DEPARTME^NT OF CHEMISTRY 91 



A large part of our feeding- stuffs were received from poultry 

 groAvers and are therefore grouped as poultry foods. 



A dead pigeon was received from Portsmouth together with a 

 small sample of corn gathered from the surface of a field from 

 which it was thought the bird might have picked up some ker- 

 nels that had been poisoned. 



The organs of the pigeon and the contents of its crop were 

 separately tested for strychnine, and very decided reactions 

 obtained, particularly from the crop contents. The corn from 

 the field showed no poison. However, it Avas noticed that the 

 <?orn in the crop was a yelloAv flint, Avhile that from the field Avas 

 a dent variety, apparently Leaming. 



It is a not uncommon practice for farmers to expose corn soaked 

 in strychnine solution, in order to stop the raA^ages of crows. 

 It is a dangerous practice and is a violation of the laws of the 

 state Avhich read as follows : 



"If any person shall in any way or place wilfully expose an 

 active poison for the destruction of any animal or for any other 

 purpose except the destruction of rats or other vermin in his 

 own buildings or upon his potato crops, he shall be fined not 

 •exceeding fifty dollars, or be imj)risoned not exceeding six 

 months, or both." — Section II, Chapter 266. 



The investigations of the department were much broken up 

 by the change in assistants during the year. Mr. A. L, Sulli- 

 A'au, a graduate assistant, resigned in February to accept a posi- 

 tion in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, at Washington, D. C, 

 and in July Mr. L. A. Hill, assistant chemist, resigned to ac- 

 cept a position in the research laboratory of the MacLean hos- 

 pital, Boston. Mr. Harold H. Scudder, recently graduated 

 from Dartmouth college, Avas appointed assistant chemist July 

 1st. 



Investigations on the acids of corn silage, effect of frost on 

 corn, enzymes in apples and corn fodder, and the resj^iratiou 

 of apples at different temperatures haA-e been carried on as 

 opportunity permitted. 



