassu" oil, rendering them subject to the excise tax. It was found that one manufacturer had shipped slightly more than 3000 lbs. of such oleomargarine into the State, another had sold 122 lbs., the other shipments found being so small as to be almost negligible. The sum of $311.80 in excise tax has been collected to date during the year 1938. The investigation is still under way. The 185 samples examined represent 55 separate brands of oleomargarine produced, and sold in this State, by 24 different manufacturers. Inspectors are instructed to take samples of each and every brand found. Inspection covers all grocery and other stores where oleomargarine is offered for sale. SPRAY RESIDUE Regulations were adopted providing for the testing and regu-lation of spray residue on fruits. Much useful information on the amount of spray residue on the fruit being packed for market has been supplied growers of peaches and apples. The tolerances adopted are the same as the Federal allowances, arid are: Arsenic, as As,03 .01 grains per lb. Lead, as Pb. .018 grains per lb. Fluorine, as F. .01 grains per lb. State inspectors have covered the orchards during the seasons of maturity of both peaches and apples and samples of brushed 38 Biennial Report and unbrushed fruit were tested and the growers shown the efficiency of their method of removal of spray residue. FLAVORING EXTRACTS Regulations denning and adopting standards of classification for all flavoring extracts and flavors have been adopted by the Board of Agriculture. This action was taken to eliminate from the market many spurious or worthless flavors which had flooded the market. These minimum standards have been provided for "Vanilla and Vanillin Extracts", "Vanilla-Vanillin-Coumarin" or "Vanilla-Vanillin-Coumarin Extracts," also "Imitation Vanilla Flavor." COFFEE AND VINEGAR As coffee may be mixed with chicory or cereal and be legally sold, if properly labeled, violations of the food law in the sale of coffee were largely due to mislabeling. When such violations were found, the attention of the manufacturer or jobber was called to the fact, and the product was either taken off the market by the responsible party or was relabeled to comply with the law. There was found offered for sale in the State large quantities of so-called vinegar, which in fact was not vinegar but dilute commercial acetic acid, a product not recognized as a food by either the Federal food law or the State food law. The sale as vinegar was a misrepresentation and gross fraud. One party engaged in the manufacture and sale of this product was indicted and convicted. More than five thousand gallons were withdrawn from sale and either destroyed or permitted to be used for other than food purposes. Others guilty of the same violation, upon agreement to discontinue the practice, were not prosecuted as it was their first offense. MISCELLANEOUS WORK A total of 335 unofficial samples was received, 254 of which were suspected to contain poison. These samples consisted of foods and beverages for human consumption, animal and poultry feeds, viscera and other specimens from animal bodies ; and mis-cellaneous specimens for the detection of narcotic or other ille-gally used drugs, and for foreign and harmful ingredients. These samples were variously submitted by city and county officials, physicians, county agents, farmers' cooperatives, farmers and other citizens at large. Poisons and foreign substances were found in a considerable number of instances and questions re-garding safety and wholesomeness were cleared up in many cases. Commissioner of Agriculture 39 There were 41 requests for mineral analysis of water, most of which were to determine why the water was not satisfactory for industrial, commercial and domestic purposes, or why sediment or scum appeared and why pipes rusted unduly. In almost every instance, the request was made to obtain practical information. INSPECTIONS Inspections have been made as follows: Number of Number of Plants Inspections Bakeries 151 1 ,055 Bottling plants .. . 228 1,541 Ice cream plants and creameries 247 1,508 Total . . 626 4,104 4,104 Number of inspections of canneries: seafood and vegetables 135 135 Oleomargarine Inspections: (Grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) Places handling or using oleo 4,489 Places not handling or using oleo 7 ,800 Total 12 ,289 12 ,289 Total number of inspections 16,528 Two bakeries were closed on account of insanitary conditions. One was cleaned up and permitted to reopen after being passed on by an inspector. The other was not reopened. SEIZURES, WITHDRAWALS, ETC. Oleomargarine containing foreign fats offered for sale in violation of the Oleomargarine Law and on which excise tax was collected 3,118 lbs. Commercial acetic acid sold as vinegar, either destroy-ed or permitted to be used for other than food pur-poses 5,380 gallons. Herring roe containing worms and other objectionable substances which rendered the product unfit for human consumption 120 cases of 24 cans each. Cut string beans in corroded cans or containing worms, insects or other foreign and objectionable matter 15 cases of 24 cans each. Infested peas unfit for human consumption 613 J^ cases. Assorted cakes, moulded and insect infested 56 lbs. Fruit preserving powder 20 packages. Lemon flavor, worthless as a flavoring product 5 doz. bottles (Pint). LINSEED OIL Of the 80 linseed oil samples obtained and analyzed, only one failed to meet the requirements for linseed oil. Funds for enforcing the food and sanitary inspection laws are provided by inspection taxes under the following inspection laws: 40 Biennial Report Bleached flour 28,335.00 Bakeries 2,865.00 Bottling plants __ 4,822.50 Ice Cream plants, Creameries 4,535.00 Linseed oil 4,692.90 Total.- 45,250.40 The chemists in the laboratories, the inspectors in the field and the workers in the office have performed most agreeable, satis-factory and efficient services, for which they have our sincere appreciation. SEED LABORATORY J. W. WOODSIDE There has been considerable increase in the work of the Seed Laboratory during the biennium, each year having established a new high in fhe work done by the Division. The year 1936- 1937 showed an increase of 22% over the previous year, and the year of 1937-1938 showed an increase of 68% over the year 1936- 1937. During the biennium, July 1, 1936 to June 30, 1938, 20,714 samples of seed were analyzed by the Seed Laboratory, repre-senting an increase of 65% over the biennium, July 1, 1934 to July 30, 1936. This increase in volume of work has been accom-plished by increasing the laboratory personnel of the Division from six to seven. Our primary objective during the past two years has been to see that the seed purchased by the farmer were properly labeled as to quality. In the past, due to insufficient or improper labeling, there have been instances in which inferior seed have been sold in unfair competition with seed of superior quality. Another condition that has made strict enforcement of our Seed Law im-perative, is the fact that some of the states bordering on North Carolina are rigidly enforcing their seed laws, thus creating a tendency to "dump" in this State the seed of poor quality rejected by the neighboring states, prevention of which must be a con-stant aim of this Division. During 1937, in cooperation with the Extension Service seventy < meetings were held in all sections of the State. The purpose of these meetings was to better acquaint both farmers and seed dealers with the requirements and purposes of the Seed Law. The Seed Laboratory, for a number of years, has made it a policy to clean tobacco seed for farmers requesting this service. During the biennium 645 lbs. of tobacco seed have been cleaned for farmers in Wake and adjoining counties. This represents about one-third of the volume of work done when the program was at its peak. The greater portion of this work is now being done locally by agricultural teachers and county agents which accounts for the reduction in volume of this type of work done by the Division during the past two years. After a careful study of the equipment and methods used in the seed laboratories of other states, equipment was purchased for the North Carolina Laboratory during 1937, installation of which has made it one of the best equipped seed laboratories in the South. Seed germinators with automatic temperature con-trol have been installed to insure the best possible conditions for 42 Biennial Report germination tests. The installation of a modern automatic seed counter has greatly increased the capacity of the Laboratory. Statistical Report 1936-1937 1937-1938 Current tests 7,633 12,368 Inspectors tests: Agricultural seed 65 180 Vegetable seed 33 435 7,731 12,983 Total for the biennium 20,714 samples Tobacco seed cleaned 382 lb.4 oz. 263 lb. 6 oz. Total for the biennium 645 lb. 10 oz. DIVISION OF MARKETS Randal B. Etheridge The Division of Markets is a service organization. It assists the farmers in marketing products grown on the farm. That is true in its broadest sense, but in addition to helping farmers market their products, whether individually or in groups, quite often it is necessary to show them how to prepare their output for market. This is particularly true of fruits and vegetables. Members of the Division also act in a neutral capacity in certi-fying as to grade the various farm commodities. If, for example, we certify as to grade a car of Irish potatoes, a car of soybeans, or a car of lambs, the farmer sells these on the basis of the grade assigned. The Division works with farmers in various cooperative pro-jects, such as cooperative purchasing of supplies and cooperative marketing. If the farmers desire to work together as a group in purchasing supplies or marketing their farm output, then they should protect themselves legally by having their organizations incorporated. The problem of selecting markets requires a variety of infor-mation on supply, demand and prices that individual farmers are not in position to collect for themselves. The Division maintains a Market News Service which is designed to fill this need. During the biennium the work of the Division has been more varied than in any previous period due largely to the new projects initiated by the Federal agencies in an attempt to improve the economic position of the farmers. We have participated and cooperated as much as our personnel would permit. Also during the biennium we started other new projects of work which should prove beneficial to the farmers of North Carolina. A brief summary of the activities, nature and scope of the work is as follows Market News Service For a number of years we have issued daily mimeographed reports, in cooperation with the Bureau of Agricultural Eco-nomics, from our temporary field offices. The reports issued at Chadbourn dealt with strawberries ; those at Washington with Irish potatoes ; and the ones from Hamlet with peaches and watermelons. Reports issued showed the total U. S. carlot shipments by states, primary destinations of North Carolina carlot shipments, Potomac Yards passings of North Carolina shipments, shipping 44 Biennial Report point prices in North Carolina and competitive states. Tele-graphic reports were received from wholesale terminal markets, which included weather conditions, number of cars on track, the number of cars unloaded and the number of carlot arrivals. The telegraphic reports also indicated market trends for North Caro-lina and competitive sections. Arrivals and truck holdings in the sixteen leading cities were given daily. From the information referred to in the foregoing, require-ments of every distributing center can be known along with existing supplies, and the shipper can ascertain at a glance which markets have a strong demand and which markets are weak, and in having this information, he will be in a position to know where there are dangers of losses and avenues of gain. Farmers cannot market intelligently unless they know the market value of their products. With that in mind, we have en-deavored to make available to the farmers of North Carolina market information concerning a number of commodities which is accurate and reliable, and which will facilitate the flow of these items to markets where they are most needed, and place farmers on an equal bargaining basis with their customers and com-petitors. It is our desire to aid producers directly by familiarizing them with prices being paid for commodities in various markets. While the quotation of prices is the most emphasized phase of the work, there is reason to believe that other price-making forces dis-seminated by the Market News Service is important in regulating the flow of commodities to market. Supplementary information is received in our office over leased wire in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture and all reports issued are in cooperation with the Federal Department. Market information developed during 1938 and made available to the producers, the press and for radio is as follows : 660 North Carolina producers receive each week by mail a market report on poultry and eggs. 63 5 Hog producers receive each week by mail a market report on hogs. 380 Sheep, lamb and wool producers receive each week a market report on sheep and wool. 190 Weekly and daily newspapers receive each week a weekly summary of livestock and vegetable prices and trends. 1,500 Words, or Zy2 double-spaced typewritten pages, are prepared each morning for broadcast over Station WPTF at Raleigh at 12:40 P.M. These radio releases carry the very latest price information from shipping points and terminal markets on tobacco, cotton, livestock, hay, feed and grain, and fruits and vegetables. For the press each day approximately 5,000 words are written as fol-lows: 1,400 on fruits and vegetables and 700 on livestock for the News and Observer, Greensboro Daily News, Durham Sun, High Point Enter-prise and the Journal-Sentinel in. Winston-Salem. 1,500 words are pre- Commissioner of Agriculture 45 pared for the Raleigh Times and the Associated Press on fruits and vege-tables, livestock, poultry and eggs. 400 Words on cotton are released daily for the Associated Press and the Raleigh Times. 450 Words on tobacco trading are assembled daily during the marketing season for the Associated Press, United Press, News and Observer and the Raleigh Times. 300 Word reports for the Raleigh Times on Raleigh prices of every day table needs are released daily. From time to time special reports on carlot shipments, Potomac Yards passings, outstanding sales, etc., are issued to the press. Special reports calculated to be of value in farm management and marketing problems which confront North Carolina farmers are given wide publicity through the press and by radio. Tobacco Standardization A tobacco marketing specialist was added to the staff in 1937 so that farmers might be taught approved and efficient methods of preparing tobacco for market. This work has proven very popular and is in strong demand. In order that all requests for demonstrations could be taken care of, a cooperative agreement was made with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics for addi-tional part-time help. Proper sorting, tying, grading and ar-ranging of tobacco on warehouse floors are features of the work. Partial scope of the project is listed below. A. Sixteen demonstrations attended by 375 farmers were held in Hoke, Nash, Wayne and Franklin Counties. Between these meetings individual instruction was done on warehouse floors in Durham, Farmville, Greenville, Goldsboro, Oxford, Wendell and Wilson. B. Special effort was exerted toward teaching proper mar-keting procedure in the Burley Belt as growers there have generally less experience in tobacco production than farmers in most other tobacco-producing areas of the State. Two sorting and tying demonstrations were held in each of the following Counties: Alleghany, Avery, Ashe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon and Mitchell. In the largest producing counties, which include Buncombe, Haywood, Madison and Yancey, three demonstrations were held. A total of 2,035 tobacco producers attended meetings held in this area. These meetings were fol-lowed up with individual instruction on the Asheville market. C. The subject of tobacco standardization was discussed with 350 vocational agricultural students in regular class sessions in the Counties of Franklin, Harnett, Vance and Wake. One adult evening class, consisting of eighteen farmers, attended one of the class room sessions. 46 Biennial Report Livestock Marketing A livestock grading and marketing program was instituted July 1, 1937. The most complete project undertaken in livestock marketing was that of marketing lambs. This program was carried on in cooperation with the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service. During this period 4,681 lambs belonging to some 450 farmers were officially graded and marketed coopera-tively. The animals originated in the counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank, Edgecombe, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington and Watauga. Some of the cars were sold direct, whereas others were shipped on consignment. In merchandizing every shipment, a substantial sum of money was made for the producer and this would not have been possible without a knowledge of characteristic seasonal price movements, the in-fluence of given factors on short-time and a day-price movement, acquaintanceship with the trade, the ability to choose superior customers for the time being, as well as the ability to distinguish price-limit stretches of given customers. The work was not ac-complished by any one individual or organization. The county agents, with the aid of an animal husbandry specialist, did the assembling; the grading was accomplished by members of this Division with the aid of an extension specialist, and the selling was done by our marketing specialist. Naturally, he consulted freely with the men previously mentioned. Only one livestock auction market was in operation in Eastern North Carolina during the period being reviewed, this at Kinston. A local man was trained as a hog grader for this market with the result that the market operator was able to negotiate sight-unseen sales with packers. Livestock auctions are also in opera-tion at Asheville, Charlotte and Greensboro. The Division is in position to offer experienced advice on most any phase of live-stock marketing. Effort was also exerted to keep out-of-state customers aware of sources from which they might secure livestock needed from people or markets in North Carolina. Leading cattlemen in Vir-ginia, West Virginia and Tennessee were circularized with lists showing feeder cattle for sale in this State. Contact with leading packers and livestock marketing organizations in the East were maintained well enough to cause their buyers to be sent to North Carolina on purchasing errands when volume permitted. The soft and oily system of hog marketing, which virtually gives price-fixing privileges to buyers, was called to the attention of the United States Department of Agriculture, and publicized Commissioner of Agriculture 47 sufficiently to bring about public consciousness of the problem. Correction of the injustice demands Federal rather than buyer ' inspection. Eggs Certification as to the grade of eggs was inaugurated June 1, 1937. This project of work was executed jointly with the Moun-tain Egg Producers Cooperative Association, Asheville, the Farmers Federation, Asheville, N. C, and the Farmers Coopera-tive Exchange, Raleigh, N. C. One member of the Division was licensed by the Federal Department as a supervisor, and he, in turn, trained and licensed employees of the Associations. The licensed inspectors certified 26,670 dozens of eggs. We have had a number of inquiries from other sections regarding this type of work and we feel safe in saying that it will be expanded in the very near future. Egg grading and marketing was also done for the Albemarle FCX Service, Elizabeth City and for the Edgecombe FCX Service, Tarboro. The work around Elizabeth City and Tarboro was started primarily for the purpose of relieving the local markets of their surplus during the spring season. Eggs were candled, graded and shipped to Richmond, Washington and New York. The eggs shipped to Richmond were stored and sold during the autumn months. Strawberry Standardization In our inspection work of strawberries during the past ten years, we have seen the need of some intensive demonstration work in the preparation of this commodity for market. During the 1937 season we assigned one member of the Division to the Chadbourn area for a period of three weeks to teach growers how to improve their pack. This project was carried on in co-operation with the assistant county agent of Columbus County. The increased returns to growers who packed strawberries ac-cording to our specifications and method of pack was quite notice-able and was recognized by all on the Chadbourn market. Data collected show that those growers received from thirty cents to one dollar per crate more than the other growers. There was a good active demand for properly packed berries, and it is in-teresting to note that the wholesale dealers in the terminal mar-kets instructed their buyers on the Chadbourn market to buy berries which were packed under our supervision. Beneficial work of this character can be carried on profitably at all shipping points marketing perishable commodities. 48 Biennial Report Shipping Point Inspection Service The inspection and certification as to grade of fruits and vege-tables is by far the largest project in the Division. This work is done in cooperation with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, and is given voluntarily by the growers and shippers. We are required to make the work self-supporting and the fees charged for the inspection are paid by the growers or shippers for whom the inspections are made. All men engaged in the work are licensed by the Federal Department and act in a neutral capacity in describing the quality and condition and certifying as to grade. A greater part of the produce shipped from North Carolina is bought and sold on the basis of grade assigned by the inspectors. This service aids the growers and shippers materially in mar-keting their products. The volume of fruits and vegetables in-spected was as follows: Cantaloupes of uniform size and attractively packed command the highest market price. Commissioner of Agriculture 49 Approximate No. of Packages ,296,000 (pounds) ,688,281 (100 lb. sacks) ,461,734 (melons) 781,910 (24-qt. crates) 508,391 (bushels) 459,631 (Bu. hampers) 91 ,488 (crates) 79,884 (crates) 72,225 (bushels) 61,201 (bu. hampers) 57,365 (bu. hampers) 27,706 (lugs) 21,718 (bushels) 9,311 (24-qt. crates) 3,873 (24-qt. crates) 2,740 (112-lb. sacks) 1,000 (crates) 481 (bu. hampers) 154 (bu. hampers) 97 (bu. hampers) 5 (bu. crates) 3 (bu. baskets) 540,227 bags Carlot Equivalent 304 15,627 1,461 2,659 1,313 766 228 159 120 102 111 50 43 26 15 10 2 1 Commodity Cabbage 7 Irish potatoes 4 Watermelons 1 Strawberries Peaches Snap beans Cantaloupes Green corn Sweet potatoes Fresh Peas Cucumbers Tomatoes.. Apples Dewberries Huckleberries Peanuts (shelled stock) Radishes Peppers Lima beans. Squash Onions Plums Peanuts (Farmer stock; State Inspection) This work required a personnel of 134 licensed inspectors during the heavy movement of potatoes in June 1937 and 140 during June 1938. To employ that many men on a temporary piece of work, to see that they are properly trained, equipped and supervised is a tremendous undertaking and requires careful and detailed planning months in advance. To give you an idea of the magnitude of this work, I wish to advise that the number of licensed inspectors required to do the work by weeks in 1937 was as follows 2,160 Week ending April 21st 5 Week ending May 1st 32 Week ending May 8th 36 Week ending May 15th 41 Week ending May 22nd 42 Week ending May 29th 32 Week ending June 5th 77 Week ending June 12th 133 Week ending June 19th 134 The foregoing does not includ men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending e typists, clerical assi June 26th 116 men July 3rd 60 men July 10th 32 men July 17th 41 men July 24th 43 men July 31st . .... 