40 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



(c) Chemical Investigations. 

 In so far as time and opportunity permit, the department 

 aims to make a study of chemical methods that will facilitate 

 the accurate and rapid determinations of the different sub- 

 stances connected with animal or plant life. In this study 

 of methods the department co-operates yearly with the As- 

 sociation of Official Aoricultural Chemists. 



4. Inspection of Concentrates. 



The passage of the feed law b}^ the Legislature of 1903 

 makes it possible to give the attention to this line of work 

 which its importance demands. A regular inspector is now 

 employed, who travels through the State from six to eight 

 months in the year, so that the station is kept w^ell informed 

 regarding the variety and character of the feeds otfered for 

 sale. The results of the several inspections were pul^lished 

 in Bulletins Nos. 93 and 98, issued in January and August. 

 These bulletins contained 52 and 36 pages respectively. 

 It may be said that the major portion of the feeds now 

 offered are properlj^ branded and free from adulteration ; 

 still, some manufacturers and local dealers continue to be 

 careless about attaching the proper form of guarantee, and, 

 while the station has not prosecuted any cases as yet, 

 there will be no hesitation in doing so if occasion makes it 

 necessary. 



A tendency is noted on the part of both manufacturers 

 and dealers to mix more or less oat offal or other filler with 

 standard by-products, thus reducing the cost of the article 

 sufficiently to enable them to slightly undersell their com- 

 petitors. The station is taking a firm stand against such 

 deceptions. 



During the present autumn a considerable quantity of 

 wheat mixed feed, bran and middlings, was found consid- 

 erably adulterated with ground corn cobs and wheat screen- 

 ings. The prompt attention of the jobbers was called to 

 the matter, and they took steps immediately to attach the 

 proper guarantee. A special circular relative to this fraud 

 was sent to all the principal grain dealers in the State, as 

 well as to the agricultural press. 



