GOO ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

 SPECIAL WORK PLANNED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1912-13. 



INSPECTION WORK. 



Routine inspection matters and frequent sliort investigations will 

 occupy the greater portion of the time of the inspectors during the 

 coming fiscal year, but special assignments will be given attention 

 as tlie subjects for inquiry may develop. As in all forms of police 

 work, the detection of violations is difficult to anticipate and is 

 based largely on methodical and constant surveillance of the pro- 

 ducing, shipping, and consuming sections of the country. 



The results of the investigations of medicines furnished to phy- 

 sicians by supply houses justify further collection of samples of this 

 character. 



Among the more important projects outlined is the continuation 

 of a concerted investigation at the pro])er season of canneries, with 

 particular reference to the packing of canned goods with excessive 

 quantities of water, brine, sauces, and other useless fillers. 



As in the past, there Avill be periodical inspections made of the 

 fresh milk furnished to cities situated near State borders which 

 receive a large part of their supply from producers in a neighboring 

 State. Attention will also be given to the interstate traffic in canned 

 milks. 



Sufficient is known of the insanitary condition of oyster and clam 

 beds to warrant wholesale collections when the shellfish season opens, 

 provided necessary steps have not been taken in the meantime by the 

 shippers or the OAvners to improve the state of their properties. 



Certain inspectors will be required under previous departmental 

 instructions to collect samples in the enforcement of the insecticide 

 and fungicide act, 1910. 



FOOD INVESTIGATIONS. 



The work of the division of foods and the branch laboratories will 

 continue to consist largely of the examination of samples of interstate 

 and imported foods and drugs in connection with the enforcement 

 of the food and drugs act. Analytical methods will be studied and 

 new methods devised according to the needs arising from conditions 

 of manufacture and the cliaracter of adulterations. 



Special investigations planned during the year are as follows: 



New shortening materials now appearing on the market, which are 

 made by saturating the liquid glycerids of vegetable oils, will be 

 investigated and a" method for detecting synthetic stearin in lard 

 compounds Avill, if possible, be elaborated. 



The work on peanuts and peanut oil will be continued and the 

 pecan investigation will be carried through another season. 



The special work on the preparation of brandies and cordials will 

 probably be finished during the coming year. It is further ])lanned 

 to make a study of the preparation of malt liquors from various 

 kinds of raw material, especially along the line of determining the 

 absolute composition of products made from barley, and of the com- 

 position of grape juice made on a commercial scale during the com* 

 ing gi"ape season at one or two large grape-juice factories. 



