No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 15 



Tuberculosis oi" auimals is the most generally distributed of the 

 transmissible diseases, and is common to man and animals ; and has 

 been found in birds, fishes and reptiles, and in rare cases, in horses. 

 But, as a disease, its oreatest economic importance in relation to 

 agriculture is the extent it is found in cattle and swine. 



It is worthy of note in the summary submitted by the State Veter- 

 inarian, that for twenty years since the crealion of the State Live- 

 stock Sanitary Board, the number of herds tested with tuberculin 

 were 14,363; number of cattle tested, 192,310; number that reacted. 

 24,408 and the number of herds found to be free of tuberculosis, 7,174, 



BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY 



The Bureau of Chemistry has reached a high standard of profi- 

 ciency. The quarters in the Capitol being cramped and lacking proper 

 facilities to carry on the increasing and additional work that de- 

 maned more apparatus, the Board of Public Grounds and Buildings 

 fitted up at considerable expense, a building in the Capitol Extension, 

 formerly used for school purposes and equipping same with up-to-date 

 apparatus, the Bureau was transferred late in the year and is ready 

 to meet the additional demands on the Laboratory in the examina- 

 tions of Paint, Putty and Turpentine, and of Lime in accordance with 

 the acts of the last session of the General Assembly, the enforce- 

 ment of which is placed with the Secretary of the Department. 



The question of feeding domestic animals is of great importance, 

 not only in unadulterated feeds, but in the constituent elements 

 that enter into digestible feeds. In earlier years livestock were not 

 fed with a view of the feeding value of the feeds; to-day that is the 

 problem confronting dealers and consumers, and next to unadul- 

 terated feeds, the composition of feeding stuffs cannot be estimated. 



With the usual alertness in detecting adulterated feeds and feeds 

 below standard, tlie Bureau, though its agents and chemists, have 

 rendered the State valuable service. The feeding stuffs law of Penn- 

 sylvania is considered the best in the Nation, very frequently quoted, 

 and many of its provisions have been incorporated in the laws of 

 other states. The purpose of the act is not only to detect spurious 

 feeds or those unfit to be fed to animals, but is educational. It is 

 the purpose of the Bureau to give facts to the citizens of the State 

 as to what feeds they should buy and those of greatest value for 

 special lines of feeding. 



The report of the Chief Chemist shows that the general character of 

 the feeding stuffs sold in 1915 was good. Fifty counties of the State, 

 embracing 293 towns, were visited by the Special Agents of the Bur- 

 eau, and 1,264 official samples of feed obtained. There were over 1,- 

 600 different brands of feed registered. It was impossible for the 

 Bureau to ascertain the correct figures as to the number of tons of 

 feeding stuff sold in Pennsylvania, as some of the larger firms refused 



