SIR-I have the honor to submit the following report of the Chemical Division of the Agricultural Department of the State of Florida for the year 1907.

The usual inspections of the various sections of the State have been made by the State Chemist, Assistant State Chemists and Inspectors. The chemical force having been materially increased, the inspection of the various manufactories, depots, warehouses and fields of the State has been more general and frequent during the year 1907 than in previous years. A larger number of dealers and consumers have been visited, and the workings of the law more generally explained to the citizens of the State. The result of this work is very evident in the increased revenues of the division, and most strikingly illustrated in the much greater average value of fertilizers and feedstuff sold throughout the State, shown in detail under proper heads.

The records of the Agricultural Department show the sale of inspection stamps covering 124,606.20 tons of fertilizers and cottonseed meal, and 49,536.64 tons of commercial feeding stuff, a total revenue of $43,535.70. There was an increase of 27,623.56 tons in fertilizers and cottonseed meal sold; a decrease of 3,641.48 tons in commercial feedstuffs. This decrease was doubtless due to the withdrawal from the State of certain low grade feeds, formerly sold without guarantee.

The expenses of the Chemical Division for salaries of Chemists and Inspectors; for traveling expenses of Inspectors and Chemists inspecting Foods, Feeds and Fertilizers; for laboratory expenses-chemicals and apparatus and for building addition to the State Laboratory was $11,541.44.

In addition to the expenses of the Chemical Division proper there are chargeable to the revenue derived from Fertilizer and Stock Feed Laws, the expenses of the Agricultural Department for stamps, postage and express

thereon, blanks, salary of clerk of Fertilizer and Feed Department, and the printing of the Chemical portion of the quarterly Agricultural Bulletin and postage thereon.

The value of the laws-Fertilizer, Feedstuff and Food Laws-has been practically and personally brought to the attention of the dealer and consumer, by the various officers of the division. The economy and profitableness of requiring fertilizers, feeds and foods to be properly guaranteed and kept up to standard is now being generally conceded by dealers and consumers.

Inferior fertilizers, feeds and foods, cheap substitutes for standard articles, are seldom now found on the market.

Florida fertilizers, particularly those manufactured in the State, have for years been noted for their high grades and fair prices-attributable largely to the publicity given by the Agricultural Department to the analysis of the various fertilizers, with a fair valuation fixed by the State as a guide to purchasers.

Our commercial feedstuff has very materially increased in average value, while numerous low grade or inferior feeds not up to guarantee have either been withdrawn from the State or have had their value increased by the elimination of worthless fillers. There is now no excuse for dealers or consumers to accept inferior feeds, as feeds of the best quality can now be secured in the State from reputable and responsible manufacturers. This is a vast change in conditions as they prevailed prior to the enactment of the Commercial Feedstuff Law. Prior to its enactment, a sample of pure feed, bran, middlings, shorts or mixed feed was seldom found in the State. The contrary is now the case. Much yet remains to be done; constant vigilance on the part of the dealer and consumer is required to prevent the offering of inferior feeds for sale, while the vigorous enforcement of the laws and regulations by the State officials and Sheriffs is demanded to prevent the importation and sale of inferior material.

The "special sample" drawn by the purchaser and sent to the Agricultural Department for analysis, to discover if the feed or fertilizer be as represented, is peculiar to our law, and in the case of feeds should be more frequently taken advantage of by the consumer. There can be no excuse for a consumer to accept, and pay for, misrepresented commercial feeds or fertilizers. No State but

Florida provides that a "special sample" may be drawn by the purchaser (under proper rules and regulations) and submitted for examination free of charge. It is, in my opinion, one of the best features of the law, and the greatest safeguard to the consumer and dealer.

I quote from former reports on the subject of the "Special Sample," which applies both to the fertilizer and feed law, as follows:

SPECIAL SAMPLES.

"It is shown by the number of 'Special Samples' (those sent in direct by the purchaser of fertilizers) that the law is becoming more generally understood by the farmer, fruit and vegetable grower. Purchasers who have any reason to doubt the correctness of the guarantee on the goods furnished them, do not hesitate to send in samples for analysis.

"This right to have a sample of the goods purchased analyzed by the State Chemist, under Section 9 of the law -without charge the inspection fees covering the cost of analysis, as well as inspection-has doubtless had a direct influence upon the increased quality of the goods sold in the State. When properly drawn, sealed, witnessed and transmitted, the "Special Sample" has proved a safeguard to the customer, legitimate dealer, and manufacturer, and a check upon the careless, ignorant, or fraudulent vendor or manufacturer.

"It furnishes the consumer with the same protection demanded by the manufacturer, who buys his materials only upon the guarantee, and pays for them according to analysis."

The Financial Report shows that 49,536 tons of commercial feedstuff were consumed in Florida in 1907. When we consider that all this material, costing our people, at $32.00 per ton, some $1,585,152, was produced in other States, at a profit, and freighted at large expense into Florida-a State second to none in capacity to produce all her own feeds and grow a surplus for export-efforts should be made by our people to save this vast sum annually sent out of the State for feedstuff.

No State can produce the "legumes"-cowpeas, velvet beans, beggarweed-at less cost than can Florida. These furnish the choicest "proteins," or "flesh formers," equal

to bran or middlings when properly cured. Among the fat formers (carbohydrates, starches and sugars), there are none superior to sweet potatoes, cassava, rice, sorghum and Japanese sugar cane. The latter produces immense quantities of the rest feed at a nominal cost for culture. In Florida, Japanese sugar cane is practically a perennial; once planted, it will continue to produce, with little care, for years. Its culture should be more universal. It is palatable, and furnishes feed the year round, and particularly during the winter months, when most needed. Its harvest for winter use is simple and inexpensive; to the dairyman it furnishes succulent feed in the winter, and in this State will replace the silo to a great extent. To the tobacco growers it is especially valuable, replacing to a large extent the costly cottonseed hulls, which are of little real feeding value, compared to cost.

A few acres of Japanese sugar cane, costing but a small sum per acre to cultivate, would furnish immense quantities of better feed at far less cost in time and money than the costly imported feeds now used.

FERTILIZERS.

This report shows the consumption of 124,606 tons of commercial fertilizers and cottonseed meal, costing $33.00 per ton, on $4,111,998. A large part of this sum could be retained in the State by an intelligent system of stockraising, combined with the growing of the stock feeds necessary. While the direct saving of money would be great, the indirect profits in more fertile fields and larger crops would be much greater.

No State has better facilities for profitable live stock farming, where all the necessary feeds can be produced, than has Florida. With little care and the application of modern methods the best of beef, mutton and pork can be produced, while no locality offers greater inducements to the dairyman.

With our mild climate, abundance of water, numerous pasture grasses of superior quality, together with the legumes mentioned, the "fat formers"-sugar cane, riec, cassava, etc.-both our feed and fertilizer bills should be materially reduced, and our farms rapidly enriched instead of being impoverished.

The most expensive ingredient of our fertilizers is nitro