41 men August 7th ... 19 men August 14th ... 4 men August 21st .... 3 men stants and helpers. A majority of the men employed during April and May were transferred to other States after the work on strawberries was completed and many of them did not return for other work during the entire season. The greater number of men employed during June constituted a different group of inspectors and many of these men were transferred to other States when no longer needed in North Carolina. Most of the men who inspected water-melons and peaches during July and August represented an en-tirely different group from that used during any other marketing period. Attention is called to the fact that three different groups 50 Biennial Report of men were used, each group being qualified by training and experience to inspect certain specific commodities. Temporary offices for cucumbers were maintained at Jackson-ville, Mt. Olive, Calypso and Wallace ; for strawberries at Chad-bourn, Tabor City, Wallace, Rose Hill, Burgaw, Mount Olive and Warsaw; for potatoes at Tabor City, Elizabeth City, Mt. Olive, Aurora, Bayboro, Columbia, Beaufort, Bethel, New Bern, Pantego, Washington, Creswell, Griffon and Goldsboro ; for green corn at Wallace; for tomatoes at Beaufort, Windsor and Laurinburg; for cantaloupes at Laurinburg, Norlina and Ridgeway; for cabbage at New Bern, Beaufort, Fayetteville, Rowland, Elizabeth City and Smithfield; for peaches at Candor, Hamlet, Pinehurst, Sanford, Gibson and Ellerbee ; for watermelons at Raeford, Beaufort, New Bern, Mt. Olive, Laurinburg, Hamlet, St. Paul, Rowland and Faison ; for beans at Tabor City, Mt. Olive, Richlands, Burgaw and Goldsboro ; for cannery tomatoes at Greensboro ; for fresh peas at Columbia; and for sweet potatoes at Elizabeth City. Terminal Market Inspection Inspections of twenty-five cars of tomatoes, onions, Irish pota-toes, grapes, beans, oranges and grapefruit were made at the following terminal points, Asheville, Boone, Charlotte, Durham, Raleigh, Rocky Mount and Sanford. Inspection and certification as to grade of fruits and vegetables grown in the State and shipped to other States are classed as Shipping Point Inspection. Inspections made on commodities grown in other States and shipped into this State are referred to as Terminal Inspections. In Terminal Inspections members of the Division describe the conditions of the commodity upon arrival. Inspections of this kind are requested only when the product is of a quality and condition considerably below that of a recognized standard and adjustments in the price originally agreed upon are made by the shippers and receivers. Soybeans: Inspection of this crop was continued at Elizabeth City and Washington. During this period 12,675 bushels were certified as to grade. Stabilization of the Irish Potato Industry At the request of the growers and shippers, and representatives of the different agricultural institutions in the State, Mr. A. E. Mercker and Saxon D. Clark, of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, were assigned to North Carolina in 1937 and 1938, respectively. Messrs. Mercker and Clark worked very closely with the growers and shippers during the marketing period and endeavored at all times to keep a uniform price at all Commissioner of Agriculture 51 shipping points. Mr. Mercker had to leave the State for a short period in 1937 and one member of the Division carried on the work during his absence. Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation Irish Potatoes: At the beginning of the potato marketing season in 1937, it was quite apparent that there was a heavy production of potatoes in all of the early-producing States, and it was feared that the price would drop to such a low level that it would be disastrous to the growers. Furthermore, there was serious doubt as to whether the country could consume the potential tonnage during the marketing period. Members of the Division fully realized the gravity of the situation and were very active in having the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation buy potatoes in North Carolina. The Corporation paid the pre-vailing market price and there is no doubt that the price of potatoes would have reached a much lower level had they not in-stituted a purchasing program. The Corporation bought 1,631 cars of North Carolina potatoes at shipping points and in the terminal markets for which they paid $391,440.00. We assigned one member of the Division to their office in Washington, N. C, for a period of nearly two weeks to assist them in completing their records in order that payment to the growers might be expedited. During the potato marketing season, we had 134 licensed inspectors in the field and the entire personnel acted as agents for the Corporation in carrying out the program. Siveet Potatoes: The Jersey type of sweet potatoes is grown in the Counties of Currituck and Camden. Shortly after the marketing season started in August 1937, the market became badly demoralized, and we requested the Federal Surplus Com-modities Corporation to give the growers in those counties some relief in buying part of the crop. A representative from the Corporation started a purchasing program on August 25th. A purchasing program of this kind removes from the market part of the surplus and thereby strengthens the market and in most instances prevents a further demoralization. $19,544.40 was paid to the growers for the 42,000 bus. of sweet potatoes bought. Apples: A large crop of apples in 1937 forced the market price to a low level. The Corporation also came to the rescue of the growers and bought twelve cars of apples. Purchases made amounted to $3,600.00. Cabbage: The price for which cabbage was selling at the terminal markets in 1938 was insufficient to pay marketing costs. Again we asked the Corporation to relieve the situation and pointed out that shipments would scarcely bring the cost of 52 Biennial Report transportation. They aided the growers through buying 328 cars. In this, as in other purchasing programs, the cabbage was bought on the basis of certification as to grade made by our inspectors, and the inspectors also certified as to the weight of each grower's lot or load. The value of the cabbage bought amounted to $35,412.00. Snap Beans: The market on snap beans also proved unsatis-factory to growers in 1938. The Corporation bought 15,825 bushels of beans from the sections around Tabor City and Frank-lin, for which they paid $6,681.00. Peanut Program—Agricultural Adjustment Administration The diversion program in 1937 was put into effect to help maintain prices and under the program excess supplies were sold to mills to be converted into oil and by-products. The Agricul-tural Adjustment Administration made payments to the growers' cooperative covering the difference between the prices paid by mills for peanuts crushed into oil and by-products and the es-tablished prices of $65.00 per ton for Class A; $61.00 per ton for Class B ; and $57.00 per ton for peanuts which were not marketed for the edible trade. Licensed inspectors of the Division certified as to grade the 49,861,578 pounds (24,930 tons) of peanuts that were bought at a cost of approximately $1,608,256.00. The classification of pea-nuts bought was as follows : 44,367,768 lbs. as Class A ; 4,847,325 lbs. as Class B ; and 637,485 lbs. as Class C. Specialists in the Division were closely affiliated with the pro-gram in all its aspects. One member wrote the articles of in-corporation, by-laws, and assisted in getting the charter of the Peanut Stabilization Cooperative, Inc., and helped in other matters pertaining to a corporate set-up. Other specialists trained and supervised the twenty-seven inspectors who were licensed by the Department, and who certified as to grade the 24,930 tons of peanuts received at the forty-eight warehouses in Colerain, Windsor, Jackson, Whitakers, Tarboro, Plymouth, Aulander, Roanoke Rapids, Rocky Mount, Greenville, Gates, Woodland, Edenton, Ahoskie, Weldon, Scotland Neck, Williams-ton, Robersonville, Seaboard, Everetts and Wilmington. Fruits and Vegetables Assistance was given relative to justifying the need of a marketing agreement for merchandising watermelons. An agree-was adopted and proved beneficial to North Carolina farmers. Commissioner of Agriculture 53 Information showing why various cars of potatoes failed to grade U. S. No. 1 was compiled from 8,000 inspection certificates, and this information was conveyed to farmers at twelve meetings Well-graded potatoes bring the farmer premium prices in the commercial producing areas which were attended by 800 potato producers. Better harvesting and marketing practices were also emphasized at these meetings. Food and Drug Act: Just prior to the 1937 Irish potato mar-keting season, we were advised that the misbranding feature of the Food and Drug Act would be rigidly enforced. Heretofore, it had been a common practice in certain producing areas to fill the bags with potatoes which were branded "100 lbs. net when packed," and in many instances there were less than 100 pounds of potatoes in the bag. We held meetings at a number of the larger shipping points in the potato-producing sections and ad-vised the growers and shippers of the action which would be taken by the Federal Department. It was also pointed out that growers are not required to stamp the grade on any given pack-age of fruit or vegetables, but if they did so, it would be necessary for the contents of the package to conform to the grade as stamped, or there would be a violation of the law. Attention was called to the fact that a number of seizures had been made in connection with the misbranding of fruits and vegetables. Processing : The canning industry in many States is an im-portant one. We have made an effort during the last five years to 54 Biennial Report get an industry of this character started in North Carolina, and are pleased to advise that some results have been achieved. The Guilford Cooperative Cannery, Greensboro, N. C, has a potential seasonal output of approximately 25,000 cases of canned goods which are composed of beans, tomatoes, soup mixture, squash, huckleberries and tomato juice. In connection with this coopera-tive cannery one member of the Division devoted considerable time helping secure a loan from the Bank for Cooperatives, Columbia, S. C. The Eastern North Carolina Farmers Coopera-tive, Goldsboro, N. C, was sponsored by the Resettlement Ad-ministration, and secured their working capital from them. The Federated Cooperative Exchange, New Bern, N. C, was also sponsored and financed by the Resettlement Administration. The T.V.A. recently undertook a cannery development program in Western North Carolina with the idea of providing a market for surplus fruits and vegetables produced in that area. A number of canneries have been established and are reported to be operating successfully. Watermelon Rate Case: In March, 1937, the Division was represented at a hearing before the Interstate Commerce Com-mission in Atlanta, Ga., at which time a reduction was requested in the rates on watermelons from the Southeastern States. Con-siderable data were compiled and presented to the Commission in support of lower rates on this commodity. Mutual and Cooperative Organizations Sixty-two mutual exchanges, cooperative organizations and soil conservation associations were incorporated. Members of the Division not only wrote the articles of incorporation and by-laws for many of the exchanges and associations, but gave them as-sistance in getting their charters and other matters pertaining to a corporate set-up. The law under which the mutual exchanges and cooperative associations are incorporated requires that they make annual financial reports to the Division of Markets. One member of the Division visited and assisted virtually all of the mutual exchanges and cooperative associations in the State in making these re-ports. Considerable correspondence has been exchanged between members of this Division and these organizations to clarify their status under the Revenue Act of 1937. One member of this Division spent considerable time with farmers in the vicinity of Guilford College who own and operate their own telephone system. It was found that they were in difficulties in regard to their property and property rights and charter powers, and it required several meetings to get the Commissioner of Agriculture 55 matter cleared up. It was learned that their charter had been lapsed for a period of ten years and that the only way they could recover possession of their property was to re-incorporate under the same law and with the same provisions. This organization is operated on a mutual plan but is incorporated under the general corporation law. Acknowledgments In concluding this report, I wish to acknowledge your interest in and support of the work of the Division of Markets. It is a pleasure, too, to refer to the loyal and enthusiastic services of the personnel of the Division. Grateful acknowledgment is also made for the hearty cooperation this Division receives from the project leaders and others of the Bureau of Agricultural Eco-nomics with whom we have cooperative agreements. DIVISION OF TEST FARMS F. E. Miller The six Test Farms have made considerable progress during the past biennium, and it is the purpose of this report to present the program of work with brief statements as to the results secured from the many projects underway. Cooperation The experimental work on the Test Farms, consisting of 142 projects, is handled in cooperation with the North Carolina Agri-cultural Experiment Station at the North Carolina State College of the University of North Carolina, and with the United States Department of Agriculture. This cooperative arrangement al-lows for an enlarged program of investigational work. The co-operating agencies also aided in planning, financing, and carrying forward the experiments. All cooperative investigations receiving Federal support are covered by formal memorandums of agree-ment, which are signed by the executive officers of the agencies contributing to the projects. The research work on the Test Farms, in the laboratories and elsewhere, is under the control of the Director of the N. C. Agri-cultural Experiment Station. The Director of Test Farms also serves as Assistant Director of the Experiment Station. General The appropriation to the Test Farms Division for the past fiscal year was the largest in the history of the Station Farms. This allowed for an enlarged experimental program to help meet the increasing demands for new information on farm production problems, the purchase of additional land, to take care of needed repairs and the purchase of new equipment. This improvement program will be given more in detail under the following reports by each Station. In carrying out the provisions of S. B. No. 127, "AN ACT PRO-VIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EXPERIMENT FARM FOR THE STUDY OF PEANUT GROWING," passed by the 1937 General Assembly, 248 acres of land adjoining the Upper Coastal Plain Station were purchased during November, 1937. For carrying the peanut experimental work further, three or more acre areas have been leased in Northampton, Halifax, and Per-quimans Counties. The additional land at the Upper Coastal Plain Station will be used as the base for peanut investigations, dealing with lime, fertilizer, breeding, rotations and disease con- Commissioner of Agriculture 57 trol studies. The outlying leased areas will be used primarily for the study of the control of peanut diseases, supplemented with variety and rotation tests. The peanut experiments were started in the spring of 1938 on the above locations and indications point to the securing of much needed information. One of the most valuable improvements from the standpoint of increasing the usefulness of four of the Station farms is good roads. The State Highway and Public Works Commission has further emphasized their willingness to cooperate with agricul-tural agencies. State Highway No. 401, leading from U. S. 117, to the Coastal Plain Station, a distance of one mile, was paved the summer of 1937. The following roads leading to the Experiment Stations are being paved at this writing, or are approved by the Highway Commission for pavement within the next few months. The Cokey road, beginning at State Highway No. 43, and running by the Upper Coastal Plain Station in Edgecombe County, a distance of four miles. The Pike road, beginning at State Highway No. 9 7, and running to the Blackland Station in Washington County, a distance of nine miles. The County road, beginning at State Highway No. 90, at the Pied-mont Station property line in Iredell County and running North through the Station property, a distance of approximately one-half mile. With the completion of the pavement of these roads, all of the six Test Farms will be connected by hard-surfaced highways. The Stations have continued to hold the Annual Farmers Field Days. These meetings are attended each year by approximately 22,000 people. Several other meetings are held on the Stations during the year, such as: "Livestock Day" at the Blackland Station; "Small Grain Day" at the Piedmont Station; "Swine Day" at the Coastal Plain Station; and "Tobacco Conference" at the Tobacco Station. In addition, the County Agents and Teach-ers of Vocational Agriculture bring groups of farmers to the Stations to study the various experiments. In all, the number of visitors to the Stations is increasing each year, a fact which further emphasizes the popularity of the Station farms. Research The following will give the progress report by Stations. In reporting on the experiments, the name of the specialist leaders will be given and it is understood that the Assistant Director in Charge also contributes to each project, in addition to his duties as the administration officer of the Station farm. 58 Biennial Report TOBACCO STATION—OXFORD, N. C. E. G. Moss, Assistant Director in Charge and Senior Agronomist, U. S. D. A. Station Established in 1912. Area of Station, 250 Acres. Soil Type, Durham, and Sandy Loam. Elevation, 500 feet above sea level. Climatological Data for 1937 Mean Annual Temperature, 58.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual Rainfall, 49.91 inches. Total Snowfall, 7 inches. New Federal Laboratory The 1938 Congress of the United States appropriated $80,000. for an office and laboratory building, greenhouses, and garage at the Tobacco Station and plans are now underway for starting this building project. These buildings will be used by workers in the Bureau of Plant Industry and Entomology and Plant Quarantine, as well as by the tobacco specialists in the State work. Congressman Wm. B. Umstead of Durham, N. C, was largely responsible for securing this appropriation. General The primary object of the work of the Tobacco Station is to improve the tobacco crop by better cultural methods, better methods of applying fertilizers, crop rotations, varieties, disease control and better curing methods. In addition to the work which is being carried on at the Tobacco Station, intensive studies of tobacco diseases are made with particular reference to Granville wilt, root-knot, black shank and black root rot. In order to carry on these four projects, three men are employed for this work, namely; Messrs. James F. Bullock, T. E. Smith, and K. J. Shaw. For this work there has been leased a plot of land consisting of 4 acres in Forsyth County for the study of black shank, approximately % acre in Guilford County for the study of black root rot, two plats of land in the southern part of Granville County near Creedmoor, one of 4 acres and another of 8 acres, for the study of Granville wilt, and a plat of land of about 20 acres in Wake County near McCullers Station on the Highway between Raleigh and Fuquay Springs for the study of root-knot. Progress has been made in the general equipment and buildings of the Station during the past two years. A small experimental barn for the purpose of curing tobacco with electric current was constructed during July of 1937. Commissioner of Agriculture 59 Research All tobacco research is handled in cooperation with U. S. De-partment of Agriculture and the N. C. Agricultural Experiment Station. The general leaders in all tobacco experimental work in the State are Dr. W. W. Garner and E. G. Moss. Dr. R. F. Poole is a joint leader in the tobacco disease projects. Sources of Nitrogen for Tobacco: A number of sources of nitrogen have been used in crop tests and efforts have been made to measure the relative differences. Soybean meal has been one of the few organic sources which have shown up reasonably well. If and when this product can be bought cheaply enough to be used as a fertilizer, the indications are it will be very satisfactory. While there may not be such marked differences between sources of nitrogen, at the same time it certainly seems worth while to use more than one source of nitrogen for compiling or mixing a tobacco fertilizer. Sources and amounts of Potash: Several sources of potash have been used during the past few years in experimental work and recently the rate has been more widely varied than hereto-fore. A series of plats containing from 30 to 300 pounds of K2 per acre has been used. The results very definitely indicate that considerably more potash could be used than has been done in the past. Both yield and quality have been progressively im-proved up to around 250 pounds of K2 per acre with the indi-cation that the curve of improvement would straighten out above that point. Apparently there is not so much difference between the sources of potash provided, however, that too much chlorine is not available. On some soils above 20 pounds of chlorine