212 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ure sheds, and 105 iniscellaiioous structures. This work has been 

 rect^ived with much appreciation by the farmers, and tlie bureau has 

 been obliired to refuse many requests for phins to suit specific require- 

 ments, also for phins for peculiar conditions in the West, owing to the 

 pressure of work. 



Assistance has been given during the 3'car in the erection of 140 

 silos, 36 of wliicli were of concrete reenforced with wire fencing, 1 was 

 of metal lath and cement, 2 were of brick, and the rest of wood, either 

 stave or modified Wisconsin type. This w-ork of encouraging the use 

 of silos is very fruitful. The adA'antage of using silage is well recog- 

 nized ; still the average dairyman is inclined to regard the silo as an 

 experimental venture until he has seen one used successfully. 

 Therefore, whenever one silo is built in a community where there are 

 none, others are usually built later. 



EXPERIMENTAL WORK. 



During the spring an experiment was made, in cooperation with 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry, in feeding to a herd of dairy cattle at 

 Wiley, Va., an extract made from cornstalks in the process of paper 

 manufacture, for the purpose of determining the value of this extract 

 as a feed. It was not possible to make the experiment comprehensive 

 and complete, but it was intended as a preliminary investigation to 

 determine in a general wa}'' w'hethor or not some value could be assigned 

 to this by-product as feed for dairy cattle. The substance showed no 

 deleterious effect on the cattle, and in a general way appeared to have 

 a value of not less than $9 a ton as compared with other feeds at 

 current prices. More comprehensive investigation may indicate 

 a greater value. 



MARKET MILK INVESTIGATIONS. 



The W'Ork of market milk investigations, of which Mr. George M. 

 Wbitaker is in charge, is largely educational in character with a view 

 to improving local milk conditions, and is carried on mainly in coop- 

 eration with city health departments. During the year this work 

 hag included 51 cities in 27 States. This number does not include 

 suburban places adjoining large cities in which a considerable work 

 has been done. The chief lines of w^ork have been introducing and 

 carr}"ing out the score-card system of inspection, assisting in com- 

 petitive exhibitions of milk and cream, inspecting the milk supply 

 placed on sale in the GoverDm.ent departments, and investigating the 

 conditions of the milk business in the vicinity of Bostom. 



In the introduction of the score-card system and the giving of 

 assistance in properly carrying it out, 620 inspections were made in 

 24 States. These inspections were made in company with either the 

 health officer or one of his inspectors. 



A number of States and municipalities that have had inadequate 

 laws have, partly because of the department's work, enacted laws to 

 provide suitably for milk inspection. 



The importance of work such as is being done b}^ the department in 

 assisting city health authorities to improve the milk supply is shown 

 hj the fact that a large proportion of the deaths of young children in 

 cities is undoubtedly due to bad milk. Great improvement has been 

 brought about in some cities, but in many cases there are serious 

 obstacles to progress, such as political conditions and the ignorance of 



