TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING. 75 



It was decided to leave the nomination of officers to a committee, and for 

 that purpose Messrs. L. D. Watkins, L. J. Pos;t, R. Morrill, E. H. 

 Scott, and D. Woodard were appointed. 



ADULTERATION OF FRUIT PRODUCTS. 



Mr. A. Tucker of Ann Arbor read the following paper: 



It is doubtful whether there is any one cause so disastrously affecting 

 honest producers and dealers as that of adulteration. First, a few words as 

 to the character of adulterations, without any regard to their effect upon 

 health. We will consider them as to their fraudulent character from a 

 commercial standpoint. 



CIDER VINEGAR VS. DISTILLED VINEGAR. 



We will consider vinegar under two general classes, namely, distilled and 

 fermented. Distilled vinegar is always water-white, being entirely devoid 

 of coloring matter unless artificially added, while fermented vinegar is 

 always more or less highly colored according to the product from which it 

 is made. Distilled vinegar includes what is generally known as white wine 

 vinegar, whisky vinegar, and that sometimes called corn vinegar, and all 

 made from low wines, and in its natural state is the color of water. Cider 

 vinegar has always and everywhere been regarded as the standard, not only 

 more palatable but more healthful, and costing more than twice as much 

 to produce as the distilled vinegar of equal strength. If these two classes 

 of vinegar were both left in their natural color, both branded and sold true 

 to their name, each standing or falling upon its merits, no injustice would 

 be done to the manufacturer or dealer in either class of vinegar, and the 

 consumer would get what he paid for. As it is now done, and has been 

 since the repeal of the national revenue law in 1879, relating to the tax 

 upon low wines manufactured and used for the making of vinegar, this 

 distilled vinegar is artificially colored to resemble cider vinegar, and is 

 branded "pure fruit" or "cider" vinegar, and the consumer, because of its 

 color, and being branded pure cider or fruit vinegar, and very conscious 

 that he has paid the price of cider vinegar, supposes he has what he paid 

 for; or, if finding out the fraud that has been perpetrated on him, he goes 

 to another grocer and asks for cider vinegar and is assured that the pack- 

 age is so branded, and was bought for cider vinegar. He tries it again, 

 only to find he is cheated. But some manufacturer says the distilled vine- 

 gar is purer and every way superior to fermented cider vinegar. My only 

 reply is, then why take so much trouble to counterfeit an inferior article? 

 I fearlessly make the assertion that, for the last ten years ,in the fruit-pro- 

 ducing state of Michigan, not more than one barrel in 500, sold through 

 the trade, has been pure cider or fruit vinegar; but, out of every 500 sold, 

 499 were distilled vinegar, colored for no other purpose than to deceive. 

 Who is injured by this fraud? Every man who grows fruit is robbed of 

 his market for his cull fruit, which means, in an average year in Michigan, 

 a loss to the fruitgrowers, in their cull fruit alone, of a good round million. 

 Now, who is benefited? Some two or three manufacturers of distilled 

 vinegar in the state, together with the dealers, who mutually share in the 

 profits of this gigantic swindle. But, says some one, if the distilled vine- 

 gar is cheaper, and is not unwholesome, is it not to the interest of the poor 



