Report of J. P. Clark. 



Hon. Fred. C. Schraub, Commissioner of Agriculture: 



I herewith respectfully submit my first report for the tenth di- 

 vision of the Department of Agriculture, comprising the counties 

 of Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua, for the year of 1895, 

 from the date of my appointment, February 15th. 



The early part of the season was devoted to an examination of 

 the vinegar being sold in the larger towns of this division. Very 

 little was found that did not fulfill the requirements of the law, 

 and the lack in those cases was due to ignorance of the standard 

 or the quality of the article being sold. Subsequent examination 

 at the place where quality was deficient has shown much im- 

 provement. 



A few requests for inspection of milk at factories were received 

 and attended to early in the season, but active work in this branch 

 of the service was not commenced until grass was well started 

 and pasturage at its best. 



Mr. C. B. Wakefield, of Kennedy, was oppointed expert and 

 agent in this division on the first day of July, and has since that 

 time been actively engaged giving instructions at cheese factories 

 and inspecting milk, with good results. 



Anthrax has been more prevalent in this division than usual the 

 present season, probably due to a number of causes, principally, 

 the extreme and long protracted drought, the cold nights followed 

 by hot days, and the low physical condition of stock generally, 

 brought about by the shortness of pasture and reluctance of farm- 

 ers to feed any forage crops, on account of the scant supply of hay 

 for winter use and the low price of dairy products. Attention 

 was first called to the existence of this disease, July 30th, by the 

 sudden death of six young horses and the serious condition of two 



