12 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



by the public. Just how much disease is spread because flies 

 carry with them and deposit upon exposed foods the germs of 

 dangerous diseases, or the dust of the streets containing dan- 

 gerous disease germs is scattered upon food materials, or the 

 spray from human mouths contaminate food products, can 

 never be ascertained. That diseases are spread by these means, 

 however, is indisputable. In like manner it can never be ascer- 

 tained of just what value various inspection laws are to the 

 commonwealth, but by comparing the reports of many other 

 states with our own we can feel certain that at the present 

 time the old statement that Maine is the dumping ground for 

 inferior materials can no longer hold true. The character of 

 the various materials offered for sale in the State, which come 

 under the requirements of the various inspection laws, is 

 constantly improving. 



The actual work of inspection in the field is accomplished 

 by means of several deputies. The collection of samples of 

 fertilizers, feeding stuffs and seeds is done, as noted above, at 

 certain short definite periods of the year and is usually done 

 by special deputies who search for these particular materials 

 only. The remainder of the inspection work is at the present 

 time done principally by local inspectors appointed to look after 

 some limited locality in which they reside. 



By this means the larger towns and cities are at present being 

 constantly inspected and the sanitary conditions of food dis- 

 plays are being constantly improved. 



As stated above, with the close of the present year the Di- 

 rector of the^'Experiment Station is relieved from the executive 

 work under these various laws, which will be enforced by the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture. There will be no radical changes 

 in the enforcement of these various acts. The chemical an- 

 alyses will be made at the Maine Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tions and the results of the examination published by the Sta- 

 tion, as in the past. 



Biology. 



The Department of Biology is chiefly engaged in the studv 

 of plant and animal breeding. The final goal of this work is 

 to find out how the common farm crops and live stock may be 

 improved in quality and productivity by breeding. On the ani- 