per acre appeared to injure both quality and yield while on stiffer soils 30 pounds could be used with safety. There are some indi-cations that where high potash is used the sulphur S03 trioxide may be increased. Fertilizer Tests with Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur and Chlorine: Small amounts of magnesia (20 to 30 lbs. per acre) appear to benefit both yield and quality on the majority of soils even on new land which has just been cleared. Little can be said at present as to the proper amount of sulphur that is necessary for the best result. There are indications that very heavy amounts of S03 have a tendency to darken the color of the cured leaf. Just to what extent and where the point of change is not definitely determined. In regard to chlorine, apparently there is no question that large amounts of chlorine influence the burning quality of the cured leaf, and it does injure the growth where 60 Biennial Report excessive amounts are used. On the other hand, small amounts of chlorine, 20 to 30 pounds per acre, seem to give slightly better texture and larger yields. Tobacco Bed being sprayed with copper oxide-oil-lethane mixture. April 26, 1938. Tobacco Station. Fertilizer Tests in Rotation with Oats, Soybeans and Rye: These tests consisting of 72 plats, one-half of which has pre-viously been limed with a total of 3 tons of ground dolomitic limestone per acre, have been continued since 1911 with changes being made from time to time in the base application of fertilizer. On the limed end of these plats, which has encouraged the growth of wild legumes and other vegetation, plats are beginning to show that too much nitrogen is available for quality tobacco. The indi-cations are the base fertilizer, which has been 800 pounds of a 3-8-6 mixture, will have to be changed reducing the nitrogen and increasing both phosphoric acid and potash. The tobacco on plats which had 18% potash during the 1936-1937 season produced very much better tobacco than where only 6% was used. Studies of Downy Mildew (Blue Mold of Tobacco): Downy mildew was more severe during the spring of 1937 than any year since 1922. On account of the severity of this disease, we had a better opportunity to make extensive studies on control meas-ures than any time heretofore. A number of sprays and dusts had previously been used and during the past season a splendid Commissioner of Agriculture 61 opportunity was offered for testing on a more elaborate scale the most promising ones of those that had been tried. The copper-oxide oil lethane spray was tried in a rather extensive way fol-lowing up the work which had been done in Georgia and South Carolina. Around 20 plant beds were sprayed with this mixture in cooperation with the growers this year. The results were very satisfactory. In either case there was very little killing of the young plants as compared with a very heavy kill on the un-sprayed checks. This material in addition to affording consider-able protection to the plants appeared to stimulate the beds and the plants lived and grew off better than the unsprayed. The results obtained in North Carolina were similar to the ones ob-tained in the Georgia-South Carolina Belt. As a result of these tests it is believed that growers, if they follow carefully the in-structions, can secure enough protection to justify the use of this material on their beds. Considerable progress has also been made in the use of the gas treatment in which benzol is used. It is necessary, however, in General lay-out of tobacco seed beds showing pan, paradichlorobenzene, and wick methods of fumigation treatments in the control of blue mold. April 26, 1938. Tobacco Station. the use of the gas treatment to use a fairly heavy cloth to cover the beds at night and in cloudy weather. The gas treatment appears to be more effective than the spray treatment, but it is more expensive and more cumbersome. Either of these treatments can be used by the growers and in the long run would be cheaper than late plantings and hauling 62 Biennial Report plants all over the country. Detailed methods are available for the growers. Tobacco after Soybeans: The object of this experiment is to see if a proper balance of fertilizer can be used after soybeans turned under to grow quality tobacco. Varying amounts of phosphoric acid and potash with and without sulphur have been used. No commercial nitrogen has been used on a part of these plats. The results up to the present indicate that such a practice could not be recommended only in exceptional cases. The indi-cations also are that it would require three to four times as much potash as is usually recommended in general farm practices. Sulphur and Chlorine Studies: This test was designed to study in more detail the effect of heavy applications of sulphur trioxide in the form of sulphates on the tobacco. Nothing very outstanding has been secured from these tests so far. Plant Bed Fertilizer Studies: Comparatively little work has been done on the fertilization of tobacco seed beds. For the past three years different fertilizers have been used in a comparative study on seed beds. The results obtained by the use of all nitrate of soda as a source of nitrogen applied at the time of planting the seed bed have been very satisfactory. The indications are that the nitrogen has leached out before the plant has been able to take it up. There may be some other factor which is at present unknown. Soybean meal has been one of the sources of nitrogen which has given good results. Chlorine in the mixture is not advisable. Tobacco Curing Experiments: For the past 3 or 4 years limited studies have been made on the methods of curing tobacco. Temperature and humidity records have been kept. Studies on air control and different fuels have been carried on. At the Sta-tion an electrically equipped barn was used for the first time, and so far as information is available it is the first barn of flue-cured tobacco to be cured out by the use of electric current to supply the heat. The indications are that tobacco can be successfully cured in this manner, and the temperature can be controlled very efficiently. The major drawback will be the cost of the current. Fuel oil burners were used in another barn, and in another barn a stoker has been used for the three past seasons. These have been compared with the ordinary wood furnaces. The most efficient in fuel consumption has been the stoker. The six curings during the past season were finished at an average of less than 1100 pounds of coal for each curing. Regular stoker coal was used at a cost of $7.50 per ton delivered at the Station. This cost can be slightly reduced by buying coal in carload lots. Commissioner of Agriculture 63 The oil burners were very satisfactory, but the cost so far has been slightly greater than wood, averaging between $8.00 and $9.00 per barn. No definite statement so far can be made with reference to the cost of electric current since there has been no established rate for this purpose. The stoker barn and the electrically equipped barn were thermostatically controlled, which, of course, reduces to a minimum the cost of labor in the curing process. One definite conclusion which has been reached so far is that ventilation is one of the important factors in the curing process. The average wood barn will consume from VA to 2 cords of wood for each curing. Tobacco Insects: The Bureau of Entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture established an office and labora-tory in Oxford to study the control methods of tobacco insects July 1, 1935. This office works in cooperation with the Tobacco Station. The Station grew 3i/> acres of tobacco in 1936 and 5 acres during 1937 for experimental purposes for this office. One of the major problems has been to develop methods of control for the flea beetles in seed beds and in the field. 1% rotenone dust has been found to be very effective in the control of the insect. Comparative tests have been made this year on the effectiveness of the dust and the spray. Further investigations will be carried on before definite recommendations will be made. Mr. W. A. Shands, who is in charge of this office, and his Assistants are doing a splendid piece of work and as time goes on this office will be in position to make such recommendations as are found to be worth while. Varietal Studies of Flue-Cured Tobacco for Improvement of Quality and to Develop Disease Resistance James F. Bullock (U. S. D. A.) Black Root-Rot (Thielavia) : Experiments were started in 1929 to find or develop flue-cured varieties of tobacco resistant to black root-rot. These tests are being conducted on the farm of S. E. Boswell, near Summerfield, North Carolina. Special 400 is by far the most resistant variety found. Each year selections are made to maintain resistance. A limited quantity of seed are grown each year for distribution. Black Shank (Phytophthora nicotianae) : Breeding experi-ments started in 1931 were designed to develop a variety of flue-cured tobacco resistant to black shank. None of the existing flue-cured varieties were resistant enough to be commercially important. No. 301, a hybrid cigar wrapper developed by the North Florida Experiment Station and highly resistant to black 64 Biennial Report shank, was used in making crosses on five flue-cured varieties. The back cross method of breeding is being used. From experi-mental evidence and evidence gather from a number of farmers four or five year rotations are very effective in reducing the loss from black shank. Soil treatment studies are being conducted by Dr. R. F. Poole of North Carolina State College. Tobacco Varieties: Tobacco variety tests are conducted to find and develop the best varieties of flue-cured tobacco for the different sections of North Carolina. Breeding methods employed are selection and hybridization. Cash, White Stem Orinoco, Bonanza, Jamaica and Gold Dollar (a selection of Jamaica) are best adapted to the Middle and Old Belts. In the New Belt, Gold Dollar, Virginia Bright Leaf, Bonanza and White Stem Orinoco are most popular. Granville Wilt T. E. Smith (U. S. D. A.) Extensive experiments designed to develop control measures for Granville wilt (Bacterium solanacearum E.F.S.) were started in 1935. Four major lines of work are being followed. 1. Breeding for resistance: Strains of tobacco having mod-erate resistance have been found, but the search is being con-tinued for a higher degree of resistance. The backcross method is being used to introduce the resistance at hand into a standard flue-cured variety. 2. Host Range Studies: Certain crop and ornamental plants together with the more common field weeds have been tested for susceptibility to natural infection by growing them on highly infested soil in the field. In all, 77 species have been tested. They varied in susceptibility from to 100%. Four species of weeds—Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) , Jimson weed (Datura stramonium), Croton (Croton glandulosus) and Span-ish needles (Biclens biptinnata)—were as susceptible as tobacco (100% ) . Eight species of wilt affected weeds were found in and around cultivated fields of the wilt infested area during the years they were being rotated to immune crops for wilt control. These were Horse nettle (Solanum carolinense) , Ragweed (Ambrosia elatior), Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis), Cocklebur (Xan-thium Sp.) , Croton (Croton glandulosus) , Jimson weed (Datura stramonium), Ground cherry (Physalis pruinosa) and Aster sp. 3. Crop rotation: A
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Title | Report of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture for the biennium... |
Contributor | North Carolina. Department of Agriculture. |
Date | 1936; 1937; 1938 |
Subjects |
Agriculture--North Carolina--Periodicals Agricultural statistics Cotton--North Carolina Crops Genealogy Livestock--North Carolina Tobacco--North Carolina |
Place | North Carolina, United States |
Time Period | (1929-1945) Depression and World War Two |
Description | Imprint varies.; Issue for 1944/48 covers 1944/46 and 1946/48. |
Publisher | Raleigh, N.C. :Edwards & Broughton Co.,1934-1948. |
Agency-Current |
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services |
Rights | State Document see http://digital.ncdcr.gov/u?/p249901coll22,63754 |
Physical Characteristics | 7 v. ;23 cm. |
Collection | Health Sciences Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Type | text |
Language | English |
Format | Reports |
Digital Characteristics-A | 13253 KB; 158 p. |
Digital Collection |
Ensuring Democracy through Digital Access, a North Carolina LSTA-funded grant project North Carolina Digital State Documents Collection |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Title Replaced By | North Carolina. Department of Agriculture..Biennial report |
Title Replaces | North Carolina. Department of Agriculture..Biennial report of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture |
Audience | All |
Pres File Name-M | pubs_edp_biennialreportagriculture19361938.pdf |
Pres Local File Path-M | \Preservation_content\StatePubs\pubs_edp\images_master\ |
Full Text | ®Ij? library of % Intoriattg nf Nartff Carolina (EoUertton of Notify (Haroltmatta C(o3c>.Cd Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Ensuring Democracy through Digital Access (NC-LSTA) http://www.archive.org/details/reportofagricu19361938 REPORT of The North Carolina Department of Agriculture For the Biennium 1936-1938 OWEN G. DUNN STATE PRINTEE NEW BERN. N. C. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL To His Excellency, Clyde R. Hoey, Governor of North Carolina: Sir: In compliance with Chapter 248, Public Laws of 1929, I submit the following report of the work of the Department of Agricul-ture for the biennium 1936-1938. Respectfully, ^rtuA^^ Commissioner of Agriculture. Raleigh, N. C, November 1, 1938. REPORT OF The North Carolina Department of Agriculture For the Biennium 1936-1938 PERSONNEL OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE W. Kerr Scott, Commissioner, Chairman, Raleigh Mrs. L. L. Stevens . .Shawboro C. S. Young Shelby D. R. Noland.. Clyde T. G. Currin Oxford J. H. Poole .....West End M. L. Aderholdt .....Lexington Chas. F. Cates Mebane W. G. Hargett Richlands Lionel Weil Goldsboro W. I. Bissette Grifton Administration W. Kerr Scott Commissioner D. S. Coltrane Assistant to the Commissioner Myrtha Fleming Stenographer Secretary Mary Knight Purchasing Agent A. R. Powledge Senior Auditor Donnie M. Norman. Senior Accounting Clerk C. P. Deyton .Senior Accounting Clerk Louis H. Wilson Editor of Publications Jerrie Wheless .Senior Stenographer Clerk Chas. Higgs Janitor Glerk Worth Jeffreys. Janitor Messenger Robert Harris ...Janitor Inspection Martin McCall Inspector Chas. H. Godwin, Jr Inspector E. J. Harrington Fertilizer Inspector C. Grant.. Fertilizer Inspector Harvey McPhail... Fertilizer Inspector J. D. Johnson Fertilizer Inspector John F. Reinhardt Fertilizer Inspector J. W. Turner ; Fertilizer Inspector J. E. Greene, Jr .Fertilizer Inspector Marion Clark .Fertilizer Inspector Markets R. B. Etheridge.... Chief C. W. Sheffield Senior Marketing Specialist H. T. Westcott ....Associate Specialist Mabel Haynes ...Senior Stenographer Clerk W. P. Hedrick Senior Marketing Specialist A. B. Harless.. Senior Marketing Specialist Paul L. Fletcher ..Senior Marketing Specialist Mrs. Frances Harrison. _ Telegraph Operator Mrs. Sabra Bailey Senior Stenographer Clerk 6 Biennial Report Credit Union C. C. Booker Superintendent Credit Union D. R. Graham ..Junior Auditor Mary McMillan.. _ Stenographer Entomology C. H. Brannon Senior Entomologist J. A. Harris. Associate Entomologist C. S. Brimley. Junior Entomologist D. L. Wray Junior Entomologist P. G. Craddock Apiary Inspector Cary Hansell Bean Beetle Inspector Pauline P. Newsom Senior Stenographer Clerk Seed Laboratory J. W. Woodside.... Senior Botanist S. D. Allen ....Senior Seed Analyst Elizabeth Eby .Senior Seed Analyst Mildred Henry Senior Seed Analyst Elsie W. Earp Junior Seed Analyst Magdalene Brummitt Junior Stenographer Clerk Joshua James .Feed Inspector C. H. Lutterloh .Feed Inspector T. A. Holcombe ..Feed Inspector Velva Hudson Junior General Clerk Analytical B. W. Kilgore ..._. ....Senior Chemist L. B. Rhodes Associate Chemist W. A. Queen Associate Chemist E. W. Constable Associate Chemist Pearl Koontz Senior Stenographer Clerk Sarah G. Allen Principal General Clerk W. C. Hammond, Jr Food Inpsector W. E. McNeill Food Inspector Gordon Powell ....Laboratory Helper L. M. Nixon... Associate Chemist Z. B. Bradford Associate Chemist E. T. Hord... Associate Chemist H. F. Pickering.. Junior Chemist J. S. Pittard Junior Chemist W. P. Matthews..... Junior Chemist M. S. Birdsong Secretary Heber B. Hatch Senior Stenographer Clerk Mose Lord Laboratory Helper Elvin Rogers.. Laboratory Helper H. D. Matheson Junior Chemist Frank H. Brown Junior Chemist Lewis Terry... ...^ Junior Chemist J. O. Dunston Junior Chemist L. W. Purdy Junior Chemist Carl W. Kelly Junior Chemist L. V. Amburgy Microscopist Robert L. Harris = Laboratory Helper David Edward Buffaloe Assistant Chemist Crop Statistics W. H. Rhodes..... Senior Statistician S. M. Hines. Junior Statistician T. L. Stuart Junior Statistical Clerk W. T. Garriss ..Junior Statistical Clerk Sarah Drake .'. Senior Statistical Clerk Commissioner of Agriculture 7 E. R. Simpson Senior Statistical Clerk Bessie Kellogg '. Junior Statistical Clerk Eva May Lassiter Junior Statistical Clerk Margaret Taylor Junior Statistical Clerk Herbert Barnes.... Senior Mail Clerk Museum H. T. Davis Senior Curator H. H. Brimley - — - Senior Curator Roxie Collie .Preparator and Taxidermist Sophia Green Junior Stenographer Clerk Veterinary William Moore. _ Veterinarian L. J. Faulhaber Associate Veterinarian H. S. Wilfong Junior Bacteriologist Grace John.... Junior Stenographer Clerk Edna Lee Laboratory Aid John J. Filicky. Junior Bacteriologist Frank Howard —. ..Laboratory Helper W. R. Baynes Associate Veterinarian C. E. Cox Associate Veterinarian L. J. Fourie Laboratory Aid Test Farms F. E. Miller ..Director Kathleen Harrison .Senior Stenographer Clerk J. L. Rea, Jr Assistant Director in Charge, Blackland Station, Wenona F. B. Harris .Herdsman A. P. Lefever .....Foreman Lula Holton Stenographer, Clerk Chas. T. Dearing Assistant Director in Charge, Coastal Plain Station, Willard C. O. Bollinger. Poultryman D. P. Southerland Foreman Bennie L. Williams.... Stenographer, Clerk Fred Stevens Assistant in Dairying G. A. Meckstroth Associate Pathologist, U. S. D. A. S. C. Clapp Assistant Director in Charge, Mountain Station, Swannanoa Hazel Drake ..Stenographer, Clerk R. L. Yory ..Assistant in Dairying W. W. Ross Assistant in Horticulture W. M. Whisenhunt .Foreman H. B. Coulter. Dairyman H. D. Smith.. Poultrxjman J. W. Hendricks .....Assistant Director in Charge, Piedmont Station, Statesville Rose Bradford Stenographer, Clerk Grady Berry .Foreman R. E. Stitt Assistant Agronomist, U. S. D. A. E. G. Moss.. Assistant Director in Charge, Tobacco Station, Oxford Elizabeth Floyd .Stenographer, Clerk James F. Bullock Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. K. J. Shaw.. Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. T. E. Smith ..Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. A. B. Deans Foreman, U. S. D. A. Joe L. Rand .Foreman, McCullers Tobacco Station, U. S. D. A. R. E. Currin, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Upper Coastal Plain Station, Rocky Mount. W. C. Allsbrook Foreman Mary W. Currin Stenographer, Clerk J. P. Young Assistant Tobacco Investigations, U. S. D. A. 8 Biennial Report Dairy C. W. Pegram Dairy Specialist W. E. Fuller . Junior Dairy Specialist State Warehouse System A. B. Fairley - Superintendent C. R. Reynolds. _ Chief Cotton Classer J. B. Haywood... .