10 P.D. 123 



Apple Pest Control 



An inspector of the Department worked through a large part of the growing 

 season with the county agents for the purpose of cheeking the areas which it 

 is hoped eventually to develop into maggot free districts. Much of this work 

 consisted of checking of samples for the purpose of determining the extent of 

 the maggot control and thereby assisting growers in determining the effects of 

 their control measures. 



Another and very important feature of this work has been the cooperation 

 of our inspectors with State College specialists in promoting the clean apple 

 project. This was a state-wide educational campaign which took the place of 

 the activity of a somewhat similar nature formerly carried on as "90% Clean 

 Apple Club". Under this new plan the apples were inspected more on the 

 commercial basis than under the former program, the idea being to see what 

 percentages of the various official grades were contained in the samples sub- 

 mitted for examination. An inspector of the Department assisted in this work 

 in practically all the counties, in many cases making tests and in others instruct- 

 ing the county agents as to grade interpretations in order that the project could 

 be conducted on a uniform basis in all parts of the state. In many instances 

 the results of this service demonstrated specific reasons why growers were not 

 securing adequate pest control, such as lack of proper equipment and proper 

 timing, and incomplete coverage. For this reason, as well as others, this type 

 of service demonstrated that it is of valuable assistance to apple producer*. 



Standardization Work 



"Work on the standardization and grading program was continued during the 

 past year. Inspections as required by the farm products grading law were made 

 at farms where the Massachusetts grades and standards were used. Markets 

 were also visited for the purpose of inspections and for the gathering of informa- 

 tion useful in the marketing of farm products. Poultry farms were visited, 

 particularly those farms where grades and standards were used for the first 

 time. Kegular inspections were made at the Brockton and Springfield egg 

 auctions and records kept of the findings. Instructions were given when needed 

 in candling, candling equipment, care of eggs, grading eggs, advertising, and 

 market outlets. Grading and candling demonstrations were given at various 

 poultry meetings. Exhibits were also set up at fairs and poultry shows for 

 instructive purposes for the benefit of the producer and for the purpose of 

 educating the consumer to the value of eggs as a food. 



A study was carried on, in cooperation with the Food and Drugs Division of 

 the Massachusetts Department of Health, for the purpose of obtaining data 

 which could be used at public hearings before a legislative committee which was 

 considering a bill "Relative to the Sale and Distribution of Eggs" and commonly 

 known as the "Fresh Egg Bill". The eggs were chemically analyzed by a chemist 

 from Food and Drugs Division and candled by an investigator from the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. Eggs were collected from many sources. The number of 

 milligrams of ammonia in 100 grams of egg was a measure of quality in the 

 chemical test. The United States standards for eggs were used in determining 

 quality by the candling method. Two hundred and nineteen analyses were 

 made. The following table indicates the relation between the two methods : 



Grade Specials Extras Standards Trades Total 



No. samples .... 57 88 60 14 219 



High (mg) 

 Low (mg) 

 Average (mg) 



1.98 2.36 2.90 2.80 



.96 1.04 1.08 1.48 



1.35 1.15 1.71 1.90 



Turkeys — Turkey inspections were made at farms and at Faneuil Hall mar- 

 ket just previous to the holidays. Tags distributed in 1934 totalled 4,250. 



Two turkey market reports were issued for the purpose of familiarizing turkey 

 raisers with market conditions such as prices, supply, competition, quality, size, 

 and demand. These reports were issued as a result of a previous request of the 



