2b2 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the evidence showed that the milk was still in the possession and 

 under the control of the defendant. Statutes of 1894, chapter 425, 

 was designed to exempt a producer of milk from prosecution on a 

 complaint that the milk was not of good standard quality only when 

 the milk was found on other premises than those of the producer ; 

 or in the possession of another person than the producer, who was 

 not subject to the control of the producer, and who, therefore, 

 might have adulterated the milk for his own purposes ; or when 

 milk, if found upon the premises or in the possession or under the 

 control of the producer, was taken by some person who was not 

 an inspector of milk or an agent of the Dairy Bureau or State 

 Board of Health, or a collector of samples duly authorized by an 

 inspector, and who, therefore, might not be trustworthy. In every 

 case of a taking of milk a sealed sample of the milk taken must 

 be given to the producer for his protection. There is no indication 

 that the general law governing the responsibility of a master for 

 the acts of his servant was intended to be affected by the statute. 



Institute Work. 



Nineteen farmers' meetings have been addressed by the 

 acting executive officer of the Bureau during the past year. 

 In most of these the Babcock tester was used in testing- 

 samples of milk brought to the meeting, its use explained, 

 with its value to dairymen, whether producing milk for the 

 market or making butter. One hundred and nineteen sam- 

 pies of milk were tested in such demonstration talks. The 

 following are the statistics of the samples tested : — 



3 . 4 per cent of fat and below, . . . .13 per cent of samples. 

 3.6 to 3.8 per cent of fat (on the line of the 



legal standard) , 25 per cent of samples. 



4 to 5 per cent of fat, 42 per cent of samples. 



Above 5 per cent of fat, 20 per cent of samples. 



100 



The Bay State Fair. 



The annual agricultural fair at Worcester this year was a 

 State fair. Being such, the Dairy Bureau was invited to take 

 charge of the dairy department, and the acting executive offi- 

 cer was appointed superintendent. The exhibits of butter, 



