56 State Aid to Agriculture in Ireland. 



produce of crops and the numbers and classes of live stock, 

 the extent and kinds of woods and plantations and of planting 

 and felling operations, and also of the supply and migration of 

 agricultural labour, as well as the wages earned by the 

 migratory labourers, are all collected yearly. Other statistics 

 dealing with the area under fruit and potatoes, the different 

 bi'eeds of live stock and mortality of live stock, bee-keeping, 

 creameries, butter factories, malt houses, corn and scutch mills, 

 and the numbers and use of the principal kinds of farm 

 machinery are also dealt with. Crop reports are issued 

 annually. Annual reports are issued dealing with the prices 

 for live stock and agricultural produce, and statistical leaflets 

 are issued showing the exports of animals, &c. A collection of 

 egg reports is also made, and farming inquiries of various kinds 

 are carried on, including the question of the organisation of the 

 dead meat trade. 



The work of the Vetei'inary Branch is chiefly devoted to 

 investigating and dealing with cattle diseases. Reports are 

 issued from time to time regarding various outbreaks of disease 

 and Orders published relating to bovine tuberculosis and 

 epidemics in cattle, sheep, pigs, &c. 



A very important part of the Department's work is carried 

 out by the Transit and Markets Branch. In connection 

 with this, proceedings are taken by an inspector for the 

 enforcement of the "Sale of Food and Drugs Act" as 

 regards the sale of butter, margarine, cheese, and milk. During 

 the year ended Decemljer 31, 1909, 865 samples were taken for 

 analysis in connection with the butter industry under this Act. 

 Of these samples, twenty-nine were found to contain over 16 

 per cent, of water, seven were certified as consisting nearly 

 altogether of fats foreign to butter, and one as containing 

 60 per cejit. of fats foreign to butter. Prosecutions wei-e 

 instituted by the local authorities in respect of twenty of the first 

 named samples and seventeen convictions were obtained. In the 

 othei- cases proceedings were also instituted as found necessary. 

 Special inspections are also made in connection with the Butter 

 and Margarine Act, 1907, in premises where the Department 

 have reason to believe that butter is either made or stored 

 by way of trade and that, under either this Act or the Sale 

 of Food and Drugs Act, inspection is desirable. Under the 

 Merchandise Marks Act also the Department has powers to 

 iandei;take prosecutions. No application was made to them 

 during the period dealt with in the Department's last Report, 

 ])ut proceedings were taken for the sale of margarine and 

 butter under this Act. Work of a most useful protective 

 character is also carried out in Great Britain in the interests of 

 the Irish agricultural industry hj the Department's Inspector, 



