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fore removal from the place where the same was bolted or packed and these brands are to be registered with the clerk of the Quarter Sessions of the County. No flour is to be exported before being inspected. Inspectors have authority to enter on board any vessel, or into any store, to search for flour intended to be exported, and are protected from molestation by a heavy penalty on the offender. Counterfeiters of the brand are to pay five pounds for every cask so branded. No inspector is to deal in flour, under a penalty of fifty pounds, and forfeit of office.

Flour mixed with Indian corn meal, is to be condemned, and a fine of three dollars for each cask incurred: one fourth to the use of the inspector, and the other three-fourths to the use of the poor of the county in which the owner of the flour may reside.

Corn, intended to be ground into meal, must be first kiln dried, and when ground, the words "kiln dried," must be branded on the cask, before it leaves the mill. Casks containing rye flour must also be branded with the words "rye flour," and he may add "fine," if he thinks its quality will insure approbation from the inspector. Corn and rye meal may be packed in large casks, but secured by sixteen hoops, with four nails in each chine hoop, and three wooden pegs at the upper edge of each bilge hoop: the staves to be forty-one inches, and the diameter of the head twenty-seven inches; the diameter at the bung, thirty-one inches, and to contain eight hundred pounds neat weight, and having the tare of the cask marked on it. Both rye and corn flour are subject to the same inspection, and the same penalties as wheaten flour. Three cents are allowed for each cask of corn or rye meal inspected.

Bread casks are to be weighed, and the tare marked thereon; a false tare subjects the offender to the penalty of five shillings. Bakers of bread for export

ation, must deliver with the bread, an invoice, with his name branded on the cask: if found light, they are forfeited. Flour waggons, carts or boats, with flour on board, must have sufficient covering: flour brought to a landing, must be stored or sheltered from the weather. Flour attempted to be shipped before inspection, pays five shillings a barrel. In case of disputes between owner and inspector, a magistrate appoints three impartial persons, one named by the owner, one by the inspector, and a third by himself, who examine the flour, and report the state thereof; if damaged, the cause of such damage: if the flour be not deemed merchantable by the magistrate, the owner must pay to the inspector one shilling per cask; if deemed merchantable, the inspector pays all costs. In case flour has been injured by shallop-men, carters, or miller, the owner is entitled to damages to the extent of the injury. The penalty is five pounds for counterfeiting flour brands, or impressing the same on flour casks ; one hundred pounds for branding flour "superfine," after it has been condemned; and if attempted to be shipped, the flour is forfeited: one half goes to the State, the other half to the prosecutor.

The manner of performing the inspection is as follows. The officer runs a scoop diagonally from one head of a barrel to the other, and is thus enabled to examine every part of its contents, and to determine whether it is of uniform quality, as to fineness or clearness, or whether it is musty or sour, and he accordingly either confirms the stamp of quality already made by the miller, or erases it by means of a scraper: the mark of approbation, besides leaving the original brand of quality undefaced, is a wooden plug, stamped S. P. on the head, and inserted in the hole made by the scoop.

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Such is the confidence placed in the abilities and impartiality of the inspectors, that appeals from their decisions are seldom made, and in the few instances in which disputes have occurred, the decision of the officer has been confirmed. Besides one cent per barrel paid by the buyer, the inspector receives the contents of the scoop as a perquisite.

In the year 1809, in consequence of the increase of the trade, and extension of the city, a law was passed, requiring the appointment of two inspectors, one to reside north, and the other south of Highstreet, who are to attend alternately for one month in each district, to the inspection of flour: and when the emoluments exceed 1500 dollars a year to each inspector, one half of the surplus is to be paid into the State treasury. Every barrel of wheat and rye flour must contain 196 lbs.

Shad and Herring.

Casks for packing shad and herring for exportation, may be made of any kind of timber, but must be salt and pickle tight, and hooped with fourteen good hoops, secured at each bilge with three nails or pins, and at each head or chine hoop, with at least three nails. The length of the staves to be 274 inches. The head, 174 inches. The cask to contain 28 gallons, wine measure. The half barrel, 14 gallons; and both to be branded with the initial letter of the christian name, and the sirname at full length, of the packer or seller, under a penalty of 67 cents for each barrel. On payment of the fine, the inspector may brand them with his name, and be entitled to six cents from the persons selling the same. Before a sale, or exportation, the barrels must be examined by the inspector, who is authorized to erase the brand

of the packer, in case the barrels are not of the dimensions, and made in the way before mentioned, and not packed and secured as here directed. If they cannot be rendered merchantable, he may erase the brand of the curer, and impress on the head a cross, thus,

Persons selling shad or herrings, for exportation, or transportation, before they have been examined and branded; or refusing permission to the inspector to erase a brand, when necessary, shall forfeit one dollar and thirty three cents for every barrel. The penalty for defacing the marks of condemnation of the inspector, is twenty dollars. Twenty cents are allowed to the inspector for examining every barrel, and thirty-three cents for every barrel or half barrel of shad or herring he may repack: for filling up and heading the same, ten cents. Unexported fish are to be examined every six months, and three cents are allowed for every barrel examined and headed.

Penalties are to be collected by the inspector for the time being; one half to be paid to the guardians of the poor, the other half to be retained by the inspector: to be recovered as other debts. Appeals from the decision of the inspector are provided for as in the case of flour. Deputies may be appointed by the inspector, in Philadelphia county, Bucks, and Chester.

Butter.

Every keg of butter offered for sale and exporta-. tion, shall contain fifty pounds of butter, sufficiently salted for exportation, and shall be packed in kegs of the following dimensions: viz.

The staves to be of the length of sixteen and one half inches, the diameter of the head eleven inches, and the diameter of the bulge thirteen inches, and

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made of sound and well seasoned white-oak timber, with seventeen hoops on each keg, and fastened with three iron nails in each head hoop: each keg shall be weighed and tared, and the tare marked on one of the heads with a marking iron in legible characters.

Every keg containing butter shall be inspected before it be laden on board of any vessel for exportation, by boreing a hole through the head, and piercing the butter through with a proper instrument, in order to ascertain the quality; and if the inspector find the butter of first quality, he shall brand the keg with the letters S P, first quality; and if found inferior to the first, he shall brand it S P, second quality; and if found not merchantable, then the said inspector shall impress and brand a distinct mark of a cross, thus, (each stroke of the said cross shall be at least two inches long,) on one head of every such keg, containing butter as aforesaid.

Every person who shall load on board of a vessel, any butter not inspected, or offer for sale, or export in kegs different from those described, or containing less than fifty pounds, shall forfeit one dollar for each keg. Four cents are paid as inspection fees, for each keg, by the purchaser, and customary allowance for cooperage, unless he employ his own cooper.

Flax Seed.

No flax seed is permitted to be exported before being cleaned, and must be packed in casks, made as straight as possible; the staves of which must be of sound oak, and having, besides a lining hoop on the outside round the chines; twelve other good hoops, secured by three iron nails in each of the chine hoops, and three in each quarter hoop. The casks are to be of two sizes: the larger size to be two feet nine inches long; and in diameter, at each head, twenty-four inches, and to contain seven bushels of