244 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



were unwilling to entertain more than one case against the 

 same person, even when the violations of the law took place 

 on different days, and when there had been distinct sales. 

 On this account the statistical showing of cases in court is 

 not as large as it otherwise would be. 



The work of the Bureau in inspecting stores and other 

 places of business, to see how the laws are complied with, 

 and its growth from year to year, are seen in the following 

 table : — 



1893, 382 inspections. 



1894, 716 inspections. 



1895, 1,901 inspections. 



This work has covered all parts of the State, except Boston, 

 and, coupled with the efforts of Dr. Harrington * in Boston, 

 has been so thorough that dealers are, for the most part, 

 complying with the law, which still further reduces our 

 number of court cases ; but, when a law is so enforced as 

 to prevent crime, the result is more satisfactory to all 

 thoughtful citizens than is the record of a long list of 

 criminal prosecutions. 



Very little oleomargarine is now sold in the State illegally. 



The decision of the national supreme court, affirming the 

 constitutionality of the State statute which prohibits tlje sale 

 of any imitation of yellow butter, has been a severe blow to 

 dealers in imitation dairy goods, and has virtually put an 

 end to the business in this State, so far as open sales are 

 concerned. The number of revenue licenses in Massachu- 

 setts when the Bureau was created was 211; the number 

 now is 35. The figures from the Boston Chamber of Com- 

 merce show that the receipts of oleomargarine for the year 

 1895 decreased 151,421 packages, as compared with the 

 year previous. The receipts of butter show an increase of 



an. 31, 1895, were : — 

 . 4 



The cases of the Boston milk inspector for the year endiD 

 Sale of oleomargarine not properly labelled, 



Exposing oleomargarine for sale, not being licensed, ... 5 



Sale of oleomargarine, not being registered, . . . . . 3 



Sale of oleomargarine as butter, 4 



Sale of oleomargarine without posting placard, .... 3 



Sale of oleomargarine from wagons not properly marked, . . 2 



Serving oleomargarine in restaurants without notifying guests, . 32 