-..Cotton Classer Robert S. Pou Warehouse Examiner Mrs. J. N. Mason Senior Stenographer Clerk Mrs. Hallie K. Morrow Senior Stenographer Clerk Elizabeth Fleming .Junior General Clerk E. L. Upchurch .....Senior General Clerk Fred Johnson.. Gin Expert Weights and Measures C. D. Baucom - Superintendent H. W. Hood _ Inspector George S. Turner Inspector John Archibald Cook Inspector N. C. State Fair J. S. Dorton... _ ..Manager Edna Dees Senior Stenographer Clerk G. C. Ellis Caretaker BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE By W. Kerr Scott, Commissioner of Agriculture. North Carolina's Department of Agriculture has been revi-talized during the biennium. Work of divisions has been consolidated to eliminate over-lapping activities and to effect economy. Equipment has been added to increase efficiency. Changes in personnel and the ad-dition of needed specialists have made it possible to give greater inspectional, regulatory and service work. Changes in the laws affecting the welfare of the farmer have been made with the deliberation and cooperation of all agencies involved. Facts point to the progress made by the Department already, but demands for services are increasing and the Commissioner of Agriculture and his personnel are aware that there are other agricultural challenges to be met in the broad program to help the farmer increase his income. The Commissioner of Agriculture is not unmindful that he is the trustee of funds provided by the farmer for the operation of the Department of Agriculture. Each change of policy and law, each revision of activity, each addition to the personnel and equipment has been made as an investment to yield dividends of service and provide "the greatest good to the greatest number." Strict enforcement of the regulatory and inspectional laws has brought definite savings and protection to the farmer who buys fertilizers, feeds and seeds and equal protection has been given the honest manufacturer. A report of the Department is a report of its divisions. Letting "the record speak for itself," a condensation of division activities follows Markets: A federal-state market news service has been added, providing growers with last-minute information on agri-cultural price trends and conditions to enable them to more in-telligently market their commodities. A tobacco marketing specialist, first employed in the Department's History, is now promoting proper grading, sorting and tying practices as a means of increasing the farmer's income. A livestock marketing special- 10 Biennial Report ist has been employed in an effort to assist livestock men in climbing above 38th place in farm cash income from livestock. Egg grading and certification work was inaugurated last year. Chemistry: Compared with the past biennium, there has been a 37.3 per cent increase in fertilizers analyzed, 151 per cent in feeds analyzed, 24.6 per cent in foods or an average of 35.3 per cent increase in work on fertilizers, feeds, foods and all other materials of a general agricultural nature. Two laboratories have been added to give growers information as to whether their fertilizer is acid forming or non-acid forming and the degree to which it is guaranteed and also to determine the magnesium con-tent of fertilizer. The Pure Food Division and Fertilizer Analyt-ical Division were combined in the interest of efficiency and economy. Sanitary conditions, under which ice cream is made, have been improved. Test Farms: Appropriations and federal grants for the six Test Farms have been the largest in the history of the farms, permitting an enlarged experimental program in answer to the increasing demand for new information on farm production problems. A total of 143 experimental projects dealing with horticultural and field crops, livestock and poultry are under way. A total of 407 acres of new land has been bought for experimental work and nine additional acres leased for peanut disease control studies. All roads to the farms have been paved or are scheduled to be paved. An $80,000 federal appropriation for laboratory buildings and an office at the Tobacco Test Farm (Oxford), $39,000 from the WPA to build modern dairy barns and secure equipment for the Coastal Plain Test Farm (Willard) and an annual appropriation of $7,500 from the Bureau of Dairy Industry for dairy research at Willard have been secured. Veterinary: Addition of five veterinarians to the Depart-ment's staff has made it possible to launch a swine disease con-trol program with definite progress already reported. Hog cholera control and eradication is an immediate goal of the di-vision. Protection of the poultry industry has been increased with the addition of five inspectors who have doubled the number of birds tested for the dreaded Pullorum disease. Tests for Bang's disease, a costly disease of cattle, have been completed in six counties ; tests are underway in 16 counties and 15 counties are on the waiting list. The number of cattle tested has been tripled. A 25 per cent increase in investigations of contagious livestock disease outbreaks has been achieved. Dairy: A system of "test supervision" has been set up to protect dairymen from inaccurate or careless testing, weighing and sampling of milk and cream sold Dy them. Definite check- Commissioner of Agriculture 11 test investigations are made rather than test observations as were made in the past. A total of 21,000 tests have been made compared with 7,903 during 1934-36. Warehouse: A gin inspector has been added to the staff to give ginners mechanical aid and service work with resultant bene-fits to the growers. A heavy-duty scales testing unit has been purchased and is now being used in a state-wide gin scales testing program. Federal funds have been obtained for the erection of a modern classing and grading building costing $42,000, enabling the Department to render more prompt and efficient grading and stapling service. Credit Unions: With $4,500 obtained from the general fund to match an equal amount from the Department for organization and auditing of rural and urban Credit Unions, results are indi-cated during the past fiscal year by the fact that members have increased 44.6 per cent; assets, 25.6 per cent; number of loans 45.2 per cent; reserve, 31 per cent and surplus, 27 per cent. Entomology: A state apiary inspector has been employed for the first time and is now waging a productive campaign to protect the state's $1,500,000 honey industry from destruction by the costly foulbrood disease. An appropriation of $5,000 has been made to partially match federal funds for the protection of the white pine trees against white pine blister rust. Publication of a book by Dr. C. S. Brimley on "Insects of North Carolina" is a distinct contribution in the field of natural science in the nation. Statistics: More than 180 original reports on practically all phases of agriculture have been compiled by the state-federal crop reporting service. With a slight increase in personnel, in-creased efficiency has given the division national recognition with relation to presentation of county farm facts, reports, reliability of information developed and scope of service. Accounts: Handling of all accounts, purchases and invento-ries, heretofore scattered throughout the divisions, has been centralized in the Division of Accounts, created in the interest of efficiency and economy. A modernized accounting system, im-proved methods of handling the sale of fertilizer, feed, and seed and other tax tags have made it possible to render quicker service at a minimum overhead. Weights and Measures: Purchase of new equipment and ad-dition to the inspection staff have been made possible with an increase of funds appropriated by the General Assembly. It is now possible for the Department to test weights and scales from one-tenth of a grain to ten tons. From January, 1937 to July 12 Biennial Report 1938, a total of 124,440 inspections have been made and 8,098 places of business have been visited. Seed Laboratory: Once known as the "dumping ground" for poor quality seed, North Carolina has joined the more progressive states with the perfection of a seed testing laboratory second to none in the South. Seed tests for germination and purity were increased 65 per cent over the previous biennium. A total of 20,714 seed tests were made free of charge for farmers. With the addition of one analyst, the capacity for work has been approximately doubled. State Fair: The Great State Fair, operated under private lease for many years, was taken over by the Department in 1937, and operated at a profit for the first time under State manage-ment. Agriculture, industry and education were paramounted in exhibits and the fact that the number of individual exhibitors was doubled attests the people's approval of an exposition pre-sented as a state institution. While reports on the 1938 Fair have not been completed, it is definitely known that this exposi-tion was an educational and financial success. State Museum: Addition of new exhibits, improvement of old exhibits with an increase in appropriations have made it possible to make the museum more attractive and serviceable to the 200,000 or more annual visitors. The first printed pamphlet on the activities of the museum was published in 1938. Publications: A weekly news service of six or seven stories, covering virtually all phases of the Department's work, has been furnished for the first time and generally used by the newspapers and agricultural publications. THE AGRICULTURAL REVIEW, semi-monthly news organ of the Department, has been materially improved and furnishes 18,000 farm families up-to-date, accurate information on the Department's services, program and general agricultural material. An appreciation of the enlarged activities of the divisions has been indicated by newspapermen who have requested and received an increasingly large number of special stories. Upon recommendation of the Commissioner, the Board of Agri-culture was increased from five to ten members so that its mem-bers would more nearly represent every section and phase of agriculture in the state. Authority in matters of policy, also upon request of the Commissioner of Agriculture, was transferred from the Commissioner to the Board in the interest of democracy. AGRICULTURAL LAWS: Changes and Enforcement By D. S. COLTRANE, Assistant to the Commissioner. Changes in the Fertilizer, Feed and Seed laws of North Caro-lina have been made during the biennium with the view of giving the farmers, manufacturers and dealers greater protection. Realizing the inter-dependent relationship between the farmer, manufacturer and dealer, representatives of all commercial and non-commercial agricultural agencies affected under laws en-forced by the Department of Agriculture have gathered at the conference table and contributed their thought and co-operation to the end that the present statute changes have yielded inesti-mable service to the state. The Department will continue its policy of inviting farmers, manufacturers, research leaders, farm agencies and others to give their views and co-operation when the need for changes in laws is presented. It is realized that the maximum enforcement of agricultural laws or any other laws cannot be realized without the support of all parties concerned. As an inspection, regulatory and service agency, the Depart-ment realizes that no part of its work is more important than the strict enforcement of the Feed, Fertilizer and Seed laws, especially since our farmers annually purchase approximately $25,000,000 worth of fertilizer, about $10,000,000 worth of feed and around $5,000,000 worth of seed. INFORMAL FERTILIZER CONFERENCE Realizing that the fertilizer law did not include all the desired guarantees and sufficient penalties for failure to meet some of the existing guarantees, an informal conference was held in February, 1937. Representative farmers, manufacturers, farm organizations and research authorities drafted amendments that were acceptable to the General Assembly. Amendments provided: (1) Guarantee as to whether the fertilizer is acid or non-acid forming; (2) For the guarantee of minimum per cent magnesium oxide; (3) Optional guarantee as to the minimum per cent of calcium oxide and (4) Optional guarantee as to the maximum sulphur in tobacco fertilizer. 14 Biennial Report Under amendments, penalties were provided for failure of manufacturers to meet the additional guarantees allowed and for failure to meet other provisions of the law such as the nitrate and water insoluble nitrogen guarantees. FEED CONFERENCE Discovery that many feeds sold in North Carolina contained rice hulls, an ingredient prohibited in feeds under the law and regarded as injurious to livestock, a general conference was called by the Department in July, 1937. An investigation re-vealed that some mills had hundreds of bags of rice hulls. Meeting with Department officials, the North Carolina Feed Manufacturers, in informal conference, passed a resolution pledging co-operation in eliminating rice hulls as a feed ingredient and further pledging to remove all feeds containing rice hulls that were in the hands of dealers. Strict inspection of the feed tags was of material aid in keeping feeds containing rice hulls off the market. SECOND FEED CONFERENCE Since the State Feed Law had been regarded as nothing more or less than a "correct labeling act," the State Board of Agri-culture exercised its authority to make rules and regulations and adopt feed standards for various special purpose feeds and generally provide for regulations commensurate with progressive agricultural legislation. Feed manufacturers, farm organization representatives from the Farm Bureau, Grange, Farmers Federation and others, the State Dairymen's Association, the State Poultry Association with feed experts from the Department and State College participated in the second informal conference in October, 1937. A com-mittee was appointed by the group to draft feed rules, regu-lations and standards for approval of the Board of Agriculture and the board approved the changes January 5, 1938 to become effective April 1, 1938. SPECIAL PURPOSE FEEDS Prior to April 1, 1938 the only standard for feed stipulated that the minimum protein should be nine per cent. Changes in regulations now place the minimum protein for dairy feeds at 15 per cent, minimum fat at three per cent and maximum fiber at 15 per cent; in hog feeds, minimum protein at 14 per cent, minimum fat at three per cent and maximum fiber at eight per cent; in most poultry feeds, minimum protein at 15 per cent, Commissioner of Agriculture 15 minimum fat at four per cent and maximum fiber at seven per cent. Registration of all feeds that did not meet the new standards was cancelled April 1, 1938. LOW GRADE MATERIALS A new standard for maximum fiber content for feeds was set to exclude excess fillers and assure a high percentage of nitrogen free extract. New regulations prohibit the use of peanut shells, ' peanut hulls, oat hulls, clipped oat by-products, rice hulls, rice chaff, rice straw, barley hulls, coffee hulls, chaff, sawdust, sand, dirt, ground soy-bean stems, ground corn cobs, corn stalks, cocoa-nut shells, wheat straw, or any other substance injurious to the health of animals or having little or no feeding value. An experienced microscopist was employed to determine (1) whether the feed contained the guaranteed ingredients and the quality of each; (2) whether the feed contained other ingredients and whether or not they were adulterants ; (3) whether any of the ingredients were present in quantities too small to affect the nature of the feed. SEED LAW AMENDED Governor Clyde R. Hoey and Commissioner of Agriculture W. Kerr Scott promised the farmers they would take steps to stop the sale of poor quality seeds in the state, should they be elected to office. A study of the Seed Law revealed it did not provide ade-quate protection to the farmer; amendments were drafted, presented to the General Assembly and unanimously approved. Before the amendments were presented to the Legislature, they were approved by the N. C. Crop Improvement Association and the N. C. Seed Dealers Association. RETAIL SEED DEALERS LICENSE REDUCED The wholesale and retail seed dealer's license had been $25 since 1918, but records revealed that only a small per cent of all * dealers actually paid a license fee. Believing that if one dealer paid the license in conformity with the law, all should pay, the Department began strict enforcement of the seed statute. Believing the retail license of $25 was too high, one amendment lowered the tax to $10. Revenue obtained from the sale of licenses made it possible to make the Seed Laboratory self-sup-porting, made it possible to give adequate inspection service and permitted the purchase of equipment to give the state one of the best seed laboratories in the nation. 16 Biennial Report FERTILIZER Adequate fertilizer inspection service has been provided North Carolina farmers who have continued to lead the Nation for 19 consecutive years in fertilizer purchases. One sample of fertilizer was taken for approximately each 200 tons sold. An effort was made to secure a reasonable number of samples from each company. Twelve part-time inspectors were used during the biennium, regularly taking samples and making inspections in all sections of the state. A total of 10,447 samples of fertilizer were collected and reported during the biennium, representing an aggregate of 108,144 bags officially sampled for analysis. Improvement in the quality of fertilizer sold in the state is indicated by the fact that the manufacturers were penalized on only 2.4 per cent of the samples drawn. Penalties levied on 317 lots of fertilizer amounted to $7,995.29. Of the 4,854 samples reported in 1937, a total of 4,050 were equal to or above the guaranteed value ; 688 samples were below guarantee, but within the tolerance allowed under the law. These facts substantiate the value of careful enforcement of regulatory measures and indicate protection given the farmer as well as the honest manufacturer. The Department invited farmers to request inspectors to take special samples wherever desirable. A total of 395 special farm samples were secured. FEED INSPECTION SERVICE INCREASED Feed and Seed inspectors were increased from two to four after the first eight months in the biennium and one chemist added to the feed laboratory under the Department's program to render a greater inspectional and regulatory service. As feed samples were secured, they were analyzed immediately, whereas in the past several weeks elapsed before reports were given. By speeding up the analytical work, the sale of poor quality feed was stopped before it was all sold. From all sections of the state, inspectors collected 2,196 official feed samples, 483 miscellaneous feed samples and 164 cotton seed meal samples. A reasonable number of samples was sought from each feed company and extra precaution taken to secure samples of brands previously found below guarantee. Penalties amounting to $1,326.50 have been assessed and paid to cover feed seizures. Six hundred lots of feed were seized and held for satisfactory adjustment and in most cases the feed was released after penalties were paid and the product re-tagged to Commissioner of Agriculture 17 show the correct analysis in conformity with the laboratory report. A strict enforcement of the feed law has made it possible for a feeder of livestock and poultry to buy a brand of feed with reasonable assurance that it will contain guaranteed ingredients. The farmer can buy with greater economy if he will study the chemical analysis and ingredients of feed as guaranteed on the tag, selecting the feed best suited for his livestock and poultry. A program designed to reduce the number of grades of ferti-lizer and increase the plant food content has been initiated by the Department of Agriculture. The movement has been recog-nized by fertilizer experts of state and national reputation as being agronomically and economically sound. Under present plans, a reduction of the 202 grades of ferti-lizer is being sought to relieve the farmer of much confusion when he goes to buy his requirements. Realizing that the average fertilizer purchased in the state contains an average of only 15.2 units of plant food, while the United States' average is 20 units, steps are being taken to promote greater use of high analysis fertilizer. Definite progress has been made. Comparative Statement showing activities of inspectors in the inspec-tion OF FERTILIZER, FEED, SEED, LIME, LAND PLASTER AND INSECTICIDES DURING years ending june 30, 1937 and june 30, 1938. Fertilizer Year Ending Year Ending June 30, 1937 June 30, 193S Number of Tons sampled 28 , 732 29 , 918 Number of Tons drawn 5,629 4,818 Number of Tons seized... 126 528 Number of Seizures for violation of law 20 82 Number of penalties assessed manufacturers 116 146 Aggregate Amount of Penalties Assessed ...$3 ,760 .91 $4 ,234 .38 Number of bags sampled 50 , 883 52 , 236 Feed Number of Tons sampled 2,286 3,216 Number of samples drawn 741 1,443 Number of seizures for violation of law 133 467 Number of tons seized 304 616 Aggregate amount of penalties assessed ....$ 465.00 $ 861.00 Cottonseed Meal Number of samples of cottonseed meal analyzed 98 132 Number of seizures for violation of law 10 29 Seed Number of samples taken 147 616 Number of seizures No provision 25 Number of samples of lime and land plaster 79 Number of seizures Lime and land plaster (failure to guarantee analysis) 24 Number of Insecticides samples for the biennium 86 PUBLICATIONS DIVISION Louis H. Wilson A general increase in the regulatory, inspectional and service work of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture has furnished the Publications Division with news that has been readily accepted and printed by the Newspapers and agricultural publications of the State. Information concerning the Department's program and pro-gress has been furnished virtually every news-gathering agency in the state. A conscientious effort has been made to place quality of news stories above quantity. Constant requests for special stories by newspapers and other publications attest the interest in the Department's activities and indicate a growth in the demand of the Publications Division services. Netvspapers: A weekly news service of six or seven stories is being furnished all newspapers of the state for the first time. Press Associations: Current information on all phases of the Department activities is furnished promptly to the Associated Press and the United Press which serve the daily newspapers of the State. The press associations together with the Bureau of the North Carolina Association of Afternoon Dailies, have been furnished advance and current information on agricultural events, addresses and feature articles. One of the most acceptable services of this division has been the weekly farm page article prepared exclusively for the Associated Press for release in Monday morning newspapers. All news services have been given special stories upon request. Agricultural Revieiv: Voluntary requests made by farmers and other citizens for the Revieiv have resulted in the addition of approximately 5,000 names to the mailing list within the past 12 months, bringing the total circulation to 18,000. The Revieiv is a four-page publication, issued twice a month and sent free to farmers or any other citizen upon request. It is the official organ of the Department and contains news stories of particular interest to the farming population. One section of the publication contains a detailed list of "Low Analysis and In-correctly Labeled Feeds found in the State," a new service furnished farmers with the view of giving them more infor-mation to be used in intelligent buying of feedstuffs. An increasingly popular feature of the publication is the want-ad section, restricted to the use of farmers and others having articles "for sale" or "exchange." Advertisements are printed Commissioner of Agriculture 19 without charge as a marketing service primarily for farmers and the policy of the Review does not permit the acceptance of advertisements from commercial concerns. Bulletins: Improvements have been made in all regular bul-letins issued by the Department during the biennium. Appro-priate illustrations have been used, special folders have been issued and in all publications greater "reader appeal" has been obtained with the use of pictures. Explanatory articles by the various heads of divisions and by agricultural authorities co-operating with the department have added to the attractiveness of such regular publications as "Analyses of Commercial Ferti-lizer" and "Analyses of Mixed Feeds." Pictures: More and more, newspapers are becoming "picture conscious." The Publications Division has furnished many news-photos to the daily press and other publications to be used in illustrating articles on inspectional, regulatory and service work of the Department. Special picture assignments made by news-papers have been promptly completed ; and while the picture service of the Department is relatively new, it is of distinct value to the press and adds materially to the attractiveness of most newspaper articles. Radio: Special broadcasts on outstanding events and news have been given through cooperation and courtesy by Radio Station WPTF in Raleigh. The United Press, which is furnished all current news concerning the Department, releases news arti-cles to the major radio stations—thus "radio coverage" is furnished listeners as frequently as the news-value of the story permits. Information: Many requests for information on agriculture and other subjects have been handled by the division. In cases where the questions require attention of various agricultural specialists, the requests are forwarded to the most logical or-ganization or authority. State Fair: Publicity for the Great North Carolina State Fair has been handled by the Publications Division since the Department took over the operation of the exposition in 1937. Newspapers and the radio stations have been generous in ac-cepting articles on the fair, particularly since it has become a state institution with a management paramounting agriculture, industry and education. The revitalization of the Department of Agriculture, and the aggressiveness and determination of the present Administration to enlarge the regulatory, inspectional and service work of the various divisions have made news in North Carolina and brought sympathetic editorial treatment from the agricultural, daily and weekly newspaper editors. DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY C. H. Brannon This Division submits the following report for the past bien-nium: DUTIES The Division of Entomology is engaged in inspections, quaran-tines and other regulatory and law enforcement work in con-nection with plant pests, insects affecting man and animals and bee diseases. Keeping up to date its valuable collection and records is also a major activity. NURSERY INSPECTION The biggest single project of the Division of Entomology is the annual inspection and certification of all North Carolina nur-series. This tedious work requires the efforts of two of our staff, Mr. J. A. Harris and Dr. D. L. Wray, during July, August and September. Nurseries which are found apparently free from dangerous plant pests are issued a certificate of inspection which expires September 30, of the following year. The North Carolina certificate of nursery inspection is accepted by all states and the Federal Government. 