630.7

Maine Department of Agriculture

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

VOL. XVI.

DECEMBER, 1917.

No. 4.

LAWS OF MAINE RELATING TO AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

CHAPTER 34, REVISED STATUTES.

Sec. 1. (As amended by P. L. 1917) State department of agriculture; election of commissioner; creation of office of deputy commissioner. A state department of agriculture shall be maintained for the improvement of agriculture and the advancement of the interest of husbandry. A commissioner of agriculture shall be elected by the legislature by joint ballot of the senators and representatives in convention, and shall hold his office for the term of four years and until his successor is elected and qualified. He shall give bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars to the state, with sufficient sureties, or with a surety company authorized to do business in the state, as surety, to be approved by the treasurer of state, conditioned to faithfully account for all moneys received and disbursed by him as said commissioner. The commissioner of agriculture may, with the approval of the governor and council, appoint a deputy commissioner of agriculture, who shall be the chief of one of the department bureaus in the department of agriculture and shall perform the duties of the commissioner of agriculture during his absence, in addition to his duties as chief of a department. bureau. The deputy commissioner shall hold office during the term of office of the commissioner or until his successor is appointed, and his compensation and expenses shall be paid from any funds appropriated for the use of the department bureau of which he is chief.

Sec. 2. Duties; appropriation. The commissioner of agriculture shall by personal observation, investigation and cor

respondence, acquaint himself with the methods and wants of practical husbandry, the means of fertilization, and the adaptation of various products to the soils and climate of the state; also with the progress of scientific and practical agriculture elsewhere, with a view to the more complete development of the natural resources of the state; he shall gather statistics of information concerning agriculture and publish the same annually; he shall assist the farmers of the state, in so far as is practical, to secure farm help, and to promote increased production of farm crops through the selection, the growing and the dissemination of superior strains of seeds. An appropriation of three thousand dollars annually shall be made, to be expended by the commissioner of agriculture for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section and of section six of this chapter, and for such other purposes and in such manner as in his judgment will best promote the interests of agriculture in this state.

Sec. 3. Shall hold institutes; character of their work. He shall hold or cause to be held two farmers' institutes in each county annually and as many more as the appropriation therefor will allow. The work of said institutes shall be devoted to the presentation and discussion of questions bearing upon agriculture and the agricultural interests of the state; and for this purpose said commissioner may employ speakers who are qualified and versed in the subjects assigned them. He may also appoint and employ assistants, experts, lecturers, a stenographer and other aids needed in conducting such institute work, and shall fix the compensation of such employees. He may hold such institutes independently or in connection with other organizations devoted to agricultural interests and as far as possible and for the best agricultural interests of the state, aid and encourage agricultural societies and associations in the state, and shall collect and preserve in his office for public inspection all valuable data relating to the practical work of such societies and associations.

Sec. 4. Shall hold a state dairymen's conference. He shall, in connection with, and with the aid of the Maine Dairymen's Association, annually hold a state dairymen's conference for the exhibit of dairy products and appliances, wherein prizes for

high merit and quality in butter and cheese may be offered, and may employ experts and lecturers to enhance dairy interests, but the expenses of the same shall not exceed the sum of seven hundred dollars annually.

Sec. 5. Appropriation. An appropriation of three thousand dollars annually shall be made for said institute work and for all other purposes set out in the two preceding sections.

Sec. 6. Shall assist in promoting horticultural and dairy work. The commissioner of agriculture shall aid and assist societies and associations organized and established for the advancement of pomology, horticulture and dairy work, also societies devoted to the interests of the pure breeding of stock of all kinds.

Sec. 7. Shall apportion the state stipend due societies. He shall apportion annually the stipend due from the state to the said agricultural societies, including the State Pomological Society; he shall issue blanks to the proper officers of said societies for such returns as may be deemed necessary for a full and complete knowledge of the work of said societies for each year, and shall certify to the governor and council the amount of bounty due such society, and shall designate to the treasurer of state to whom such moneys shall be paid, but said societies shall not be entitled to such bounty, unless they shall make such returns.

Sec. 8. Authority to summon officers and examine books and records. He may summon before him and examine on oath any officer of an incorporated agricultural society or other person whose testimony he shall deem necessary in the proper discharge of his duties, and may require such witnesses to bring before him for examination, any books or records in their custody or control which he may deem necessary for his information in the performance of his duties.

Sec. 9. Annual report. He shall annually make a report to the governor and council, on or before the first day of January of each year, of the work of the department of agriculture in detail, combining in the same a report of the State Pomological Society and Maine Dairymen's Association, and all other matters relating to the promotion of agriculture; and for the purpose of said report, said society and association shall furnish