26 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



nets in foreign countries from unl'uir exuniinHlion and unjust discrimi- 

 nation. During tlie fiscal year these provisions of tlie act of Congress 

 will be j)iif into operation. 



Another provision of the act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture 

 to study tlie effect of food preservatives ui^on healtli and to determine 

 if any food presei-vatives are admissible, and if so in what foods and 

 in what quantities. Tn carrying out this provision it is proposed to 

 secure the collaboration of schools and colleges of hygiene where a 

 Ijerfect control of the conditions of experiment can be secured. 



A priori, it seems evident that no really effective food preservative 

 should be admitted in foods further than is necessary to serve as a 

 condiment — as, for instance, sugar or common salt. At the same time 

 there is a large class of foods which are difficultly ijreserved Avithout 

 the use of antiseptics. It is not fair to place all antiseptics in the 

 same class and condemn them all because some are certainl}- bad. 

 The object of this examination is therefore to determine, if possible, 

 tlie effect of food preservatives on digestion and the amount, if any, 

 of certain nearlj- harmless ones, which may be admitted into foods 

 intended for human consumption. This question is one of the great- 

 est importance, both from a hj'gienic point of view and from the needs 

 of the manufacturers of a large line of agricultural pi'oducts. 



Until the hygienic relations of food preservatives can thus be accu- 

 rately ascertained, it is clearly the imperative duty of manufacturers 

 to state upon the labels of the packages of their goods prej)ared by 

 the use of j)reservatives the kind and quantities of the preservative 

 agents employed. 



PLAN OF WORK FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1902. 



The Avork outlined under the first and second general headings of 

 this report should be j)rosecuted, with certain changes, during the 

 fiscal year ending June 30, 1902. 



An especial effort should be made to indicate in what direction 

 improvements must be sought in the case of wheat and other cereals. 

 The work of the Division several years ago in the im^jrovement of the 

 sorghum plant, the first of its kind undertaken b}' the Department, 

 shows what may be accomplished in this direction. 



To preserve the good name of our food i^roducts abroad, the inspec- 

 tion of the exported food jjroducts should be perfected and extendtid, 

 and to this end a national pui-e-food law to secure the same results at 

 home Avould l)e a most valuable adjunct. 



The influence of temperature and other meteorological forces in the 

 com])osition of the beet, Avhich is now under observation, should be 

 studied more systematically. To that end the cooperation of at least 

 some of the experiment stations situated in our arid regions and under 

 irrigation should be secured. In such stations all the meteorological 

 conditions, except temperature, can be readilj^ controlled. It is quite 

 jjossible that Avith such an adjustment of moisture and other conditions 

 as Avould secure a rapid and unchecked progress of the beet to matur- 

 ity, a very high sugar content might be secured at temperatures mucli 

 above those giving the best results under ordinary noi-mal conditions. 



Greater facilities for cooperative Avork Avith the other offices of the 

 Department and Avith the other Departments should be provided. 

 The Department of Agriculture, Avithout any solicitation on its part, 

 has come to be regarded as the chemical adviser of many of the other 

 Departments. It is evident that both economy of administration and 

 effecti\'eness of Avork can be secured by fostering this sentiment. 



