FARMERS PROTECTED AGAINST THEMSELVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1935, 26 March 1891, Page 6

FARMERS PROTECTED AGAINST THEMSELVES.

It is satisfactory to note that a measure is 'o be submitted to the Imperial Parliament for the prevention of fraudulent sales and adulteration of artificial manures and cattle foods in the United Kingdom. The principles embodied in the proposed enactment have met with the unqualified approval of fho agricultucal journals, and it is confidently anticipated that the bill, which will be introduced by a private member of Parliament, will receiva the cordial support of Mr Chaplin, the Minister for Agriculture. Among other things, the bill provides, " that any person who sells or offers for sale any artificial manure or feeding stuff in cny quantity not less than lcw^ shall deliver to the purchaser an invoice ceitificat>i f.tatir>g ihe name and address of the imnufac tner, the coantcy of origin if imported, tbe date of manufacture if not imported, ihe constituents of bhe commodity, the percentage and origin of oil in cakes, the percentages of tribisic phosphate, phosphate of lime an 1 ammonia in bone dust, or raw or boiled bones, the percentages of soluble and insoluble

phosphate of lime, and of nitrogen, or its equivalent in ammonia, in dissolved bones, the percentage of soluble phosphate of lime in mineral superphosphates, the percentage of pure J nitrate in nitrate of soda, the percentage of | ammonia in sulphate of ammonia, the proportions of the component substances in compound artificial manures and the percentage of soluble and insoluble phosphate of lime and of nitrogen or its equivalent in ammonia, the origin and percentage of ammonia in Peruvian guano, and the quality and condition of all manures as to drynees and friability or fitness for distribution." Further, the measure proposes that " the descriptive name or trade-mark of each of the commodities referred to shall be affixed or branded upon the bag, case, or other package containing it, or upon each cake." The necessity for such a measure in the interests of the whole community of British farmers appears to be universally conceded, for while the more intelligent, prudent, and economical have their manures and feeding stuffs carefully sampled and analysed at little cost by tbe facilities afforded them as ncembers of farmers' clubs or of influential agricultural societies, by far the larger number fall an easy prey to unscrupulous dealers. The one section use only high class manures; the other consider cheapness only, not quality, or, buying m credit, take what is given them without demur, and are Victimised. It is sincerely to be desired that the enactment will be the herald of legislation on similar lines in these colonies.