No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 85 



journals that quickly recognized the danger signal, and regarded 

 the sacredness and purity of life beyond the value of ill-gotten 

 pelf. The government has also assisted in the work of listing 

 numerous "medicines" which come under the new ruling. The order 

 takes effect on April 1st, next. 



The Dairy and Food Commissioner took occasion to refer to this 

 subject in a previous report. 



In connection with this subject, it is proper to add, that the 

 newspapers do not stop or retreat before obstacles, but endeavor to 

 overcome them in the quickest possible time, when the good of the 

 public is at stake. 



CONCENTRATED COMMERCIAL FEED STUFFS. 



The enactment of a law intended to regulate the sale of concen- 

 trated commercial feeding stuffs, prohibiting their adulteration, 

 etc., has attracted widespread attention. The act in question is 

 placed under the administration of the Secretary of Agriculture of 

 this Commonwealth. The Dairy and Food Commissioner has noth- 

 ing to do with its enforcement, as hundreds of correspondents erro- 

 neously supposed. The act is intended to remedy and prevent some 

 of the wrongs that were at one time indicted upon dairymen and 

 others by unscrupulous dealers in many articles of cattle feed, -who 

 sold to unsuspecting customers feed that fell far short of the 

 normal amounts of crude fat and crude protein. Various cheaper 

 and inferior articles were substituted, but the' greatest harm was 

 perhaps, done as appeared in several notable instances, by feeding 

 substitutes for proper animal food, which caused serious disturb- 

 ances of the digestive organs of the animals, and, in some instances, 

 their death. The term "concentrated commercial feeding stuffs, 1 ' 

 has a wide meaning, and as one who is especially interested in 

 dairying questions, by virtue of the public position which he holds, 

 the Commissioner can only express his hearty approval of this 

 wise legislation, having observed tangible and convincing testimony 

 of its value and efficacy. The improvement in the feed trade already 

 noticeable, has its own special significance. 



NUMBER AND VALUE OF CATTLE IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



According to a statement just issued by the National Department 

 of Agriculture, Pennsylvania's dairying interests include 1,097,590 

 milch cows with an estimated value of $37,647,337. The same 

 authority states that the number of other cattle in the State is 

 807,436, worth $17.40 per head, or a total of f 15,093.386. Combining 

 the two sums, the aggregate value of the cattle in Pennsylvania 

 amounts to .$52,740,723. With the immensity of these figures con- 

 fronting us, the average reader will not wonder why the farmers 

 of the State are so deeply and seriously interested in the laws pro- 

 hibiting the sale of fraudulent or illegal dairy- products. 



GROWTH OF DAIRYING INTERESTS. 



For the continued moral support and unqualified endorsements 

 proffered by the dairymen and farmers of Pennsylvania, through the 

 medium of the Grange and farmers' organizations, as well as indi 

 vidually, the Dairy and Food Commissioner desires to renew his 

 thanks and assurances of appreciation. It is difficult to comprehend 



