42G ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



extracts and essential oils originatin*^ in this or in a branch laboratory. 

 The cjises prepared by the dairy laboratory and the miscellaneous 

 division are recorded in connection with those investigations (i)p. 433. 

 453, and 455). 



A large percentage of the domestic samples found by the branch 

 laboratories to be adulterated or misbranded are checked by the 

 Washington inspection lal)oratory, tiiis forming its chief duty. The 

 volume of this work, both analytical and executive, restricts to a 

 great extent investigation, although a certain amount of research 

 work is done in connection with s])ecial problems arising directly in 

 connection with the law, as, for example, the investigations of cider 

 vinegar, maraschino, noodles, beers, etc. (See pp. 440 to 444.) 



All import cases not decided upon established precedents at the 

 port laboratories and reported direct to the collector of customs are 

 referred to this laboratory, checked, if necessary, and the case pre- 

 pared for reference to the Board of Food an I Drug Inspection. 

 Seven hundred and thirty-one cases were so handled during the past 

 year, constituting approximately one-third of the shipments detained, 

 and of these 553 were found to be illegal and 1 78 were released with 

 out prejudice to future decisions. This work often necessitates 

 investigations of manufacturing conditions, composition of foreign 

 products and their natural variations, trade practices, etc. 



Work of the Branch Laboratories. 

 general tabular statement. 



The following tabular statement indicates the volume and scope of 

 the work done at the port laboratories. The varying conditions at the 

 several ports, the different amounts of time given to court and research 

 work, and the fact that some laboratories have a much larger force 

 than others, makes any comparison misleading. Furthermore, at 

 some jiorts chemists have been assigned to special inquiries or trans- 

 ferred to other laboratories to meet certain exigencies, as at Pittsburgh, 

 Galveston, and Nashville. The main investigations inaugurated at 

 the Washington office relating to vinegar, beers, egg noodles, and 

 the deterioration of fruit and vegetable products such as ketchups, 

 jams, etc., including the examination of the fresh products and the 

 same at various stages of decomposition, were participated in by 

 nearly all of the port laboratories and no special mention is made of 

 them under the individual reports. Another line of work which is 

 pursued at all of the laboratories to a greater or less degree is the 

 cooperation with local branches of the departmental service, notably 

 the commissary officers of the War and Navy Departments, the 

 collectc.rs of customs, and the collectors of internal revenue, for whom 

 samples are examined and much time saved, especially for those 

 located on the Pacific coast and at other points distant from 

 Washington. 



