36 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Investigation into the character of the fats used in the adulteration 

 of chocolate and cocoa. 



Investigation into the character of canned goods found upon the 

 markets of the State. 



Accurate information upon these subjects is of the highest import- 

 ance to the people of the State, and the Department is endeavoring to 

 supply this information as rapidly as its resources will warrant. 



If the investigation into the causes of the ravages of the Hessian 

 Fly will enable our farmers to sow their grain at a date when this 

 insect is not active, or to select a variety of grain that can resist their 

 attack, many millions of dollars will annually be saved to the farmers 

 of the State. During the year thousands of samples of growing 

 wheat have been collected from all parts of the State and examined; 

 the elevation of all the points of selection ascertained, and the con- 

 ditions as to variety, date of sowing and character of soil all recorded. 

 The farmers of the State have been very helpful in securing samples 

 and transmitting them promptly to the expert who conducts the 

 examination. As soon as possible the Department should be so en- 

 larged as to be able to employ, as a part of its regular force, trained 

 • investigators who will devote their entire time to scientific work 

 along agricultural lines. It is through such work that the agricul- 

 ture of the future must be advanced. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The Department has prepared and published during the year its 

 sixth annual report in two volumes. Volume one contains 1009 

 pages, and volume two 348 pages. The law provides for the printing 

 of 31,600 copies of this report, to be distributed, to the Senate, 9,000 

 copies; to the House of Representatives, 20,000 copies; to the De- 

 partment of Agriculture, 2,000 copies; to the State Librarian, 500 

 copies; and to the State Agricultural Experiment Station, 100 copies. 



The number apportioned to the Department of Agriculture is en- 

 tirely inadequate; the editions of some years being entirely exhaust- 

 ed. At least 5,000 copies should be given to the Secretary for dis- 

 tribution in order to meet the demand. 



Since the organization of the Department in 1895, there have been 

 published 87 Bulletins of information to farmers. Seventeen of these 



