282 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 163

sales floor at public auction during the current marketing
season, provided the market is open at the time.

(e). It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of a
licensed tobacco commission sales agency to purchase any
tobacco on any licensed tobacco sale floor for and upon his
own account. Nothing herein contained shall prevent any
officer or employee of any agency who has been previously
designated and who is directly in charge of sales from pur-
chasing any tobacco for and upon the account of said
licensed tobacco commission sales agency.

(f). It shall be unlawful for any producer or owner of
tobacco to sell or offer for sale any tobacco which said owner
has deliberately "nested" or cause to be "nested". For the
purposes of this sub-title, "nested" tobacco is any lot of
tobacco which has been loaded, packed or arranged so as to
conceal any foreign matter or tobacco of inferior grade,
quality or condition, including any lots of tobacco which
contain damaged, tangled or other inferior tobacco which
cannot be readily detected upon inspection by virtue of the
manner in which said lot was packed or arranged. Any
tobacco commission sales agency which discovers or learns
of any nested tobacco in any lots consigned to such agency
shall forthwith report the facts to the State Tobacco Au-
thority. The Authority shall then take such legal action as
the nature of the case may require.

59-1. (Studies and Investigations. ) (a) The Authority may
in its discretion make studies and investigations covering any
phase of the production and marketing of tobacco in Mary-
land, and collaborate with other groups or agencies, includ-
ing but not limited to, the University of Maryland and the
State Board of Agriculture. It may provide information to
tobacco growers and to the general public as to the relation
between prices received by the producers of tobacco and the
general commodity price level. It may conduct surveys
among tobacco growers to determine their needs for better
and more efficient production, handling, and marketing of
tobacco. It. may act to promote the more extensive use of
tobacco grown in Maryland in both domestic and foreign
markets.

(b). The Authority may by subpoena require the presence
of any person necessary to a full consideration of any pro-
posed study or investigation. In case of refusal on the part
of any person to comply with a subpoena issued on behalf
of the Authority, it shall be the duty of the Circuit Court
of any County, or of any judges of the Supreme Bench of