58 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



quired for the legal proceedings, a case terminated in one year may 

 have been instituted as the result of examinations made the year 

 preceding. For the purpose, however, of a general survey of con- 

 ditions, this lack of correspondence between samples examined and 

 cases terminated within a given period, may be overlooked. 



OLEOMARGARINE 



The goods effects noted in my report of 1914, resulting from the 

 amendment of 1911 of the Oleomargarine Act so as more specifically 

 to fix the color limit for oleos, has continued also during 1915. My 

 judgment that oleomargarine sold under conditions such as to pre- 

 vent its confusion with butter and such, also, as to permit the devel- 

 opment of its best "flavors without impairment by cottonseed oil 

 and like high flavored ingredients, would find it an increasing market, 

 has been amply confirmed. At the same time, butter has found a 

 market on its own merits and free from the disadvantages that ex- 

 isted so long as the buying public could not tell clearly at the time of 

 purchase which of these two products it was securing. During the 

 year, about sixty-five samples were examined and sixteen cases ter- 

 minated for violation of the law. Of these sixteen cases, but four 

 were instituted because of coloration of this product contrary to 

 law. The remaining twelve cases were due to sales without proper 

 license. 



The market for renovated butter continues to be very small. The 



number of samples found on sale are very low; but two samples of 



this material were examined during the past year and two cases 



terminated because this product was sold without the required 



license. 



VINEGAR 



Few food products have been subject to so many phases of adul- 

 teration and misbranding as cider vinegar. The preservation of a 

 market for cider vinegar upon its own merits is of prime importance 

 to the orchardist. While there are a number of wholesome vinegars 

 produced from other materials, cider vinegar continues to have the 

 chief demand in Pennsylvania. It is no secret to vinegar producers 

 that the skill used in imitating cider vinegar is unsurpassed in other 

 lines of food production and renders very difficult the task of the 

 food experts working for the protection of the public. The Bureau 

 has maintained its full measure of activity to discover and prevent 

 frauds of this character. During 1915 three hundred and seventy- 

 one vinegars w^ere examined and one hundred and one cases ter- 

 minated for violation of the Vinegar Law. Twenty of these cases 

 w^ere terminated because the vinegars Avere found to contain added 

 water. In two or three instances the X)roduct was so low in acetic 

 acid as not to be entitled to the name "vinegar." Nearly all the 



