114 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



from points east, covering a territory as far as Saint Andrews, 

 N. B. These clams, when received in Pine Point, were shucked 

 by the dealers there and shipped to both intra and interstate 

 points, and the examination of the freight records shows that 

 the cities of Boston, Lowell, Worcester, Lawrence and Lynn, in 

 Massachusetts, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Providence, 

 Rhode Island, were supplied extensively by dealers in this place. 

 It was also learned that the cities of the Kennebec Valley in the 

 State of Maine, and other cities of the state, were being supplied 

 from this source; also, that clams were being supplied in con- 

 siderable quantity from Sorrento, Chebeague and other islands 

 in Portland Harbor, through the wholesalers in Portland, and 

 in small quantities from the vicinity of Popham, Bay Point, 

 Friendship and Medomak. 



In the course of inspection, a few cases have been reported 

 where the dealers, in direct violation of the food standards, 

 have been found offering clams for sale, with a piece of ice in 

 the container and in direct contact with the clams ; in all in- 

 stances, the offenders have been cited to hearings and the cases 

 settled ; cases of this nature, however, have not been frequent, 

 and early in the investigation it was definitely decided that the 

 retailers were not wholly to blame and that evidently the clams 

 were being adulterated in the hands of the wholesalers. Ac- 

 cordingly, charges were brought against wholesale dealers, not 

 only as a result of the analysis of samples obtained from their 

 places of business, and actual observation of their methods, but 

 for violations based upon the analysis of other samples taken 

 from retailers who had been supplied by these wholesale dealers 

 and to which sources the deficient samples were traced. As a 

 result, two large wholesale concerns were fined for such viola- 

 tions. Later sampling of their product in the early autumn 

 showed that considerable benefit had resulted from such action, 

 as these later samples were found to be of a superior quality 

 and in accord with the food standards. A third concern, doing 

 a wholesale business, was taken to court and a fine with costi 

 imposed, which was appealed. This case was brought in the 

 Portland municipal court and appealed to the May term of the 

 superior court, but, on account of a misunderstanding, was nol 

 prossed by the countv attorney at that time. Later examination 



