REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



United States Department of Agriculttjre, 



Bureau or Chemistry, 

 Washington, D. C, October 1, 1915. 

 Sir: I submit herewith the report of the work of the Bureau of 

 Chemistry for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1915. 

 Kespectfully, 



Carl. L. Alsberg, 



Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture, 



New investigations in connection with the application of chemistry 

 to agriculture and the development of a systematic plan of inspec- 

 tion in connection with the enforcement of the Federal food and 

 drugs act increased very largely the volume of work done by the 

 Bureau of Chemistry during the fiscal year. 



The research work, which has heretofore been confined largely to 

 problems arising in connection with law enforcement, was extended 

 to include work designed to prevent spoilage and waste and to in- 

 crease production. 



The experience of the bureau in the administration of the Federal 

 food and drugs act shows that violations of its provisions are quite 

 as frequently the result of ignorance of proper methods of produc- 

 tion as of willful intent. The effort which has been made to improve 

 old and devise new methods of production has proved to be an im- 

 portant factor in securing compliance with the law. The results 

 obtained have been communicated to manufacturers and producers 

 through cooperative experiments and publications. 



The research work has been divided so as to segregate investiga- 

 tions in reference to food adulteration from investigations of new 

 methods of production and new methods of utilizing products of 

 the soil and sea. In both, there has been increased activity, and 

 it is contemplated that in the near future research work in agricul- 

 tural chemistry, which in recent years has been overshadowed by the 

 demands of regulatory work, will take an equally important place in 

 the duties of the bureau. 



RESEARCH. 



Flora or foodstufes. — A laboratory of microbiology was estab- 

 lished for the purpose of further developing work upon the decompo- 

 sition and fermentation of food products. In this laboratory a com- 

 parative study was undertaken of the groups of species of molds. 



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