170 nursery certificates were is-sued in 1936-37. 190 nursery certificates were issued for 1937-38. Certificates are not issued until inspection fees are paid. The nursery fees are as follows: Three acres or less $ 5.00 Four to ten acres 7.50 Eleven to fifteen acres 10.00 Sixteen acres 12.50 10^ for each additional acre. NATIVE PLANT COLLECTORS PERMIT An annual fee of $10.00 is required for a permit to collect and ship wild native plants including boxwood. Approximately 25 such permits are issued each year. NURSERY DEALER CERTIFICATE The annual nursery dealer certificate is $10.00. This applies to individuals or stores. Approximately twenty such certificates are issued annually. This number is expected to increase con-siderably since recent regulations require individual units of chain organizations to obtain separate certificates. Certified dealers Commissioner of Agriculture 21 promise to handle only certified nursery stock and are checked by members of our staff as frequently as funds will permit. A regulation requiring bond of $5,000 of all dealers or nur-series who promise later attention to nursery stock sold in North Carolina was made effective May 19, 1937. A reciprocal regulation was passed by the Board of Agriculture requiring nurseries from states which require out-of-state regis-tration fees to pay the same fee for shipping nursery stock into North Carolina as that charged North Carolina nurserymen for shipping into the respective states requiring such fees. This regulation was effective October 1, 1938. APIARY INSPECTION Mr. P. G. Craddock, North Carolina's first full time Apiary Inspector, was added to the staff July 1, 1937. The Apiary In-spector is engaged in the enforcement of North Carolina's bee disease regulations as a protection to the bee keepers of the State. During the year July 1, 1937 to July 1, 1938, approximately 11,252 colonies of bees were inspected in 48 counties. However, the greater part of this work was done in the following counties Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Haywood, Hyde, Martin, Pender, Robeson and Washington. Three and four-tenths per cent of the colonies inspected were found to be infected with American Foulbrood, the dreaded scourge of the bee and honey industry. Several apiaries were inspected for beekeepers who reside out of the State but who leave their bees in North Carolina perma-nently. Some of these apiaries were badly infected with disease. Eleven certificates for queen rearing were granted during the year. Two permits were issued for bees moving out of the State. One thousand and forty colonies from New York State were inspected. A summer assistant is greatly needed in this work in order to facilitate eradication of bee diseases. North Carolina is fortunate in having undertaken this work before the entire state has be-come heavily infected. If extensive work can be expanded at once there is a good chance of effective control before it is too late. WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST PREVENTION The following report has been submitted by Mr. H. B. Teague, of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, who is State Leader in charge of Blister Rust work in North Carolina. "Since July 1, 1936 the White Pine Blister Rust prevention program has been conducted in the state on private, State and Federal owned lands. The work has been carried out by the 22 Biennial Report U. S. Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the N. C. Department of Agriculture. Federal supervision has been fur-nished by Dr. S. B. Fracker, Chief of the Division of the Plant Disease Control; Mr. Roy G. Pierce, Pathologist, supervisor of Eradicating Ribes grossularia in Edge of Field near House. Located near Craggy, N. C, Buncombe County, (u. s. d. a.) the Southern Appalachian region ; Mr. H. B. Teague, State Leader in charge of North Carolina District supervisors are foremen in the North Carolina Blister Rust Control areas. Blister rust control work has been done in twenty counties. Of these fourteen have been completed for first working, two have been worked the second time, and six have been partially worked the second time and eight remain yet to be completed. Although the project was a Federal undertaking with most of the funds furnished by the Federal Government until July 1, 1937, the State Department of Agriculture was active in giving supervision to the work. Effective July 1, 1937 the State gave $5,000 in addition to other services rendered to supplement the funds allotted by the Federal Government. This state fund is administered by C. H. Brannon, State Entomologist. The object of blister rust control work is to prevent white pines of the state from becoming infected with a fungus disease called white pine blister rust which kills the pines. The life cycle of this disease organism requires for its completion an alternate Commissioner of Agriculture 23 host plant, either currant or gooseberry. By destroying these bushes and breaking the blister rust cycle the spread of the disease to healthy white pines can be prevented. During the past two years blister rust work has consisted of contacting land owners in the white pine growing sections, explaining the dan-gers of this disease, and securing the cooperation of land owners in preventing the infection of their white pines. In most cases the owners agree to destroy their currant and gooseberry bushes or to allow them to be destroyed by the blister rust workers. In a few cases the owners would not consent to have the bushes de-stroyed. The names of all such owners and their addresses have been recorded for future reference. There are three general classes of currants and gooseberries found in North Carolina growing near white pine : cultivated, escaped and wild. Seven different species have been found in cultivation. Four species have been found near abandoned house sites and have escaped cultivation. Two species of native wild bushes have been found growing near white pine. These two species of native bushes are the smooth, wild gooseberry, Ribes rotundifolium, and the prickly wild gooseberry, Ribes cynosbati. Another bush native to the state, but heretofore not found with-in infection range of white pine, is the skunk currant, Ribes grandtdossum. During this biennium, about 60 million board feet of white pine lumber were cut in the state, worth $1,300,000. There are approximately 800 thousand acres of white pine in the state with a seedling value of about seven and one-half million dollars. This acreage has been on the increase for several years, especially since chestnut blight killed the chestnut trees and gave white pine a chance to seed in where seed trees were present. Also in many sections old fields and pasture land have been retired for reforestation, and white pine is seeding in wherever seed trees are present in such sections. Some planting of white pine has been done in the state and intensive planting programs are being planned by the Forest Service, by the Soil Conservation Service and by the T.V.A. Many other divisions are also materially in-creasing the white pine acreage in the state. A program of careful fire prevention and control has been an important factor in the increase of white pine in the state. A member of the Forest Service has stated that the Southern Appalachian region has the possibility of becoming one of the leading white pine producing sections in the country. He pointed out the advantage of soil and climatic conditions, the rapid growth and small damage caused by insects as being in favor of white pine production. He also pointed out the high value of first grade 24 Biennial Report white pine lumber, and the low cost of producing white pine free from blister rust. Good forestry practice increases the value of white pine lumber, and the blister rust organization heartily endorses such forestry practices. In one instance a land owner paid $1.50 per thousand board feet in pruning his white pine trees when they were small, and he received from $40.00 to $60.00 per thousand instead of about $20.00 per thousand board feet which was being paid for knotty, low grade lumber. We are not only interested in the production of white pine free from blister rust, but are also interested in the land owner getting the highest possible prices for his trees when cut. Our organization has worked twenty white pine growing nur-series in the state, including the Soil Conservation Service nur-sery at Chapel Hill, and the State Forest Service Nursery near Hendersonville. Work has been completed on two divisions of Pisgah National Forest and is being carried forward on the two other divisions. Initial work has been completed in the Nantahala National Forest in Jackson and Macon counties, and 14,000 acres have been worked in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The following table summarizes blister rust control activities in North Carolina for the two years period, ending June 30, 1938 Survey Number acres of pine 527,331 Number acres control 1,593,903 Number man days used 18,474 Eradication Number acres pine 527,331 Number acres worked 1,314,375 Number cultivated 269,440 Number wild 434,743 Total 704,183 Number man days 16,608 Costs Federal *$85,182.99 Costs State *$16,884.50 *Add 1938 costs. JAPANESE BEETLE Quarantine The Japanese Beetle Quarantine as included in the last bien-nial report was amended to include the township of Charlotte, effective for the shipping season of 1938. Mr. C. J. Hansel of our staff is located at Greensboro for the purpose of enforcing the Japanese Beetle Quarantine in cooperation with Mr. H. B. Ward of the Richmond office of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine. No nursery, ornamental, or greenhouse stock, or other plants, plant roots, sand, soil, earth, peat, compost, or Commissioner of Agriculture 25 manure can be transported in any manner from the quarantined area without a special Japanese Beetle permit. Rigid inspections of greenhouses and nurseries are made by State and Federal inspectors. Japanese Beetles Covering a Peach, (xj. s. d. a.) In addition to Charlotte township the other areas within the quarantined zone are in the vicinity of Winston-Salem, Greens-boro and Salisbury. Trapping Trapping for the Japanese Beetle is a method of determining the spread of the beetle, and is not intended to reduce the in-festation. The traps contain a bait which attracts the beetle from as far as half a mile. In cooperation with the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine these traps have been placed over the State during the flight periods of the Japanese Beetle. In order to match much larger Federal funds the State of North Carolina, at the request of the Federal Government, allocated $2200 for this work in 1937 and $1338 in 1938 to be administered by this Division. During June and July, 1937, 6,600 traps were placed in 13 cities. A total of 1,110 beetles were caught. All but two of the cities trapped yielded beetles as follows : Asheville 0, Burlington 0, Charlotte 13, Durham 6, East Spencer 194, Elizabeth City 1, 26 Biennial Report Greensboro 370, High Point 3, Raleigh 4, Rocky Mount 3, Salis-bury 6, Spencer 227, Wilmington 9, Wilson 1, Winston-Salem 273. During June and July 1938, 5,830 traps were placed in 23 cities. A total of 152 beetles were caught as follows : Asheville 0, Chad-bourn 0, Concord 0, Durham 15, Elizabeth City 11, Fayetteville 0, Gastonia 0, Greenville 0, Hamlet 5, Henderson 0, High Point 34, Kinston 1, Lexington 2, New Bern 0, Raleigh 20, Reidsville 0, Rocky Mount 1, Sanford 16, Statesville 1, Thomasville 2, Wash-ington 0, Wilmington 40, Wilson 4. The relatively small number of beetles caught in 1938 was due, for the most part, to traps not being placed in the heavily infested areas now under quarantine. ORIENTAL PEACH MOTH PARASITE WORK In cooperation with the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine peach twigs infested with larvae of the Oriental Peach Moth were collected by Mr. J. A. Harris from various points in the peach sections and sent to the Federal laboratory at Moorestown, New Jersey for parasite emergence records. 642 infested twigs were collected in May, 1937. 396 peach moth larvae emerged from these twigs but only one parasite (Macro-centrus instabilis) appeared from the material. Due to condi-tions which are not at present understood, the large number of parasites previously released in the State have not been able to establish themselves. During May 1938, Dr. D. L. Wray collected 859 infested peach twigs which were forwarded to the Federal laboratory. The emergence records from this material are not yet available. NARCISSUS BULB INSPECTION Careful and tedious inspections are required to protect the commercial bulb growers from nematode and bulb fly infestations, which would seriously affect the entire industry if regular in-spections were not made. In the fall of 1936 the storage inspection included the careful examination of 702,000 bulbs on 18 properties. No infestation was found. 116 bushels of bulbs received the regulation hot water treatment because of nematode infestation at spring field inspection. 517 bushels of bulbs found infested with the bulb fly during the spring field inspection were fumigated. During the 1937 spring field inspection 16 properties were inspected which included 78 acres. 6 of these properties were found infested with nematode and 1 was found infested with the bulb fly. Commissioner of Agriculture 27 During the storage inspection in the fall of 1937, 863,600 bulbs were inspected on 13 properties. No infestation was found. However, 402 bushels of bulbs found infested during the spring field inspection were given the standard hot water treatment for nematode. Wk^__M Narcissus Field Inspection: An umbrella is used on bright days to shade the plants, in order that discoloration may be detected, which indicates Nematode infestation. Nematodes have killed plants caus-ing THE OPEN SPACE IN THE FOREGROUND. In the spring of 1938, 100 acres on 18 properties were given the tedious field inspection. One property was found infested with nematode and none found infested with bulb fly. The bulb inspection fee is $5.00 for three acres or less and $1.00 for each additional acre inspected. This fee is for field inspection but also includes the storage inspection if bulbs are to be shipped. These inspections which require painstaking effort were made by Mr. J. A. Harris and Dr. D. L. Wray. 28 Biennial Report PHONY PEACH AND PEACH MOSAIC DISEASE ERADICATION This important work is designed to protect the peach growers of North Carolina from the ravages of the dreaded phony and Mosaic peach diseases. The Mosaic disease has not yet been found in North Carolina. The project is carried out in coopera-tion with the Federal Government. During the campaign to eradicate escaped and abandoned peach trees in the year 1936, between July 1 to December 31, 377,958 peach trees were removed from 1,740 properties. During 1937, when this work was closed out, 107,195 trees were removed from 2,842 properties. From July 1 to October 31, 1936 there were 485,846 trees in-spected on 11,500 properties. 142 phony infected trees were found on 59 properties. All infected trees were removed. In June 1937 there was a nursery environs inspection which included 42,233 trees inspected on 533 properties in the vicinity of 21 nurseries in 11 counties. No infected trees were found in the nursery environs inspection which included areas within one mile of nurseries growing peach stock. The total inspection for 1937 included 73,399 trees inspected on 846 properties in 29 counties. 38 phony infected trees were found on 27 properties. 15 of these infected trees were found in Anson County and 23 in Robeson County. All infected trees were destroyed. During 1938, 45,871 trees were inspected on 880 properties in the vicinity of 24 nurseries in 11 counties. No infected trees were found in the inspected zone around nurseries. However, 14 in-fected trees were found outside of the nursery areas as follows Anson County 9, Robeson County 4, and Stanly County 1. These infected trees were promptly destroyed. Mr. J. A. Harris was appointed State Cooperator in phony peach and peach mosaic disease work, by the U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine. Mr. Harris spent the month of May 1938 in New Mexico at the expense of the Federal Govern-ment, studying Peach Mosaic which may appear in North Caro-lina at any time. Inspections for Peach Mosaic are made during the regular phony disease survey. Dr. D. L. Wray has spent much time in this work also. Messrs. T. B. Copeland and J. W. Coble have been assigned to this work by the Federal Government and have rendered valuable service to the State. Mr. C. H. Hearn of the Federal Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine had charge of the tree removal work during 1936 and 1937 in the State. Commissioner of Agriculture 29 INSECT. TAXONOMY Dr. C. S. Brimley has charge of this work and his eminent position in the field of natural history was recognized by the University of North Carolina which conferred upon him the de-gree of Doctor of Laws at its commencement June 7, 1938. Doctor Brimley has developed one of the finest insect collec-tions in the United States, consisting of approximately 75,000 specimens representing about 10,000 different species. An ex-cellent card catalog is also maintained. These records go back to 1900 when Professor Franklin Sherman first started keeping records of the insects of North Carolina. A list of the "Insects of North Carolina" by C. S. Brimley, LL.D, a truly monumental work, was published in 1938, making available for general use the valuable records of this Division. Doctor Brimley identifies hundreds of insects and is also a recognized Herpetologist and Ornithologist. He is also an able Taxonomic Botanist, identifying many species of plants each year. WHITE FRINGED BEETLE The white-fringed beetle, previously found in Argentina, Chile, Uraguay and Australia, was found to be doing extensive damage in the vicinity of Floralla, Alabama in 1937. The pest seemed to be such a potential threat to the entire South that the State Ento-mologist attended a meeting of the Southern Plant Board at DeFuniak Springs, Fla., in July 1937 to look over the infested area and discuss quarantine measures. In 1938 twelve infested nurseries were found in New Orleans, from which about 600 shipments have been made into North Carolina during the past three years. Shipments had also been made all over the country. As a result another meeting of the Southern Plant Board was held in New Orleans, La., in the summer of 1938 to go more thoroughly into the entire white fringed beetle problem. Federal Quarantine was called for and a public quarantine hearing was held by the Federal Government September 15, 1938, in New Orleans, La. As the white-fringed beetle attacks corn, cowpeas, cotton, velvetbeans, peanuts, cabbage, sweet potatoes, collards, tomatoes, etc., it is considered a very grave threat to Southern agriculture. The white fringed beetle has not yet been found in North Carolina, but that is no assurance that it is not already in the State, or will not soon gain entrance. 30 Biennial Report DIVISION NEEDS The Division of Entomology is handicapped by lack of travel funds for the staff. The $4,000 yearly travel allowance is suffi-cient only for the most urgent demands of the work. Many essential duties such as shipping point and transit inspections, checking on dealers, and other phases of inspection, quarantine and regulatory work must be greatly diminished or entirely omitted. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to acknowledge the splendid interest and support of the Board and the Commissioner. It is also a great pleasure to commend the entire staff of this Division for their loyalty, in-tegrity and efficiency at all times. WAREHOUSE DIVISION A. B. Fairley The State Warehouse System submits the following as a report of the operation of the System for the biennium 1936-1937 and 1937-1938: The number of warehouses licensed was one hundred and ten (110), with a licensed storage capacity of 550,000 bales of cotton. These warehouses handled about sixty per cent of the North Carolina crop during the past two years, and 456,869 bales were handled during the year 1937-1938. There is now a licensed warehouse in practically every cotton-producing county in the State, and these warehouses are easily accessible to the cotton producers. The classing department has classed and supervised the classing of approximately 80,000 bales yearly. In order for the classing division to render more prompt and efficient service, contract has been made for the building of a modern and up-to-date classing room, which should be completed by January 1, 1939. In con-nection with the classing of cotton the division has recently signed a cooperative agreement with the Federal Government whereby the Federal Government is to send a licensed classer and helper, whose office will be in our new classing room, and who will assist our classer in classing cotton raised in North Carolina. The services of a gin inspector were added September 1, 1937. All gins in the State were visited, and advice and help were given the ginners where it was found necessary, the inspector reme-dying any mechanical defect found, and helping the ginner cor-rect any faulty or careless ginning. By this service the farmers were saved thousands of dollars, having a better and smoother sample turned out by the gin. Through the continuation of this service it is hoped that as far as possible gin-cut and napped cotton will be eliminated. During the past year a truck and set of test weights were bought in order to test all gin scales, this division working in cooperation with the Weights and Measures Division in making tests and seeing that the scales are put in condition to insure correct weight determination. The warehouses at Norlina and Benson, which belong to the State, were again leased, and a good rental obtained. Warehouses in debt to the State have continued to lower their indebtedness, and have kept up their interest payments. Below is a statement of the interest and principal received during the 32 Biennial Report past two years ; also a statement of the funds of the State Ware-house System. Amount Collected During The Past Two Years: Interest $ 24 , 336 . 