REPOET OF THE SECEETARY. 33 



inspection as the products were opened by the appraisers for the 

 assessment of duties. 



That the result of this inspection at the ports has resulted in an 

 improved quality in many instances is shoNVTi, for example, by the 

 change in the character of the fig imports now offered for entry. In 

 the report for last year attention was directed to this article of food. 

 The figs now offered for the use of the people are cleaner and better 

 than they were last year. 



Several years ago a great many detentions were made at the port of 

 New York of lemon oil sophisticated with pinene. The character of 

 the oil offered for entry during the past year has been practically free 

 from all objectionable features. Very few cases are met with now 

 where objectionable preservatives have been used. The coloring 

 matter used in foods is practically confined to the list of aniline dyes 

 mentioned in Food Inspection Decision 76. 



WORK OF THE DEPAETMENT IN 1910. 

 OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR. 



Since June 30, 1909, the work of this Office has more than doubled. 

 There were reported to the Attorney-General in the past fiscal year, 

 through this Office, in all, 1,738 cases arising under the acts of Con- 

 gress administered by the Department of Agriculture, being twice as 

 many cases as were similarly reported in the fiscal year 1909. As 

 a result of these reports between S40,000 and 850,000 in fines and costs 

 was assessed against defendants; hundreds of tons of adulterated or 

 misbranded foods and drugs were forfeited, and many cases of 

 claims to lands lying within the National Forests were adjudicated. 

 In addition a large number of permits for the use of the resources of 

 the National Forests were scrutinized; 350 contracts, leases, and 

 bonds were prepared, and the sufficiency of the execution of the 

 same later examined; letters patent on inventions made by the 

 employees of the Department and for dedication to the public were 

 secured; the entire Ofiice, both in the field and in Washington, was 

 reorganized, and the force in Washington assembled under one roof. 

 Nearly 100 written opinions were rendered to the Secretary and the 

 various chiefs of Bureaus on the interpretation of the acts of Con- 

 gress applicable to the Department, or on legal questions arising 

 in the conduct of the business of this Department; close touch was 

 kept with all the Department's cases in the hands of United States 

 attorneys, memoranda as a basis for briefs were prepared for their 

 use, and, in general, the cooperation between the oflicers of the Depart- 

 ment of Justice and this Office was complete and cordial. The cases 

 arising imder the acts of Congress administered by the Department 

 73477°— AGB 1910 3 



