INSPECTION OF ILLUMINATING OILS. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Division of Oil Inspection was organized by the Board of 

 Agricnlture in Jnne, 1909, for the purpose of carrying out an act 

 (eh. 554, Laws 1909) of the General Assembly providing for the 

 inspection of illuminating oils and tluids. Owing to a restraining 

 order of the United States Circuit Court the act was not in full 

 effect until Oct. 20th, 1909. 



The only standards for illuminating oils in this State are the 

 flash test and the distillation test for amount of residue. The latter 

 test went into effect Sept. 1st, 1910, for oil brought into the State, 

 and will be in effect for all oils after Dec. 1st, 1910. 



The results of inspection to Dec. 1st, 1909, were given in the De- 

 cember Bulletin for 1909. 



CHANGES IN THE OIL TRADE. 



Since July 1st, 1909, the number of oil companies doing business 

 in the State has greatly increased. Nineteen companies are now 

 registered with the Department, and the price of oil to the retailer 

 has dropped nearly three cents per gallon in consequence of com- 

 petition. Under the State Anti-Trust Law, this drop in price ex- 

 tends to points in the State where there is no direct competition. 



The production of petroleum, from which kerosene is distilled, 

 has greatly increased in the middle West. In 1900 the Pennsyl- 

 vania group of States produced 83 per cent of the petroleum in the 

 United States. In 1908, the Pennsylvania group had dropped to 

 17 per cent, while California, Illinois and Oklahoma, which were 

 practically unknown as oil producers in 1900, in 1908 produced 

 69 per cent of the petroleum. The petroleum and refined oil from 

 the new fields is of different character from the oil from other 



fields. 



SAFETY. 



The flash test is a safety test. The present requirement of not 

 less than 100 degrees Fahr. flash with the Elliott cup is the best 

 test consistent with a high degree of safety and good illuminating 

 quality. Under the strict enforcement of this provision of the law, 

 the kerosene now sold in the State is reasonably safe under ordinary 

 conditions of use. Care, however, should be exercised in its use as 

 with other inflammable materials. 



The flash test has generally been met by the Oil Companies. This 

 test went into effect Oct. 20ih, 1909, with the following result: 

 2 Oil 