83 Principal. ______ 37 , 222 . 30 Total.. $ 61 , 559 . 13 Loans to Warehouses Sampson Cotton Storage Warehouse Co., Clinton ___ $ 6,000.00 Lincoln Bonded Warehouse, Inc., Lincolnton 3,450.00 Cotton Bonded Warehouse, Lincolnton 6,000.00 Union County Warehouse Co., Monroe 10,000.00 W. W. Holding, Wake Forest 3 , 500 . 00 Beaufort County Storage Warehouse Co., Washington 5,000.00 Total __ ___ $ 33 , 950 . 00 Cash On Hand Cash On Hand Loans—1st Invested In Principal Fund Supervision Fund Mortgage on Whse. Bonds 1937 __ $ 7,417.10 $ 47,020.11 $261,599.00 $378,000.00 1938. $ 27,391.77 $ 53,990.62 $277,818.98 $333,500.00 Purchase of Bonds During Biennium $ 70,947.48 DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY Dr. B. W. Kilgore The Division of Chemistry has the responsibility for the work with fertilizers, foods for human consumption, commercial feeds for livestock and poultry, insecticides and fungicides for com-bating insects and fungus diseases of plants, and the analysis of a rather large amount of materials of an agricultural nature. FERTILIZERS The amount and kind of chemical work performed in the laboratory on fertilizers, feeds, insecticides, cottonseed meals, and materials of a general agricultural nature during the past two years is shown in the following summary Official fertilizers 10,178 Fertilizers and fertilizer materials for farmers 617 Official feeds 2,196 Miscellaneous feeds 483 Insecticides 85 Cottonseed meals 164 Miscellaneous limes and marls 47 Official limes and land plaster 32 Total 13,802 A considerably larger number of analyses of samples of ferti-lizers was made during this biennium than during the past similar period. In addition to the regular determinations made on ferti-lizers heretofore this season is the first time, in accordance with the Act of the Legislature of 1937, that determinations have been made in fertilizers of magnesia and acidity or basicity of the ferti-lizers. This has required additional help and equipment for the laboratory and we now have adequate facilities in the new laboratories and equipment for making these additional exami-nations. Information about the magnesia content of fertilizers and the acid or base condition of the fertilizers will prove valuable to farmers in fertilizing their crops on different kinds of soils. The analyses of fertilizers show that the goods put on the market in this State are what they are claimed to be and are of good quality. COMMERCIAL FEEDS The Feed Laboratory has, during the biennium 1936-38, made analyses of 2,196 official samples of feeding stuffs and 483 mis-cellaneous and unofficial samples. This represents a large in-crease in volume of work over the preceding biennium. 34 Biennial Report Laboratory facilities have been improved by repairs to old apparatus, and where necessary, by replacement with new appa-ratus. Microscopical analysis has been made a part of the regular work of the Feed Laboratory, and now each sample is examined as to its ingredients in addition to the regular chemical analysis. This means that the guarantee of each feed found on sale is checked in every particular. Samples coming into the laboratory have been handled promptly. The feed bulletins have been published as usual. There have been numbers of samples which failed to comply with their guarantees, but upon the whole there now appears to be a distinct and gratifying improvement in the quality of feeds found on sale. INSECTICIDES There has been some increase in the number of samples of insecticides analyzed. These materials have been found to meet the guaranteed analyses, as a whole, and are generally up to standard requirements. FOODS The food work concerns sanitation, adulteration, branding and labeling of food products offered for sale in the State. The work is done through inspection of places where foods are made or handled and by examination and analysis of food samples. It includes cooperative work with city and county health depart-ments and with Federal food and drug officials. During the biennium, 1936-1938, the following samples have been received and analyzed: Flour 957 Hamburger and sausage 476 Ice cream 1,012 Honey 139 Syrup 63 Coffee 398 Olive oil 46 Mayonnaise 85 Vinegar f? 273 Extracts 174 Spray residue 320 Soft drinks 60 Oleomargarine — 185 Herring roe 71 Canned vegetables 256 Canned fruits 21 Miscellaneous .___ 266 Miscellaneous (unofficial) 335 Total . 5,137 Commissioner of Agriculture 35 CANNED GOODS A survey has been made of most of the canneries in the State with the view of helping operators of such industries to bring the canned products up to U. S. standard grade. Whenever in-sanitary conditions were found, such facts were pointed out by the inspectors and recommendations for improvements were made. When samples examined were found that did not meet the requirements for U. S. standard grade, reports were sent to the canners pointing out wherein the sample failed to meet the re-quirements and advising that such products, unless brought up to standard grade, must be labeled "Below U. S. Standard Grade." Inspection of the packs at warehouses was made and samples tested in the laboratory. In the cases where mislabeling or mis-representation of the product by the label occurred, the error was explained and assistance given in proper form of label to comply with State and Federal regulations on labeling. Whenever canned foods, that for any reason, were found unfit for marketing the condition of the pack was pointed out to the canner and the study of the cause for such losses made. In testing canned goods for quality and proper labeling, the standards promulgated by the U. S. Food and Drug Adminis-tration have been used as guides. However, all forms of canned foods packed in the State have been examined, for many of which no specific U. S. standards have been provided. Observations of the methods from the field to the finished product have been made in large and small canning establish-ments, and a record of these is available for supervision of these outputs. ICE CREAM During 1937 considerable time was given to the inspection and analysis of ice cream and other frozen milk products, efforts in this connection being directed toward the elimination of sub-standard products which, either through deliberate intention or carelessness on the part of the manufacturer, were being made and offered for sale to the public. More than 650 samples of such products were examined during the spring and summer of 1937. At the beginning of the investigation nearly half of the samples examined were below the standard in milk fat, while near the end of the season samples deficient in milk fat were seldom found. In all cases of ice cream and other frozen milk products found below the standard in milk fat, the manufacturers and sellers of the products were notified of the findings and warnings to desist from such practices were issued, and in cases of material de-viation from the requirements of the standards, notices of 36 Biennial Report hearings were sent and hearings were given to those responding. All cases in which responses to notices of hearings were not forth-coming, and in which warnings were not heeded, the operators persisting in violating the law through the manufacture or sale of products deficient in milk fat ; were turned over to the courts for determination. It was found necessary to cause nine prose-cutions to be brought, eight of these resulting in convictions. This work has been continued through that portion of 1938 falling within the biennium. Early in 1937, under authority granted by the Ice Cream Plant Inspection Law, Sanitary Regulations were drawn up which were intended to give greater direct effect to the broad general pro-visions of that law. On October 19, 1937, in response to invi-tations sent to all manufacturers of ice cream and other frozen milk products, a large number of such manufacturers met in con-ference with officials of the Department in Raleigh to consider the provisions of the regulations. At this meeting a Code of Sanitary Regulations to govern the operation of the large production type of ice cream plants, and revised Definitions and Standards for Ice Cream, Other Frozen Milk Products and Water Ices were agreed upon. The operators of counter type ice cream freezers requested and were granted an extension of time to prepare for their conference. On November 16, 1937, a conference was held with this group of manufacturers and a Code of Regulations govering the operation of Counter Type Ice Cream Freezers was agreed upon. The group had previously agreed upon the revised Definitions and Standards. Both , Codes of Sanitary Regulations were submitted to, and adopted by the Board of Agriculture on March 10, 1938, which action made the Codes a part of the Law, violation of which car-ries the same penalty as does a violation of the law itself. The revised Definitions and Standards for Ice Cream, Other Frozen Milk Products and Water Ice were adopted by the Board of Agriculture on June 28, 1938, under authority granted by the North Carolina Pure Food Law. Under these Regulations, and for the first time since Ice Cream Plant Inspection was begun, a systematic grading of plants has been undertaken. Practically all of the plants in the State making ice cream and other frozen milk products have been inspected and graded since the adoption of the Regulations. Seven plants which did not score the required grade and could not be so im-proved as to make such grade possible were either closed volun-tarily by the owners or by order from the Department. One manufacturer whose place was thus closed has remodeled his building and installed new machinery of approved type and has Commissioner of Agriculture 37 been permitted to reopen, having received satisfactory rating upon inspection of the new installations. Nine tub type freezers using ice and salt as refrigerant have been replaced by freezing machines of either circulating brine or direct expansion type. With a few exceptions, the operators of Counter-Type Ice Cream Freezers have made the installations, or changes in in-stallation, necessary to bring their machines into conformity with requirements of law. OLEOMARGARINE The Oleomargarine Excise Tax Law provides that an excise tax of 10 cents per pound shall be levied and collected on all oleomargarine containing any fats or oil other than "cottonseed oil, peanut oil, corn oil, soya bean oil, oleo oil from cattle, oleo stock from cattle, oleo stearin from cattle, neutral lard from hogs or milk fat." 185 samples of oleomargarine were bought and examined for total fat and for the presence of "foreign fats"—those not specifically named in the Oleomargarine Excise Tax Law. Of this number 20 samples, representing 9 different brands, from 6 different manufacturers, were found to contain cocoanut oil, palm oil or "Babassu" oil, rendering them subject to the excise tax. It was found that one manufacturer had shipped slightly more than 3000 lbs. of such oleomargarine into the State, another had sold 122 lbs., the other shipments found being so small as to be almost negligible. The sum of $311.80 in excise tax has been collected to date during the year 1938. The investigation is still under way. The 185 samples examined represent 55 separate brands of oleomargarine produced, and sold in this State, by 24 different manufacturers. Inspectors are instructed to take samples of each and every brand found. Inspection covers all grocery and other stores where oleomargarine is offered for sale. SPRAY RESIDUE Regulations were adopted providing for the testing and regu-lation of spray residue on fruits. Much useful information on the amount of spray residue on the fruit being packed for market has been supplied growers of peaches and apples. The tolerances adopted are the same as the Federal allowances, arid are: Arsenic, as As,03 .01 grains per lb. Lead, as Pb. .018 grains per lb. Fluorine, as F. .01 grains per lb. State inspectors have covered the orchards during the seasons of maturity of both peaches and apples and samples of brushed 38 Biennial Report and unbrushed fruit were tested and the growers shown the efficiency of their method of removal of spray residue. FLAVORING EXTRACTS Regulations denning and adopting standards of classification for all flavoring extracts and flavors have been adopted by the Board of Agriculture. This action was taken to eliminate from the market many spurious or worthless flavors which had flooded the market. These minimum standards have been provided for "Vanilla and Vanillin Extracts", "Vanilla-Vanillin-Coumarin" or "Vanilla-Vanillin-Coumarin Extracts," also "Imitation Vanilla Flavor." COFFEE AND VINEGAR As coffee may be mixed with chicory or cereal and be legally sold, if properly labeled, violations of the food law in the sale of coffee were largely due to mislabeling. When such violations were found, the attention of the manufacturer or jobber was called to the fact, and the product was either taken off the market by the responsible party or was relabeled to comply with the law. There was found offered for sale in the State large quantities of so-called vinegar, which in fact was not vinegar but dilute commercial acetic acid, a product not recognized as a food by either the Federal food law or the State food law. The sale as vinegar was a misrepresentation and gross fraud. One party engaged in the manufacture and sale of this product was indicted and convicted. More than five thousand gallons were withdrawn from sale and either destroyed or permitted to be used for other than food purposes. Others guilty of the same violation, upon agreement to discontinue the practice, were not prosecuted as it was their first offense. MISCELLANEOUS WORK A total of 335 unofficial samples was received, 254 of which were suspected to contain poison. These samples consisted of foods and beverages for human consumption, animal and poultry feeds, viscera and other specimens from animal bodies ; and mis-cellaneous specimens for the detection of narcotic or other ille-gally used drugs, and for foreign and harmful ingredients. These samples were variously submitted by city and county officials, physicians, county agents, farmers' cooperatives, farmers and other citizens at large. Poisons and foreign substances were found in a considerable number of instances and questions re-garding safety and wholesomeness were cleared up in many cases. Commissioner of Agriculture 39 There were 41 requests for mineral analysis of water, most of which were to determine why the water was not satisfactory for industrial, commercial and domestic purposes, or why sediment or scum appeared and why pipes rusted unduly. In almost every instance, the request was made to obtain practical information. INSPECTIONS Inspections have been made as follows: Number of Number of Plants Inspections Bakeries 151 1 ,055 Bottling plants .. . 228 1,541 Ice cream plants and creameries 247 1,508 Total . . 626 4,104 4,104 Number of inspections of canneries: seafood and vegetables 135 135 Oleomargarine Inspections: (Grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) Places handling or using oleo 4,489 Places not handling or using oleo 7 ,800 Total 12 ,289 12 ,289 Total number of inspections 16,528 Two bakeries were closed on account of insanitary conditions. One was cleaned up and permitted to reopen after being passed on by an inspector. The other was not reopened. SEIZURES, WITHDRAWALS, ETC. Oleomargarine containing foreign fats offered for sale in violation of the Oleomargarine Law and on which excise tax was collected 3,118 lbs. Commercial acetic acid sold as vinegar, either destroy-ed or permitted to be used for other than food pur-poses 5,380 gallons. Herring roe containing worms and other objectionable substances which rendered the product unfit for human consumption 120 cases of 24 cans each. Cut string beans in corroded cans or containing worms, insects or other foreign and objectionable matter 15 cases of 24 cans each. Infested peas unfit for human consumption 613 J^ cases. Assorted cakes, moulded and insect infested 56 lbs. Fruit preserving powder 20 packages. Lemon flavor, worthless as a flavoring product 5 doz. bottles (Pint). LINSEED OIL Of the 80 linseed oil samples obtained and analyzed, only one failed to meet the requirements for linseed oil. Funds for enforcing the food and sanitary inspection laws are provided by inspection taxes under the following inspection laws: 40 Biennial Report Bleached flour 28,335.00 Bakeries 2,865.00 Bottling plants __ 4,822.50 Ice Cream plants, Creameries 4,535.00 Linseed oil 4,692.90 Total.- 45,250.40 The chemists in the laboratories, the inspectors in the field and the workers in the office have performed most agreeable, satis-factory and efficient services, for which they have our sincere appreciation. SEED LABORATORY J. W. WOODSIDE There has been considerable increase in the work of the Seed Laboratory during the biennium, each year having established a new high in fhe work done by the Division. The year 1936- 1937 showed an increase of 22% over the previous year, and the year of 1937-1938 showed an increase of 68% over the year 1936- 1937. During the biennium, July 1, 1936 to June 30, 1938, 20,714 samples of seed were analyzed by the Seed Laboratory, repre-senting an increase of 65% over the biennium, July 1, 1934 to July 30, 1936. This increase in volume of work has been accom-plished by increasing the laboratory personnel of the Division from six to seven. Our primary objective during the past two years has been to see that the seed purchased by the farmer were properly labeled as to quality. In the past, due to insufficient or improper labeling, there have been instances in which inferior seed have been sold in unfair competition with seed of superior quality. Another condition that has made strict enforcement of our Seed Law im-perative, is the fact that some of the states bordering on North Carolina are rigidly enforcing their seed laws, thus creating a tendency to "dump" in this State the seed of poor quality rejected by the neighboring states, prevention of which must be a con-stant aim of this Division. During 1937, in cooperation with the Extension Service seventy < meetings were held in all sections of the State. The purpose of these meetings was to better acquaint both farmers and seed dealers with the requirements and purposes of the Seed Law. The Seed Laboratory, for a number of years, has made it a policy to clean tobacco seed for farmers requesting this service. During the biennium 645 lbs. of tobacco seed have been cleaned for farmers in Wake and adjoining counties. This represents about one-third of the volume of work done when the program was at its peak. The greater portion of this work is now being done locally by agricultural teachers and county agents which accounts for the reduction in volume of this type of work done by the Division during the past two years. After a careful study of the equipment and methods used in the seed laboratories of other states, equipment was purchased for the North Carolina Laboratory during 1937, installation of which has made it one of the best equipped seed laboratories in the South. Seed germinators with automatic temperature con-trol have been installed to insure the best possible conditions for 42 Biennial Report germination tests. The installation of a modern automatic seed counter has greatly increased the capacity of the Laboratory. Statistical Report 1936-1937 1937-1938 Current tests 7,633 12,368 Inspectors tests: Agricultural seed 65 180 Vegetable seed 33 435 7,731 12,983 Total for the biennium 20,714 samples Tobacco seed cleaned 382 lb.4 oz. 263 lb. 6 oz. Total for the biennium 645 lb. 10 oz. DIVISION OF MARKETS Randal B. Etheridge The Division of Markets is a service organization. It assists the farmers in marketing products grown on the farm. That is true in its broadest sense, but in addition to helping farmers market their products, whether individually or in groups, quite often it is necessary to show them how to prepare their output for market. This is particularly true of fruits and vegetables. Members of the Division also act in a neutral capacity in certi-fying as to grade the various farm commodities. If, for example, we certify as to grade a car of Irish potatoes, a car of soybeans, or a car of lambs, the farmer sells these on the basis of the grade assigned. The Division works with farmers in various cooperative pro-jects, such as cooperative purchasing of supplies and cooperative marketing. If the farmers desire to work together as a group in purchasing supplies or marketing their farm output, then they should protect themselves legally by having their organizations incorporated. The problem of selecting markets requires a variety of infor-mation on supply, demand and prices that individual farmers are not in position to collect for themselves. The Division maintains a Market News Service which is designed to fill this need. During the biennium the work of the Division has been more varied than in any previous period due largely to the new projects initiated by the Federal agencies in an attempt to improve the economic position of the farmers. We have participated and cooperated as much as our personnel would permit. Also during the biennium we started other new projects of work which should prove beneficial to the farmers of North Carolina. A brief summary of the activities, nature and scope of the work is as follows Market News Service For a number of years we have issued daily mimeographed reports, in cooperation with the Bureau of Agricultural Eco-nomics, from our temporary field offices. The reports issued at Chadbourn dealt with strawberries ; those at Washington with Irish potatoes ; and the ones from Hamlet with peaches and watermelons. Reports issued showed the total U. S. carlot shipments by states, primary destinations of North Carolina carlot shipments, Potomac Yards passings of North Carolina shipments, shipping 44 Biennial Report point prices in North Carolina and competitive states. Tele-graphic reports were received from wholesale terminal markets, which included weather conditions, number of cars on track, the number of cars unloaded and the number of carlot arrivals. The telegraphic reports also indicated market trends for North Caro-lina and competitive sections. Arrivals and truck holdings in the sixteen leading cities were given daily. From the information referred to in the foregoing, require-ments of every distributing center can be known along with existing supplies, and the shipper can ascertain at a glance which markets have a strong demand and which markets are weak, and in having this information, he will be in a position to know where there are dangers of losses and avenues of gain. Farmers cannot market intelligently unless they know the market value of their products. With that in mind, we have en-deavored to make available to the farmers of North Carolina market information concerning a number of commodities which is accurate and reliable, and which will facilitate the flow of these items to markets where they are most needed, and place farmers on an equal bargaining basis with their customers and com-petitors. It is our desire to aid producers directly by familiarizing them with prices being paid for commodities in various markets. While the quotation of prices is the most emphasized phase of the work, there is reason to believe that other price-making forces dis-seminated by the Market News Service is important in regulating the flow of commodities to market. Supplementary information is received in our office over leased wire in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture and all reports issued are in cooperation with the Federal Department. Market information developed during 1938 and made available to the producers, the press and for radio is as follows : 660 North Carolina producers receive each week by mail a market report on poultry and eggs. 63 5 Hog producers receive each week by mail a market report on hogs. 380 Sheep, lamb and wool producers receive each week a market report on sheep and wool. 190 Weekly and daily newspapers receive each week a weekly summary of livestock and vegetable prices and trends. 