No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 87 



prosecuted and terminated for violation of the act of 1911, 418 

 cases. That is to say, the chemists' findings showed, on the average, 

 out of nine samples examined one illegal in quality. The general 

 character of the analytical results indicates that adulteration by the 

 addition of water was of as frequent occurrence as that by the 

 removal of milk fat. It ought further to be mentioned tliat a very 

 considerable fraction of the cases instituted were based upon the 

 analyses of milk sold at hotels and restaurants, which were visited 

 somewhat more generally than usual. It is clear from these findings 

 that the public greatly needed the protection which this new milk 

 act affords. 



There were terminated during the year 7 cases brought for the 

 reason that formaldehyde had been added to milk, no instance ap- 

 pearing in which boric acid had been so used. The number of cases 

 found this year, as compared with the 5 reported for 1910, is not 

 out of proportion to the latter number when the difference in the 

 number of samjjles in the two years is taken into account. The con- 

 dition of the milk supply as respects its freedom from chemical 

 preservatives, remains highly favorable, especially when the wide- 

 spread use of these objectionable preseivatives in the milk supply on 

 the markets a few 3'ears ago is recalled. There were also terminated 

 during this year, 38 cases brought for milk adulteration, under the 

 act of 1909, and two brought under the food act of 1907. 



CREAM 



During 1911, 1,038 samples of cream were analyzed, and during the 

 year there were 150 prosecutions terminated for the sale of cream 

 containing less than the standard quantity of butter fat. Supple- 

 mentary sampling of the cream stocks of a number of communities 

 showed a very wholesome improvement in the quality of the cream 

 supplied, following the first series of prosecutions brought for vio- 

 lations of the law. 



AVhen it is recalled that within a very few years customers asking 

 for cream were frequently supplied with a product containing but 

 6 to 8 per cent, of butter fat, although the cream secured by the old- 

 fashioned method of skimming commonly contained over 30 per cent, 

 of fat, it will be realized how much better assurance the householder 

 can have, under the present act, of getting a fairly uniform, good 

 cream. 



CONDENSED MILK 



Duing 1911 there were examined 11 samples of products sold as 

 condensed milk and evaporated milk, but the present year has wit- 

 nessed the termination of no case instituted for the violation of the 

 laws, as they apply to these materials. 



SKIMMED MILK AND BUTTERMILK 



There were examined during the past year 116 samples of skimmed 

 milk and 3 samples of buttermilk, the sale of which, under these 

 specific names, is allowed by the present laws. Three eases of additions 

 of water to skimmed milk were terminated during the year, showing 

 that, as respects adtilterations by such additions, the skimmed milk 

 supply is not in a serious condition. 



