No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 79 



severe punishment visited upon some of the principals has gone 

 a long way to discourage all but the most reckless. The consumer 

 could render valuable aid to the State if he were to be a little more 

 cautious in the purchase of his butter, looking with suspicion upon 

 any man who offers to furnish him with butter at a figure con- 

 siderably below the market price. The chances are that it is col- 

 ored oleomargarine. It should be remembered that cheap goods 

 are sometimes extremely dangerous. Infected oleomargarine sold 

 as butter might cost many a family the life of one of its members. 



FLAVORING EXTRACTS AND ESSENCES. 



Judging by the result of the chemical analysis of the specimens 

 of flavoring extracts and essences collected by our agents, there is 

 considerable room for improvement in the manufacture of these 

 articles. Housekeepers who use them may be of great assistance 

 in the effort to bring about a better condition by insisting upon 

 a careful scrutiny of the label, and also demanding the best goods' 

 on the market. Co-operation of this^ sort will soon work out ex- 

 cellent results. Of 5 samples of essence of peppermint analyzed, 

 3 were found to be adulterated; one sample of essence of lemon only 

 was taken and it was pure; but of 19 samples of extract of lemon, 

 no less than 14 had been adulterated; half the samples of extract of 

 peppermint were adulterated, as was the single sample of extract of 

 orange; all the samples of vanilla, lemon substitute and strawberry 

 syrup w^ere adulterated, but the 5 samples of honey were pure. Of 

 all these products, 45 samples were collected; two-thirds of the 

 total number w-ere adulterated. Tlie only bright spot in the "whole 

 list, is the fact that the adulteration of honey, formerly carried on 

 upon a large scale, seems to have practically ceased. It is to be 

 regretted that so many of the manufacturers of the essences and 

 extracts, of which so much use is now^ made in the family and else- 

 where, should be so careless or unscrupulous as to w'eaken the 

 value of their products by the intrusion of adulterants. These are 

 added for the purpose of cheapening the first cost of the product, 

 but the result is so injurious to the human system as well as so 

 disappointing to the purchaser, that every conscientious manufac- 

 turer should not only be glad to make an end of the practice, but 

 also to use his influence to bring to justice the persistent offenders. 

 We confidently look forward to a decided improvement in the 

 quality of these articles during the coming year. 



MEATS AND FISH, CANNED AND FRESH. 



Under this general title is included meats and fish and their 

 products. Of these, 427 samples were collected by our agents dur- 

 ing the year. The result of chemical investigation showed that 

 413 w^ere pure, while but 14 w^ere adulterated. This is an ex- 

 cellent showing and is very much to the credit of those who put 

 these products upon the market. All the samples of bacon were 

 pure; so w^ere all the samples of beef, including chopped, dried, 

 loaf, potted, roasted, and fresh steak. Of 23 samples of bologna, 

 20 were pure. Of two samples of potted chicken, one was pure, 

 the other adulterated, but the loaf chicken and the boned chicken 

 were pure. The canned clams, the canned crab meat, were found 

 to be without trace of adulterants. Of 103 samples of fresh ham- 