1,500 Words, or Zy2 double-spaced typewritten pages, are prepared each morning for broadcast over Station WPTF at Raleigh at 12:40 P.M. These radio releases carry the very latest price information from shipping points and terminal markets on tobacco, cotton, livestock, hay, feed and grain, and fruits and vegetables. For the press each day approximately 5,000 words are written as fol-lows: 1,400 on fruits and vegetables and 700 on livestock for the News and Observer, Greensboro Daily News, Durham Sun, High Point Enter-prise and the Journal-Sentinel in. Winston-Salem. 1,500 words are pre- Commissioner of Agriculture 45 pared for the Raleigh Times and the Associated Press on fruits and vege-tables, livestock, poultry and eggs. 400 Words on cotton are released daily for the Associated Press and the Raleigh Times. 450 Words on tobacco trading are assembled daily during the marketing season for the Associated Press, United Press, News and Observer and the Raleigh Times. 300 Word reports for the Raleigh Times on Raleigh prices of every day table needs are released daily. From time to time special reports on carlot shipments, Potomac Yards passings, outstanding sales, etc., are issued to the press. Special reports calculated to be of value in farm management and marketing problems which confront North Carolina farmers are given wide publicity through the press and by radio. Tobacco Standardization A tobacco marketing specialist was added to the staff in 1937 so that farmers might be taught approved and efficient methods of preparing tobacco for market. This work has proven very popular and is in strong demand. In order that all requests for demonstrations could be taken care of, a cooperative agreement was made with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics for addi-tional part-time help. Proper sorting, tying, grading and ar-ranging of tobacco on warehouse floors are features of the work. Partial scope of the project is listed below. A. Sixteen demonstrations attended by 375 farmers were held in Hoke, Nash, Wayne and Franklin Counties. Between these meetings individual instruction was done on warehouse floors in Durham, Farmville, Greenville, Goldsboro, Oxford, Wendell and Wilson. B. Special effort was exerted toward teaching proper mar-keting procedure in the Burley Belt as growers there have generally less experience in tobacco production than farmers in most other tobacco-producing areas of the State. Two sorting and tying demonstrations were held in each of the following Counties: Alleghany, Avery, Ashe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon and Mitchell. In the largest producing counties, which include Buncombe, Haywood, Madison and Yancey, three demonstrations were held. A total of 2,035 tobacco producers attended meetings held in this area. These meetings were fol-lowed up with individual instruction on the Asheville market. C. The subject of tobacco standardization was discussed with 350 vocational agricultural students in regular class sessions in the Counties of Franklin, Harnett, Vance and Wake. One adult evening class, consisting of eighteen farmers, attended one of the class room sessions. 46 Biennial Report Livestock Marketing A livestock grading and marketing program was instituted July 1, 1937. The most complete project undertaken in livestock marketing was that of marketing lambs. This program was carried on in cooperation with the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service. During this period 4,681 lambs belonging to some 450 farmers were officially graded and marketed coopera-tively. The animals originated in the counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank, Edgecombe, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington and Watauga. Some of the cars were sold direct, whereas others were shipped on consignment. In merchandizing every shipment, a substantial sum of money was made for the producer and this would not have been possible without a knowledge of characteristic seasonal price movements, the in-fluence of given factors on short-time and a day-price movement, acquaintanceship with the trade, the ability to choose superior customers for the time being, as well as the ability to distinguish price-limit stretches of given customers. The work was not ac-complished by any one individual or organization. The county agents, with the aid of an animal husbandry specialist, did the assembling; the grading was accomplished by members of this Division with the aid of an extension specialist, and the selling was done by our marketing specialist. Naturally, he consulted freely with the men previously mentioned. Only one livestock auction market was in operation in Eastern North Carolina during the period being reviewed, this at Kinston. A local man was trained as a hog grader for this market with the result that the market operator was able to negotiate sight-unseen sales with packers. Livestock auctions are also in opera-tion at Asheville, Charlotte and Greensboro. The Division is in position to offer experienced advice on most any phase of live-stock marketing. Effort was also exerted to keep out-of-state customers aware of sources from which they might secure livestock needed from people or markets in North Carolina. Leading cattlemen in Vir-ginia, West Virginia and Tennessee were circularized with lists showing feeder cattle for sale in this State. Contact with leading packers and livestock marketing organizations in the East were maintained well enough to cause their buyers to be sent to North Carolina on purchasing errands when volume permitted. The soft and oily system of hog marketing, which virtually gives price-fixing privileges to buyers, was called to the attention of the United States Department of Agriculture, and publicized Commissioner of Agriculture 47 sufficiently to bring about public consciousness of the problem. Correction of the injustice demands Federal rather than buyer ' inspection. Eggs Certification as to the grade of eggs was inaugurated June 1, 1937. This project of work was executed jointly with the Moun-tain Egg Producers Cooperative Association, Asheville, the Farmers Federation, Asheville, N. C, and the Farmers Coopera-tive Exchange, Raleigh, N. C. One member of the Division was licensed by the Federal Department as a supervisor, and he, in turn, trained and licensed employees of the Associations. The licensed inspectors certified 26,670 dozens of eggs. We have had a number of inquiries from other sections regarding this type of work and we feel safe in saying that it will be expanded in the very near future. Egg grading and marketing was also done for the Albemarle FCX Service, Elizabeth City and for the Edgecombe FCX Service, Tarboro. The work around Elizabeth City and Tarboro was started primarily for the purpose of relieving the local markets of their surplus during the spring season. Eggs were candled, graded and shipped to Richmond, Washington and New York. The eggs shipped to Richmond were stored and sold during the autumn months. Strawberry Standardization In our inspection work of strawberries during the past ten years, we have seen the need of some intensive demonstration work in the preparation of this commodity for market. During the 1937 season we assigned one member of the Division to the Chadbourn area for a period of three weeks to teach growers how to improve their pack. This project was carried on in co-operation with the assistant county agent of Columbus County. The increased returns to growers who packed strawberries ac-cording to our specifications and method of pack was quite notice-able and was recognized by all on the Chadbourn market. Data collected show that those growers received from thirty cents to one dollar per crate more than the other growers. There was a good active demand for properly packed berries, and it is in-teresting to note that the wholesale dealers in the terminal mar-kets instructed their buyers on the Chadbourn market to buy berries which were packed under our supervision. Beneficial work of this character can be carried on profitably at all shipping points marketing perishable commodities. 48 Biennial Report Shipping Point Inspection Service The inspection and certification as to grade of fruits and vege-tables is by far the largest project in the Division. This work is done in cooperation with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, and is given voluntarily by the growers and shippers. We are required to make the work self-supporting and the fees charged for the inspection are paid by the growers or shippers for whom the inspections are made. All men engaged in the work are licensed by the Federal Department and act in a neutral capacity in describing the quality and condition and certifying as to grade. A greater part of the produce shipped from North Carolina is bought and sold on the basis of grade assigned by the inspectors. This service aids the growers and shippers materially in mar-keting their products. The volume of fruits and vegetables in-spected was as follows: Cantaloupes of uniform size and attractively packed command the highest market price. Commissioner of Agriculture 49 Approximate No. of Packages ,296,000 (pounds) ,688,281 (100 lb. sacks) ,461,734 (melons) 781,910 (24-qt. crates) 508,391 (bushels) 459,631 (Bu. hampers) 91 ,488 (crates) 79,884 (crates) 72,225 (bushels) 61,201 (bu. hampers) 57,365 (bu. hampers) 27,706 (lugs) 21,718 (bushels) 9,311 (24-qt. crates) 3,873 (24-qt. crates) 2,740 (112-lb. sacks) 1,000 (crates) 481 (bu. hampers) 154 (bu. hampers) 97 (bu. hampers) 5 (bu. crates) 3 (bu. baskets) 540,227 bags Carlot Equivalent 304 15,627 1,461 2,659 1,313 766 228 159 120 102 111 50 43 26 15 10 2 1 Commodity Cabbage 7 Irish potatoes 4 Watermelons 1 Strawberries Peaches Snap beans Cantaloupes Green corn Sweet potatoes Fresh Peas Cucumbers Tomatoes.. Apples Dewberries Huckleberries Peanuts (shelled stock) Radishes Peppers Lima beans. Squash Onions Plums Peanuts (Farmer stock; State Inspection) This work required a personnel of 134 licensed inspectors during the heavy movement of potatoes in June 1937 and 140 during June 1938. To employ that many men on a temporary piece of work, to see that they are properly trained, equipped and supervised is a tremendous undertaking and requires careful and detailed planning months in advance. To give you an idea of the magnitude of this work, I wish to advise that the number of licensed inspectors required to do the work by weeks in 1937 was as follows 2,160 Week ending April 21st 5 Week ending May 1st 32 Week ending May 8th 36 Week ending May 15th 41 Week ending May 22nd 42 Week ending May 29th 32 Week ending June 5th 77 Week ending June 12th 133 Week ending June 19th 134 The foregoing does not includ men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending men Week ending e typists, clerical assi June 26th 116 men July 3rd 60 men July 10th 32 men July 17th 41 men July 24th 43 men July 31st . .... 41 men August 7th ... 19 men August 14th ... 4 men August 21st .... 3 men stants and helpers. A majority of the men employed during April and May were transferred to other States after the work on strawberries was completed and many of them did not return for other work during the entire season. The greater number of men employed during June constituted a different group of inspectors and many of these men were transferred to other States when no longer needed in North Carolina. Most of the men who inspected water-melons and peaches during July and August represented an en-tirely different group from that used during any other marketing period. Attention is called to the fact that three different groups 50 Biennial Report of men were used, each group being qualified by training and experience to inspect certain specific commodities. Temporary offices for cucumbers were maintained at Jackson-ville, Mt. Olive, Calypso and Wallace ; for strawberries at Chad-bourn, Tabor City, Wallace, Rose Hill, Burgaw, Mount Olive and Warsaw; for potatoes at Tabor City, Elizabeth City, Mt. Olive, Aurora, Bayboro, Columbia, Beaufort, Bethel, New Bern, Pantego, Washington, Creswell, Griffon and Goldsboro ; for green corn at Wallace; for tomatoes at Beaufort, Windsor and Laurinburg; for cantaloupes at Laurinburg, Norlina and Ridgeway; for cabbage at New Bern, Beaufort, Fayetteville, Rowland, Elizabeth City and Smithfield; for peaches at Candor, Hamlet, Pinehurst, Sanford, Gibson and Ellerbee ; for watermelons at Raeford, Beaufort, New Bern, Mt. Olive, Laurinburg, Hamlet, St. Paul, Rowland and Faison ; for beans at Tabor City, Mt. Olive, Richlands, Burgaw and Goldsboro ; for cannery tomatoes at Greensboro ; for fresh peas at Columbia; and for sweet potatoes at Elizabeth City. Terminal Market Inspection Inspections of twenty-five cars of tomatoes, onions, Irish pota-toes, grapes, beans, oranges and grapefruit were made at the following terminal points, Asheville, Boone, Charlotte, Durham, Raleigh, Rocky Mount and Sanford. Inspection and certification as to grade of fruits and vegetables grown in the State and shipped to other States are classed as Shipping Point Inspection. Inspections made on commodities grown in other States and shipped into this State are referred to as Terminal Inspections. In Terminal Inspections members of the Division describe the conditions of the commodity upon arrival. Inspections of this kind are requested only when the product is of a quality and condition considerably below that of a recognized standard and adjustments in the price originally agreed upon are made by the shippers and receivers. Soybeans: Inspection of this crop was continued at Elizabeth City and Washington. During this period 12,675 bushels were certified as to grade. Stabilization of the Irish Potato Industry At the request of the growers and shippers, and representatives of the different agricultural institutions in the State, Mr. A. E. Mercker and Saxon D. Clark, of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, were assigned to North Carolina in 1937 and 1938, respectively. Messrs. Mercker and Clark worked very closely with the growers and shippers during the marketing period and endeavored at all times to keep a uniform price at all Commissioner of Agriculture 51 shipping points. Mr. Mercker had to leave the State for a short period in 1937 and one member of the Division carried on the work during his absence. Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation Irish Potatoes: At the beginning of the potato marketing season in 1937, it was quite apparent that there was a heavy production of potatoes in all of the early-producing States, and it was feared that the price would drop to such a low level that it would be disastrous to the growers. Furthermore, there was serious doubt as to whether the country could consume the potential tonnage during the marketing period. Members of the Division fully realized the gravity of the situation and were very active in having the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation buy potatoes in North Carolina. The Corporation paid the pre-vailing market price and there is no doubt that the price of potatoes would have reached a much lower level had they not in-stituted a purchasing program. The Corporation bought 1,631 cars of North Carolina potatoes at shipping points and in the terminal markets for which they paid $391,440.00. We assigned one member of the Division to their office in Washington, N. C, for a period of nearly two weeks to assist them in completing their records in order that payment to the growers might be expedited. During the potato marketing season, we had 134 licensed inspectors in the field and the entire personnel acted as agents for the Corporation in carrying out the program. Siveet Potatoes: The Jersey type of sweet potatoes is grown in the Counties of Currituck and Camden. Shortly after the marketing season started in August 1937, the market became badly demoralized, and we requested the Federal Surplus Com-modities Corporation to give the growers in those counties some relief in buying part of the crop. A representative from the Corporation started a purchasing program on August 25th. A purchasing program of this kind removes from the market part of the surplus and thereby strengthens the market and in most instances prevents a further demoralization. $19,544.40 was paid to the growers for the 42,000 bus. of sweet potatoes bought. Apples: A large crop of apples in 1937 forced the market price to a low level. The Corporation also came to the rescue of the growers and bought twelve cars of apples. Purchases made amounted to $3,600.00. Cabbage: The price for which cabbage was selling at the terminal markets in 1938 was insufficient to pay marketing costs. Again we asked the Corporation to relieve the situation and pointed out that shipments would scarcely bring the cost of 52 Biennial Report transportation. They aided the growers through buying 328 cars. In this, as in other purchasing programs, the cabbage was bought on the basis of certification as to grade made by our inspectors, and the inspectors also certified as to the weight of each grower's lot or load. The value of the cabbage bought amounted to $35,412.00. Snap Beans: The market on snap beans also proved unsatis-factory to growers in 1938. The Corporation bought 15,825 bushels of beans from the sections around Tabor City and Frank-lin, for which they paid $6,681.00. Peanut Program—Agricultural Adjustment Administration The diversion program in 1937 was put into effect to help maintain prices and under the program excess supplies were sold to mills to be converted into oil and by-products. The Agricul-tural Adjustment Administration made payments to the growers' cooperative covering the difference between the prices paid by mills for peanuts crushed into oil and by-products and the es-tablished prices of $65.00 per ton for Class A; $61.00 per ton for Class B ; and $57.00 per ton for peanuts which were not marketed for the edible trade. Licensed inspectors of the Division certified as to grade the 49,861,578 pounds (24,930 tons) of peanuts that were bought at a cost of approximately $1,608,256.00. The classification of pea-nuts bought was as follows : 44,367,768 lbs. as Class A ; 4,847,325 lbs. as Class B ; and 637,485 lbs. as Class C. Specialists in the Division were closely affiliated with the pro-gram in all its aspects. One member wrote the articles of in-corporation, by-laws, and assisted in getting the charter of the Peanut Stabilization Cooperative, Inc., and helped in other matters pertaining to a corporate set-up. Other specialists trained and supervised the twenty-seven inspectors who were licensed by the Department, and who certified as to grade the 24,930 tons of peanuts received at the forty-eight warehouses in Colerain, Windsor, Jackson, Whitakers, Tarboro, Plymouth, Aulander, Roanoke Rapids, Rocky Mount, Greenville, Gates, Woodland, Edenton, Ahoskie, Weldon, Scotland Neck, Williams-ton, Robersonville, Seaboard, Everetts and Wilmington. Fruits and Vegetables Assistance was given relative to justifying the need of a marketing agreement for merchandising watermelons. An agree-was adopted and proved beneficial to North Carolina farmers. Commissioner of Agriculture 53 Information showing why various cars of potatoes failed to grade U. S. No. 1 was compiled from 8,000 inspection certificates, and this information was conveyed to farmers at twelve meetings Well-graded potatoes bring the farmer premium prices in the commercial producing areas which were attended by 800 potato producers. Better harvesting and marketing practices were also emphasized at these meetings. Food and Drug Act: Just prior to the 1937 Irish potato mar-keting season, we were advised that the misbranding feature of the Food and Drug Act would be rigidly enforced. Heretofore, it had been a common practice in certain producing areas to fill the bags with potatoes which were branded "100 lbs. net when packed," and in many instances there were less than 100 pounds of potatoes in the bag. We held meetings at a number of the larger shipping points in the potato-producing sections and ad-vised the growers and shippers of the action which would be taken by the Federal Department. It was also pointed out that growers are not required to stamp the grade on any given pack-age of fruit or vegetables, but if they did so, it would be necessary for the contents of the package to conform to the grade as stamped, or there would be a violation of the law. Attention was called to the fact that a number of seizures had been made in connection with the misbranding of fruits and vegetables. Processing : The canning industry in many States is an im-portant one. We have made an effort during the last five years to 54 Biennial Report get an industry of this character started in North Carolina, and are pleased to advise that some results have been achieved. The Guilford Cooperative Cannery, Greensboro, N. C, has a potential seasonal output of approximately 25,000 cases of canned goods which are composed of beans, tomatoes, soup mixture, squash, huckleberries and tomato juice. In connection with this coopera-tive cannery one member of the Division devoted considerable time helping secure a loan from the