Report of John H. Grant. 



Hon. Charles A. Wietixg, Commissioner of Agriculture: 



Dear Sir. — I have the honor to submit the annual report of the 

 Ninth Division of the Department, comprising the counties of 

 Erie, Niagara and Orleans, for the year beginning October 1, 

 1900, and ending September 30, 1901. 



On October 15, 1900, 1 was appointed by you as Assistant Com- 

 missioner, relieving on October 18th Mr. W. C. Patrick, who had 

 been in charge of the division the preceding seven months. On 

 assuming charge the working staff of this office consisted of five 

 special agents, viz.: John J. Coughlin, John R. Earl, William B. 

 Reading, Clayton J. Standart and Charles A. Warren, all men of 

 intelligence and extended experience and who rendered the State 

 good service in the detection of violations of the Agricultural 

 Law. The Department chemist, Dr. John A. Miller, has faith- 

 fully performed his work early and late, and has furnished 

 valuable counsel to myself and agents many times during the 

 year. 



Owing to the Pan-American Exposition the work of the divi- 

 sion has been much increased during the year, and to the cour- 

 tesy of the exposition management we are indebted for unhin- 

 dered admittance to the grounds at all times on official duty. 

 This official scrutiny, I believe, reduced to the minimum the intro- 

 duction and sale of adulterated and prohibited products within 

 or near the exposition. 



MILK. 



The supervision of the milk supply in Buffalo engrossed the 

 attention and time of the agents to a considerable decree: 

 especially has this been so in doubtful cases between the retail 

 dealer and producer, entailing, as it does, looking into the local 

 station supply, the producer's shipping station and his herd. 

 One of the most important matters connected with a city milk 

 supply not only to the consumer but to the retail peddler is to 

 have a milk supply of full nutritive value; i. e., above the mini- 

 mum of the legal standard. It has been my experience that at 

 certain times, and in some instances at all times of the year, 



