14 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



The apportionment shows the number of days that the Department 

 agrees to furnish at least two lecturers to each county, for institute 

 work during the season of 1900-1901. It is made on the basis of two 

 days of institute to every county having not over 1,000 farms; three 

 days to each county having more than 1,000 and not over 1,500; after- 

 wards, one day for each 1,500 farms or fraction thereof additional. 

 This iiisuies Department aid to each county, in proportion to its agri- 

 cultural interests. 



THE DAIRY AND FOOD DIVISION. 



The administration of the laws for the protection of the public 

 against the sale of impure food, as will be seen from the report of the 

 Dairy and Food Commissioner, has been attended with the same ditli- 

 culties, that are usual in the enforcement of any law, that places re- 

 straint upon the natural desires of men, to realize large profits out of 

 their business. The pressure of competition, in all lines of trade, is 

 such as to compel business men, to exercise tlie greatest care in the 

 umnagement of their affairs, in order to succeed. Skilled experts are 

 employed, to devise means for cheapening the production of goods 

 already on the markets, and to discover new, and cheaper articles, 

 which will imitate and undersell the old. 



So long as these cheapening processes do not impair the quality, 

 affect the healthfulness of the article, or deceive the purchaser, they 

 are to be commended. But when, as not infrequently occurs, in the 

 preparation of food products, the nutritive character of the article is 

 weakened by the addition of cheaper substances, without notice to 

 the public, or substances injurious to health are introduced, the law 

 properly interferes to stop such practice, and to prescribe limits, be- 

 yond which the dealer shall not go. 



The Dairy and Food Commissioner of this Department, is charged 

 with the enforcement of certain laws, which protect the public against 

 adulteration and fraud, in the preparation and sale of food products. 

 As is stated elsewhere, in this report, the Department has endeav- 

 ored to define, clearly, the requirements of these several laws, in order 

 that there may be no excuse for their violation, on the ground of 

 ignorance of their jirovisions. Those, therefore, who transgress in 

 this respect, do so knowingly, and are, therefore, justly liable to pun 



