104 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



referees of the association sent samples to the Division for compara- 

 tive determinations. 



The annnal meeting of the association was held, as usual, under 

 the patronage of the Secretary of Agriculture. The proceedings of 

 this meeting were published as Bulletin No. 62 of the Division of 

 Chemistry. 



PLAN OF WORK FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1902. 



By act of Congress, the Division of Chemistry, on the 1st of July, 

 1901, became a Bureau. This change in name and status of the 

 Division, however, did not in any way interrupt the character of the 

 work alreadj^ undertaken. It did, however, open the way to a much 

 broader field of work in the way of collaborating with the various 

 Divisions and Bureaus of the Department and with the other Depart- 

 ments of the Government. 



SOIL WORK. 



The investigation of soils, with relation to determining their chem- 

 ical constituents available as plant food, will be continued in the line 

 of work described in the first part of this report. 



COMPOSITION AND ADULTERATION OF FOODS. 



During the fiscal year this work will be directed chiefly to a study 

 of infants and invalids' foods and to the adulteration of salad oils. 

 It has been a matter of comment that alleged pure olive oils aie 

 imported into this country and sold at a i)rice below the market value 

 of the pure olive oils of California. The object of the study will be 

 to deternune whether or not the imjjorted so-called olive oils are 

 reall}' pure. 



In the case of infants and invalids' foods, an attempt will be made 

 to study all the leading brands upon the market for the purpose of 

 ascertaining, first, in the case of infants' foods, whether their compo- 

 sition resembles that of the natural food of the infant, and, second, 

 in the case of invalids' foods, whether they contain the proper nourish- 

 ment and in the proj^er form for the sustenance of invalids whose 

 digestive organs are usually far below the normal standard. 



INVESTIGATION OF SUGAR-PRODUCING PLANTS. 



This work will be continued during the present fiscal year on the 

 lines already referred to. The collaboration of the experiment sta- 

 tions in studjdng the effect of environment on the composition of the 

 beet will be continued. Miscellaneous analyses of samples sent in by 

 farmers throughout the country will be made. An experimental plot 

 planted to several varieties of beets is growing at the Department's 

 station on the island below Long Bridge, District of Columbia. A 

 complete series of studies of this i)lot will be conducted. 



Arrangements have been made with Capt. D. G. Purse, president of 

 the Board of Ti-ade of Savannah, for a systematic examination of the 

 soils in southern Georgia and Florida on wliich sugar cane is grown 

 for the manufacture of molasses, sirups, and sugars. Samples of 

 these canes will also be forwarded for analysis during the harvesting 

 season. 



The presence of sugar in the musk melon or cantaloupe is one of the 



