No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 61 



have entered their protest against the continued use of coal-tar 

 dyes as "butter colors." Some of these scientific investigators refer 

 to the evidence of the increasing prejudice against the artificial 

 coloring of butter with harmful ingredients, although it is the long- 

 established custom of the dairymen of the State to use coloring mat- 

 ter in the manufacture of butter, so as to make it of a uniform tint. 

 It is a well-known fact that butter of a yellow color will command 

 a higher figure in the markets than white butter, even though the 

 latter be equally as good as the former, but, if the coloring materials 

 employed are harmful, it is clearly indicated that some changes are 

 needed. The Commissioner will be glad to cooperate with those 

 interested so far as lies within his power without conflicting with 

 his obligations to the Commonwealth and the public in general. 

 Poisonous butter colors, it is needless to say, have no legal nor moral 

 right in our dietary. 



ADULTERATED LIQUOR A SERIOUS EVIL. 



An investigation into the liquor supply of the State resulted in a 

 large number of prosecutions, and it is expected that these inves- 

 tigations will be continued during the year 1905. The large num- 

 ber of suits instituted in liquor cases were based upon the illegal 

 use of preservatives in wines, brandies, beer, etc. Coal-tar dyes 

 were frequently found. The use of salicylic acid in wine, brandy 

 and beer was especially common, and particularly in many inferior 

 goods, which were either counterfeit or vile compounds. Their com- 

 position indicated in numerous instances that the alcholic contents 

 were insufficient to prevent fermentation, and that so-called *'fruit 

 brandies" did not contain a particle of the fruit from which it was 

 supposed they had been produced, and for these reasons these com- 

 pounds were heavily dosed with harmful preservatives and foreign 

 coloring agents to cover their inferiority. The investigations made 

 demonstrated the fact that so-termed ''pure rye whiskey" is almost 

 a myth, as raw alcohol, prune juice and caramel constitute the main 

 ingredients of many of the "compounded" or ''blended" pure rye (?) 

 brands. This mixture may suit some palates, but the purchaser is 

 deceived and pays for that which he does not receive. We have 

 need of more stringent laws regulating the sale of alcoholic bever- 

 ages, drugs and patent medicines. It is an important fact that even 

 some good citizens will, when not in need of it, drink "rum," and 

 they certainly have the right to demand that they have it pure. 



THE SALE OF IMMATURE OR "BOB-VEAL" IN PENN'A. 



The state of New York has a law which prescribes severe penal- 

 ties for the slaughter, for the purpose of selling the same for food, 

 any calf unless it is at least four weeks old. Transportation com- 

 panies are also enjoined from carrying or delivering such immature 

 calves, and all carcasses of calves forwarded must be marked by a 

 tag, stating the name of the person or persons who raised the calf, 

 the name of the shipper, and the point of shipping and destination. 

 The railroads and express companies shall not accept for shipment 

 any carcasses of calves, or any part thereof, unless the same are 

 properly tagged, as provided by law. It is probable that Pennsyl- 

 vania will also enact a special law upon this important question. 



