98 DEPAETMENTAL REPORTS. 



sample. The results were of the most surprising nature, showing 

 that even in the course of a year the influence of environment was so 

 great as to cause a variation from the originar content of gluten of 50 

 per cent or more. In most instances the content of gluten was less 

 than in the original seed. In one or two cases it was greater. 



In addition to the study of the gluten content, as has been men- 

 tioned, a complete analysis of the wheat Avas made; sections were also 

 made for microscopical examination for the purpose of showing any 

 alteration in the character of the grain itself. When the extent of 

 these variations has been carefully determined and the causes which 

 produce the variations ascertained, in so far as possible, valuable 

 practical deductions can be drawn which will help scientific farmers 

 to a certain extent to control the content of gluten as well as of 

 other valuable materials in the crop. Since for bread making and 

 macaroni making the content of gluten is of the utmost importance, 

 it is evident that the value of a wheat in the market can be greatly 

 increased if some practical method of maintaining and increasing the 

 gluten content can be devised. 



INVESTIGATION OF INSECTICIDES. 



In collaboration with the Division of Entomology, the determination 

 of the chemical constituents of the insecticides sold throughout the 

 United States was continued and completed, in so far as we are able 

 to secure the samples. It is believed that we have secured, through the 

 collaboration of the Division of Entomology, a sample of every insecti- 

 cide which is made in any quantity in the United States. Some 

 remarkable facts have been brought out in this investigation. The 

 most important to the farmer, from the practical point of view, is 

 that many of the so-called insecticides contain only a mere trace, 

 or none at all, of insect-killing drugs or poisons. In manj'^ others 

 where poisonous principles were j)i'esent we found them so diluted 

 and adulterated with inert materials as to greatly lessen their value 

 for the purpose for which they were sold, without correspondingly 

 diminishing their price to the consumer. It is not right that a 

 farmer should risk his potatoes, tobacco, or other crops subject 

 to insect ravages by reason of the worthless character of the insecti- 

 cide which he purchases. While there is no National law regulating 

 the subject, it is believed that an investigation of this kind will 

 awaken the interest of farmers throughout the country to the neces- 

 sity of at least enacting State laws for their local protection, eventu- 

 ally leading to a National law which will make the State laws more 

 effective and the protection to the farmer more certain. 



It is, of course, evident that the only object of adding inert sub- 

 stances to insecticides is to increase weight witliout correspondingly 

 diminishing the selling price. There can bo no objection to the dilut- 

 ing of a powerful insecticide with some inert substance for the pur- 

 pose of rendering its action less vigorous, and tlius preventing its injur- 

 ing the crop. In such a case, however, every package of insecticide 

 as sold should bear a plainly printed label on which the character of 

 the diluent and the amount thei-eof employed are distinctly set forth. 

 The i)urchaser, then, would not be tlie victim of a fraud, and if he 

 should not care to purchase a cheapened article, thus described, he 

 could simply invest in other and more powerful remedial agents. 



The results of this investigation have been prepared for publication 

 in two forms: One, a Farmers' Bulletin, in which some of the general 

 principles relating to the comijosition of insecticides are set forth, 



