No. «. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 86 



desire that no kind of adulteration should be practiced nor permitted, but 

 sternly discountenanced. These associations further declare against adultera- 

 tion, whether the same was injurious to health or affecting the purse of the 

 consumer; they denounce any form of deception or fraud upon the consumer, 

 and at their meetings, have passed resolutions supporting these statements. 

 They are not satisfied with preventative measures only; they desire and 

 strongly urge that punitive measures be applied in any case belonging to this 

 category of adulteration. Under the administration of these strong and ener- 

 getic organizations, the counsel and help extended to their members should 

 exert a far-reaching and excellent effect. 



The Dairy and Food Bureau appreciates such friendly help, and ventures 

 the opinion that in no manner can the members of these active organizations 

 receive greater benefits than by accepting the principles which they advocate; 

 for those who will wilfully violate the laws despite such warnings, do not 

 reflect credit nor honor upon the organizations whose privileges they have 

 abused. 



COUNTERFEIT AND MISBRANDED CHOCOLATE CANDY. 



One of the evils found in the confectionery trade has been the use of parafflne, 

 umber and other substitutes in the manufacture of so-called "chocolate" goods. 

 Certain confectioners employed parafflne wax, together with a brown coloring 

 material, which, in some cases, was found to be brown umber, and thus de- 

 ceived the innocent buyer into believing that he was getting pure candy at a 

 cheap price. In other cases, the manufacturers would not designate them as 

 chocolate, but simply as chocolate colored goods. This did not excuse the 

 offense, and consequently the pure food authorities were obliged to stop these 

 practices through the process of prosecutions for violations of the pure food 

 laws. 



The National Association of Confectioners is organized purposely to prevent 

 the use of harmful adulterations or ingredients in the manufacture of con- 

 fectionery, and the members are willing to assist the pure food officials in 

 driving out of the market spurious and harmful confectionery. They claim that 

 their main object is to stand together for greater purity of products, knowing 

 that increased patronage can only come through the sale of pure goods. 



Letters from Philadelphia, Pittsburg and other places referred to the sale of 

 cheap candies which caused death or the illness of children, and these com- 

 plaints received the prompt and careful attention of the special agents of the 

 Bureau. In no single instance was it proven that such death or illness was 

 entirely due to the use of adulterated or poisonous candy. The complainants 

 erred in the diagnosis of the real trouble. It is but fair to make this state- 

 ment, because of the misleading newspaper reports which have appeared from 

 time to time, and to present this Bureau in its proper light. 



VINEGAR LAWS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



Gross misconception existed among fruit growers and farmers concerning 

 the actual requirements of the law regulating the manufacture and sale of 

 pure apple or cider vinegar. A circular letter was promulgated interpreting 

 the statute. Farmers who make cider from the pure fruit-juice and label the 

 same with the name of the producer and the name of the article, for example, 

 "Apple cider vinegar," need not fear prosecution, for there will be none unless 

 such vinegar is found, upon analysis, to contain added chemicals or drugs or 

 water, or is otherwise adulterated. White wine, malt, spirits, and other 

 varieties of vinegar are also subject to analysis, and when they are mis- 

 branded in non-compliance with the law, the sellers thereof will be subject to 

 a penalty. 



As the year just ended furnished a prolific crop of apples, and because of a 

 better understanding of the vinegar law on the part of farmers and dealers, 

 generally, the amount of cider-vinegar produced or stored for fermentation is 

 largely in excess of many previous seasons. Many producers who have applied 

 for information were desirous that the chemists of the Dairy and Food Bureau 

 should make free analytical tests for acidity and solids in vinegar in order 

 that they could sell their vinegar under guarantee, as demanded by some 

 merchants, but this request could not be met, because there is no fund avail- 

 able for the payment of the large expenses that would necessarily follow. 

 The amended vinegar law is decidedly beneficial to fruit growers, and the 

 Bureau will cheerfully furnish copies to all applicants. 



PURE CIDER VINEGAR IN INCREASED DEMAND. 



It is a matter of congratulation that the fruit growers and farmers of Penn- 

 sylvania are commencing to realize the value and importance of their fruit 

 crops better than ever before. The increased facilities for keeping prime fruit 

 in cold storage have caused the average farmer to keep in close touch with 

 the markets, and to-day, the fruit crop and its by-products are being handled 

 to much better advantage and profit than in former years. 