Bank for Cooperatives, Columbia, S. C. The Eastern North Carolina Farmers Coopera-tive, Goldsboro, N. C, was sponsored by the Resettlement Ad-ministration, and secured their working capital from them. The Federated Cooperative Exchange, New Bern, N. C, was also sponsored and financed by the Resettlement Administration. The T.V.A. recently undertook a cannery development program in Western North Carolina with the idea of providing a market for surplus fruits and vegetables produced in that area. A number of canneries have been established and are reported to be operating successfully. Watermelon Rate Case: In March, 1937, the Division was represented at a hearing before the Interstate Commerce Com-mission in Atlanta, Ga., at which time a reduction was requested in the rates on watermelons from the Southeastern States. Con-siderable data were compiled and presented to the Commission in support of lower rates on this commodity. Mutual and Cooperative Organizations Sixty-two mutual exchanges, cooperative organizations and soil conservation associations were incorporated. Members of the Division not only wrote the articles of incorporation and by-laws for many of the exchanges and associations, but gave them as-sistance in getting their charters and other matters pertaining to a corporate set-up. The law under which the mutual exchanges and cooperative associations are incorporated requires that they make annual financial reports to the Division of Markets. One member of the Division visited and assisted virtually all of the mutual exchanges and cooperative associations in the State in making these re-ports. Considerable correspondence has been exchanged between members of this Division and these organizations to clarify their status under the Revenue Act of 1937. One member of this Division spent considerable time with farmers in the vicinity of Guilford College who own and operate their own telephone system. It was found that they were in difficulties in regard to their property and property rights and charter powers, and it required several meetings to get the Commissioner of Agriculture 55 matter cleared up. It was learned that their charter had been lapsed for a period of ten years and that the only way they could recover possession of their property was to re-incorporate under the same law and with the same provisions. This organization is operated on a mutual plan but is incorporated under the general corporation law. Acknowledgments In concluding this report, I wish to acknowledge your interest in and support of the work of the Division of Markets. It is a pleasure, too, to refer to the loyal and enthusiastic services of the personnel of the Division. Grateful acknowledgment is also made for the hearty cooperation this Division receives from the project leaders and others of the Bureau of Agricultural Eco-nomics with whom we have cooperative agreements. DIVISION OF TEST FARMS F. E. Miller The six Test Farms have made considerable progress during the past biennium, and it is the purpose of this report to present the program of work with brief statements as to the results secured from the many projects underway. Cooperation The experimental work on the Test Farms, consisting of 142 projects, is handled in cooperation with the North Carolina Agri-cultural Experiment Station at the North Carolina State College of the University of North Carolina, and with the United States Department of Agriculture. This cooperative arrangement al-lows for an enlarged program of investigational work. The co-operating agencies also aided in planning, financing, and carrying forward the experiments. All cooperative investigations receiving Federal support are covered by formal memorandums of agree-ment, which are signed by the executive officers of the agencies contributing to the projects. The research work on the Test Farms, in the laboratories and elsewhere, is under the control of the Director of the N. C. Agri-cultural Experiment Station. The Director of Test Farms also serves as Assistant Director of the Experiment Station. General The appropriation to the Test Farms Division for the past fiscal year was the largest in the history of the Station Farms. This allowed for an enlarged experimental program to help meet the increasing demands for new information on farm production problems, the purchase of additional land, to take care of needed repairs and the purchase of new equipment. This improvement program will be given more in detail under the following reports by each Station. In carrying out the provisions of S. B. No. 127, "AN ACT PRO-VIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EXPERIMENT FARM FOR THE STUDY OF PEANUT GROWING," passed by the 1937 General Assembly, 248 acres of land adjoining the Upper Coastal Plain Station were purchased during November, 1937. For carrying the peanut experimental work further, three or more acre areas have been leased in Northampton, Halifax, and Per-quimans Counties. The additional land at the Upper Coastal Plain Station will be used as the base for peanut investigations, dealing with lime, fertilizer, breeding, rotations and disease con- Commissioner of Agriculture 57 trol studies. The outlying leased areas will be used primarily for the study of the control of peanut diseases, supplemented with variety and rotation tests. The peanut experiments were started in the spring of 1938 on the above locations and indications point to the securing of much needed information. One of the most valuable improvements from the standpoint of increasing the usefulness of four of the Station farms is good roads. The State Highway and Public Works Commission has further emphasized their willingness to cooperate with agricul-tural agencies. State Highway No. 401, leading from U. S. 117, to the Coastal Plain Station, a distance of one mile, was paved the summer of 1937. The following roads leading to the Experiment Stations are being paved at this writing, or are approved by the Highway Commission for pavement within the next few months. The Cokey road, beginning at State Highway No. 43, and running by the Upper Coastal Plain Station in Edgecombe County, a distance of four miles. The Pike road, beginning at State Highway No. 9 7, and running to the Blackland Station in Washington County, a distance of nine miles. The County road, beginning at State Highway No. 90, at the Pied-mont Station property line in Iredell County and running North through the Station property, a distance of approximately one-half mile. With the completion of the pavement of these roads, all of the six Test Farms will be connected by hard-surfaced highways. The Stations have continued to hold the Annual Farmers Field Days. These meetings are attended each year by approximately 22,000 people. Several other meetings are held on the Stations during the year, such as: "Livestock Day" at the Blackland Station; "Small Grain Day" at the Piedmont Station; "Swine Day" at the Coastal Plain Station; and "Tobacco Conference" at the Tobacco Station. In addition, the County Agents and Teach-ers of Vocational Agriculture bring groups of farmers to the Stations to study the various experiments. In all, the number of visitors to the Stations is increasing each year, a fact which further emphasizes the popularity of the Station farms. Research The following will give the progress report by Stations. In reporting on the experiments, the name of the specialist leaders will be given and it is understood that the Assistant Director in Charge also contributes to each project, in addition to his duties as the administration officer of the Station farm. 58 Biennial Report TOBACCO STATION—OXFORD, N. C. E. G. Moss, Assistant Director in Charge and Senior Agronomist, U. S. D. A. Station Established in 1912. Area of Station, 250 Acres. Soil Type, Durham, and Sandy Loam. Elevation, 500 feet above sea level. Climatological Data for 1937 Mean Annual Temperature, 58.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual Rainfall, 49.91 inches. Total Snowfall, 7 inches. New Federal Laboratory The 1938 Congress of the United States appropriated $80,000. for an office and laboratory building, greenhouses, and garage at the Tobacco Station and plans are now underway for starting this building project. These buildings will be used by workers in the Bureau of Plant Industry and Entomology and Plant Quarantine, as well as by the tobacco specialists in the State work. Congressman Wm. B. Umstead of Durham, N. C, was largely responsible for securing this appropriation. General The primary object of the work of the Tobacco Station is to improve the tobacco crop by better cultural methods, better methods of applying fertilizers, crop rotations, varieties, disease control and better curing methods. In addition to the work which is being carried on at the Tobacco Station, intensive studies of tobacco diseases are made with particular reference to Granville wilt, root-knot, black shank and black root rot. In order to carry on these four projects, three men are employed for this work, namely; Messrs. James F. Bullock, T. E. Smith, and K. J. Shaw. For this work there has been leased a plot of land consisting of 4 acres in Forsyth County for the study of black shank, approximately % acre in Guilford County for the study of black root rot, two plats of land in the southern part of Granville County near Creedmoor, one of 4 acres and another of 8 acres, for the study of Granville wilt, and a plat of land of about 20 acres in Wake County near McCullers Station on the Highway between Raleigh and Fuquay Springs for the study of root-knot. Progress has been made in the general equipment and buildings of the Station during the past two years. A small experimental barn for the purpose of curing tobacco with electric current was constructed during July of 1937. Commissioner of Agriculture 59 Research All tobacco research is handled in cooperation with U. S. De-partment of Agriculture and the N. C. Agricultural Experiment Station. The general leaders in all tobacco experimental work in the State are Dr. W. W. Garner and E. G. Moss. Dr. R. F. Poole is a joint leader in the tobacco disease projects. Sources of Nitrogen for Tobacco: A number of sources of nitrogen have been used in crop tests and efforts have been made to measure the relative differences. Soybean meal has been one of the few organic sources which have shown up reasonably well. If and when this product can be bought cheaply enough to be used as a fertilizer, the indications are it will be very satisfactory. While there may not be such marked differences between sources of nitrogen, at the same time it certainly seems worth while to use more than one source of nitrogen for compiling or mixing a tobacco fertilizer. Sources and amounts of Potash: Several sources of potash have been used during the past few years in experimental work and recently the rate has been more widely varied than hereto-fore. A series of plats containing from 30 to 300 pounds of K2 per acre has been used. The results very definitely indicate that considerably more potash could be used than has been done in the past. Both yield and quality have been progressively im-proved up to around 250 pounds of K2 per acre with the indi-cation that the curve of improvement would straighten out above that point. Apparently there is not so much difference between the sources of potash provided, however, that too much chlorine is not available. On some soils above 20 pounds of chlorine per acre appeared to injure both quality and yield while on stiffer soils 30 pounds could be used with safety. There are some indi-cations that where high potash is used the sulphur S03 trioxide may be increased. Fertilizer Tests with Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur and Chlorine: Small amounts of magnesia (20 to 30 lbs. per acre) appear to benefit both yield and quality on the majority of soils even on new land which has just been cleared. Little can be said at present as to the proper amount of sulphur that is necessary for the best result. There are indications that very heavy amounts of S03 have a tendency to darken the color of the cured leaf. Just to what extent and where the point of change is not definitely determined. In regard to chlorine, apparently there is no question that large amounts of chlorine influence the burning quality of the cured leaf, and it does injure the growth where 60 Biennial Report excessive amounts are used. On the other hand, small amounts of chlorine, 20 to 30 pounds per acre, seem to give slightly better texture and larger yields. Tobacco Bed being sprayed with copper oxide-oil-lethane mixture. April 26, 1938. Tobacco Station. Fertilizer Tests in Rotation with Oats, Soybeans and Rye: These tests consisting of 72 plats, one-half of which has pre-viously been limed with a total of 3 tons of ground dolomitic limestone per acre, have been continued since 1911 with changes being made from time to time in the base application of fertilizer. On the limed end of these plats, which has encouraged the growth of wild legumes and other vegetation, plats are beginning to show that too much nitrogen is available for quality tobacco. The indi-cations are the base fertilizer, which has been 800 pounds of a 3-8-6 mixture, will have to be changed reducing the nitrogen and increasing both phosphoric acid and potash. The tobacco on plats which had 18% potash during the 1936-1937 season produced very much better tobacco than where only 6% was used. Studies of Downy Mildew (Blue Mold of Tobacco): Downy mildew was more severe during the spring of 1937 than any year since 1922. On account of the severity of this disease, we had a better opportunity to make extensive studies on control meas-ures than any time heretofore. A number of sprays and dusts had previously been used and during the past season a splendid Commissioner of Agriculture 61 opportunity was offered for testing on a more elaborate scale the most promising ones of those that had been tried. The copper-oxide oil lethane spray was tried in a rather extensive way fol-lowing up the work which had been done in Georgia and South Carolina. Around 20 plant beds were sprayed with this mixture in cooperation with the growers this year. The results were very satisfactory. In either case there was very little killing of the young plants as compared with a very heavy kill on the un-sprayed checks. This material in addition to affording consider-able protection to the plants appeared to stimulate the beds and the plants lived and grew off better than the unsprayed. The results obtained in North Carolina were similar to the ones ob-tained in the Georgia-South Carolina Belt. As a result of these tests it is believed that growers, if they follow carefully the in-structions, can secure enough protection to justify the use of this material on their beds. Considerable progress has also been made in the use of the gas treatment in which benzol is used. It is necessary, however, in General lay-out of tobacco seed beds showing pan, paradichlorobenzene, and wick methods of fumigation treatments in the control of blue mold. April 26, 1938. Tobacco Station. the use of the gas treatment to use a fairly heavy cloth to cover the beds at night and in cloudy weather. The gas treatment appears to be more effective than the spray treatment, but it is more expensive and more cumbersome. Either of these treatments can be used by the growers and in the long run would be cheaper than late plantings and hauling 62 Biennial Report plants all over the country. Detailed methods are available for the growers. Tobacco after Soybeans: The object of this experiment is to see if a proper balance of fertilizer can be used after soybeans turned under to grow quality tobacco. Varying amounts of phosphoric acid and potash with and without sulphur have been used. No commercial nitrogen has been used on a part of these plats. The results up to the present indicate that such a practice could not be recommended only in exceptional cases. The indi-cations also are that it would require three to four times as much potash as is usually recommended in general farm practices. Sulphur and Chlorine Studies: This test was designed to study in more detail the effect of heavy applications of sulphur trioxide in the form of sulphates on the tobacco. Nothing very outstanding has been secured from these tests so far. Plant Bed Fertilizer Studies: Comparatively little work has been done on the fertilization of tobacco seed beds. For the past three years different fertilizers have been used in a comparative study on seed beds. The results obtained by the use of all nitrate of soda as a source of nitrogen applied at the time of planting the seed bed have been very satisfactory. The indications are that the nitrogen has leached out before the plant has been able to take it up. There may be some other factor which is at present unknown. Soybean meal has been one of the sources of nitrogen which has given good results. Chlorine in the mixture is not advisable. Tobacco Curing Experiments: For the past 3 or 4 years limited studies have been made on the methods of curing tobacco. Temperature and humidity records have been kept. Studies on air control and different fuels have been carried on. At the Sta-tion an electrically equipped barn was used for the first time, and so far as information is available it is the first barn of flue-cured tobacco to be cured out by the use of electric current to supply the heat. The indications are that tobacco can be successfully cured in this manner, and the temperature can be controlled very efficiently. The major drawback will be the cost of the current. Fuel oil burners were used in another barn, and in another barn a stoker has been used for the three past seasons. These have been compared with the ordinary wood furnaces. The most efficient in fuel consumption has been the stoker. The six curings during the past season were finished at an average of less than 1100 pounds of coal for each curing. Regular stoker coal was used at a cost of $7.50 per ton delivered at the Station. This cost can be slightly reduced by buying coal in carload lots. Commissioner of Agriculture 63 The oil burners were very satisfactory, but the cost so far has been slightly greater than wood, averaging between $8.00 and $9.00 per barn. No definite statement so far can be made with reference to the cost of electric current since there has been no established rate for this purpose. The stoker barn and the electrically equipped barn were thermostatically controlled, which, of course, reduces to a minimum the cost of labor in the curing process. One definite conclusion which has been reached so far is that ventilation is one of the important factors in the curing process. The average wood barn will consume from VA to 2 cords of wood for each curing. Tobacco Insects: The Bureau of Entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture established an office and labora-tory in Oxford to study the control methods of tobacco insects July 1, 1935. This office works in cooperation with the Tobacco Station. The Station grew 3i/> acres of tobacco in 1936 and 5 acres during 1937 for experimental purposes for this office. One of the major problems has been to develop methods of control for the flea beetles in seed beds and in the field. 1% rotenone dust has been found to be very effective in the control of the insect. Comparative tests have been made this year on the effectiveness of the dust and the spray. Further investigations will be carried on before definite recommendations will be made. Mr. W. A. Shands, who is in charge of this office, and his Assistants are doing a splendid piece of work and as time goes on this office will be in position to make such recommendations as are found to be worth while. Varietal Studies of Flue-Cured Tobacco for Improvement of Quality and to Develop Disease Resistance James F. Bullock (U. S. D. A.) Black Root-Rot (Thielavia) : Experiments were started in 1929 to find or develop flue-cured varieties of tobacco resistant to black root-rot. These tests are being conducted on the farm of S. E. Boswell, near Summerfield, North Carolina. Special 400 is by far the most resistant variety found. Each year selections are made to maintain resistance. A limited quantity of seed are grown each year for distribution. Black Shank (Phytophthora nicotianae) : Breeding experi-ments started in 1931 were designed to develop a variety of flue-cured tobacco resistant to black shank. None of the existing flue-cured varieties were resistant enough to be commercially important. No. 301, a hybrid cigar wrapper developed by the North Florida Experiment Station and highly resistant to black 64 Biennial Report shank, was used in making crosses on five flue-cured varieties. The back cross method of breeding is being used. From experi-mental evidence and evidence gather from a number of farmers four or five year rotations are very effective in reducing the loss from black shank. Soil treatment studies are being conducted by Dr. R. F. Poole of North Carolina State College. Tobacco Varieties: Tobacco variety tests are conducted to find and develop the best varieties of flue-cured tobacco for the different sections of North Carolina. Breeding methods employed are selection and hybridization. Cash, White Stem Orinoco, Bonanza, Jamaica and Gold Dollar (a selection of Jamaica) are best adapted to the Middle and Old Belts. In the New Belt, Gold Dollar, Virginia Bright Leaf, Bonanza and White Stem Orinoco are most popular. Granville Wilt T. E. Smith (U. S. D. A.) Extensive experiments designed to develop control measures for Granville wilt (Bacterium solanacearum E.F.S.) were started in 1935. Four major lines of work are being followed. 1. Breeding for resistance: Strains of tobacco having mod-erate resistance have been found, but the search is being con-tinued for a higher degree of resistance. The backcross method is being used to introduce the resistance at hand into a standard flue-cured variety. 2. Host Range Studies: Certain crop and ornamental plants together with the more common field weeds have been tested for susceptibility to natural infection by growing them on highly infested soil in the field. In all, 77 species have been tested. They varied in susceptibility from to 100%. Four species of weeds—Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) , Jimson weed (Datura stramonium), Croton (Croton glandulosus) and Span-ish needles (Biclens biptinnata)—were as susceptible as tobacco (100% ) . Eight species of wilt affected weeds were found in and around cultivated fields of the wilt infested area during the years they were being rotated to immune crops for wilt control. These were Horse nettle (Solanum carolinense) , Ragweed (Ambrosia elatior), Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis), Cocklebur (Xan-thium Sp.) , Croton (Croton glandulosus) , Jimson weed (Datura stramonium), Ground cherry (Physalis pruinosa) and Aster sp. 3. Crop rotation: A |
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