Chap. 249.—An ACT to establish a department of agriculture, mining,
and manufacturing, for the stato.

Approved March 29, 1877.

1, Beit enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the governor of this state is hereby authorized and required
to establish a department of agriculture for the state of Vir-

inia.

6 2. That said department shall be under the control and
management of one officer, who shall be known as the com-
missioner of agriculture. He shall be appointed by the gov-
ernor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate.
Said commissioner shall be allowed one clerk, to be chosen
by himself, to assist the commissioner in the discharge of the
clerical duties of his office. The office of said commissioner
shall be at the capitol of the state, and an office and furni-
ture necessary for the transaction of the duties of his office
shall be furnished him by the executive of this state.

3. That the salary of said commissioner shall be fifteen
hundred dollars per annum, and the salary of his clerk shall
be six hundred dollars per annum.

4. That the duties of said commissioner sha!l be:

First. He shall prepare, under his own direction, a hand-
book, describing the geological formation of the various coun -
ties of this state, with information as to the gencral adapta-
tion of the soil of said counties for the various products; and
for the purpose of giving a general and careful estimate of
the capacity and character of the soil of the counties of this
state, to obtain a correct analysis of the same, he shall be
furnished by the executive of the state, from the state treas-
ury, with a sum of not more than one thousand dollars, with
which to purchase a sufficient chemical apparatus to use in
connection with said office, for the purpose of analyzing the
soils and minerals of this state, and guanos and fertilizers,
as he may deem of importance. Information upon the above
subjects, and others of interest to those who till the soil of
this state, shall be given, in circular or pamphlet form, to
the agricultural associations or clubs of the various counties
in this state, for distribution, at such times as the commis-
sioner may be Prepared to do so.

Second. Said commissioner shall have under his charge
the analysis of fertilizers sold to be used for agricultural
purposes in this state. A fair sample of every brand of fer-
tilizers sold to be used in the state, shall be first submitted
to said commissioner. When he shall have thoroughly
tested the same, which it shall be his duty to do, if he shall
find the same of no practical value, he shall summon before
him the parties interested, and give them a fall and sufficient

portunity of correcting any injustice which may have

een done to them by mistake, accident, or otherwise. And
if it shall still be found that the brand is of no practical value,
the sale of the same for use in this state as a fertilizer sha’
be prohibited. Any person violating the provisions of this
act by selling any fertilizer to be used in this state, without
first submitting a fair sample of the same to the said commis-
sioner, under rules prescribed by him, shall be fined not less
than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars
for each offence; one-half of such fine shall be paid to the in-
former, and the other half into the treasury of the state:
provided however, that agricultural lime, agricultural salt,
grouad plaster, wood-ashes, and German potash, shall not be
subject to the provisions of this act; and provided further,
that no fees shall be charged by the commissioner for the
analysis of fertilizers required under this act, but such analy-
sis shal! be free of expense. |

Third. Said commissioner shall have under his especial
charge the disease of the grains, fruits, and other crops of
this state; and he shall, at various times, report upon any
remedy for said diseases, or any useful information upon
said subjects; and he shall employ, in a manner that he may
deem fit, a chemist to assist him in his researches, and a geol-
ogist to assist him in preparing a geological survey of each
county of the state, and other business that he may deem of
importance to advance the purpose for which this depart-
ment is created.

Fourth. The said commissioner shall have in charge the
mining and manufacturing interests of the state, and shall
collect such statistical and other information as may be
deemed useful in regard to them, and may tend in any way
to foster and encourage them. - He shall especially establisb,
in or convenient to his office in the city of Richmond, a cabi-
net, in which it shall be his duty to deposit such specimens
of rock, coal, ores, lead, metals, and other mineral substances
or useful matters discovered and examined, and of models of
inventions, and other useful products of manufacture, as may
be proper and necessary to form a complete cabinet as may
be in his power of the specimens of geology, mineralogy,
manufacture, and other useful matters relating to the indus-
trial pursuits of the state. Such specimens shall be labeled
and arranged in proper order for public inspection, and the
names of the counties from which they were collected, or the

laces where manufactured, to be designated. He shall also

eep in his office, or in said cabinet, conveniently arranged,
and open to the inspection of the public, all maps, surveys,
information, and statistics, gathered by him in the discharge
of his duties under this act.

Fifth. Said commissioner shall examine into any questions
that may be of interest to the horticulturists and fruit-
growers of this state, and in all endeavors that he may deem
proper toward encouraging these important industries.
Sixth. Said commissioner shal: report, as is hereinbefore
set forth, upon any matter of interest in connection with the
dairy that he may deem of interest to the people of this state.

Seventh. Said commissioner shall report upon the culture
of wool, the utility and profits of sheep-raising, and all other
information upon this important subject. Said commissioner
shall have under bis special charge, the study of the various
insects that are injurious to the crops, planta, and fruits of
this state, their habits and propagation, and the proper mode
for their destruction. He shall ‘also give his attention to the
subject of irrigation, and what portion of the state can be
most benefitted thereby. He shall also give hig attention to
the subject of fencing.

Fighth. It shall be the duty of the commissiorer to pro-
vide for the proper and careful distribution of any seeds that
the government of the United States may desire to intro-
duce into Virginia, and shall make arrangements for the im-
portation of seeds that he may deem of value to this state,
and for the proper, careful, and judicious distribution of the
same; also for the exchange of seeds with adjoining states
or foreign countries for seeds from this state; and their dis-
tribution in a proper manner shall bo entirely under bis
oe and control. :

Ninth. Said commissioner may report upon any matter or
subject he may deem of interest to the ayriculture of this
state.

5. That the commissioner shall be empowered to make‘all
necessary rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying
out the design and intentions of this act.

6. That for the purpose of practically carrying out the de-_
sign for which this department of agriculture is instituted in
this state, an appropriation is hereby made for the support
and maintenance of said department, and for the payment of
employees, that it will be necessary to employ to properly
carry out the intentions of this act, five thousand dollars per
annum, and no greater amount shall be expended for the
purposes embraced within this act during any one year. Said
amount shall be especially appropriated from the treasury for
said purpose, and shall be counted as an annual expense of
the state; and said amount shall be drawn from the state
treasury by the commissioner, under rules to be established
for said commissioner by the governor.

7. That the office of said commissioner shall continue for
two years from date of his appointment; and he shall per-
form the duties of the same for said length of time, unless
removed in the manner now prescribed iy law for the re-
moval of officers of the state government.

8. That the commissioner appoiuted under this act, shall,
before entering upon his duties, execute a bond to the satis-
faction of the governor in the sum of ten thousand dollars,
for the faithful performance of the duties of his office.

9. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are’
hereby repealed.