BULLETIN 149. 



The Inspection of Feeding-Stuffs. 



Each year, as has been pointed out heretofore in these reports, 

 the inspection of commercial feeding-stuffs is becoming more 

 important. There has been a steady increase for a number 

 of years in the number of brands of feeds inspected by the State 

 Board of Agriculture. This year there were 135 brands of feed 

 offered for sale in New Hampshire from which official inspection 

 samples were taken. 



It has been pointed out before in these columns that our pres- 

 ent feed laws are not adequate to meet the present needs of 

 both the producer or jobber and the consumer. The inadequacy 

 of our present laws are intensified at present by the fact that 

 the laws in all of the neighboring states are more rigid and effec- 

 tive. For instance, when a carload of cotton-seed meal goes 

 into the State of Maine, no part of it can be offered for sale until 

 it has been properly inspected. It is not, therefore, an easy 

 proposition to sell 37 per cent, cotton-seed meal for 41 per cent, 

 in the State of Maine. In New Hampshire the present methods 

 of inspection do not enable the consumer to know about his feed 

 until several months after it has been paid for and when rebates 

 are not to be obtained. The consumers of commercial feed- 

 stuffs should rise up and demand better laws and a strict en- 

 forcement of the same. Feed jobbers evidently are thoroughly 

 conversant with the New Hampshire methods of inspection. 

 This is shown by comparing the last report of the New Jersey 

 station with the results herein reported. New Jersey reports 

 340 brands of feeds, 8.5 per cent, of which had deficiencies in 

 protein or fats. In New Hampshire 32 per cent, of the brands 

 were deficient in protein alone. About 28 per cent, were de- 

 ficient in fat. Seventeen samples were deficient in both fat 

 and protein. Whether this represents carelessness on the part 

 of the sellers or whether New Hampshire is to become or has 

 become the dumping-ground for inferior feed-stuffs remains 

 to be seen. At any rate it is perfectly logical to expect to find 



