40a EXPERDIEXT STATION. [Jan. 



Poultry Disease Elimination Law. 



George E. Gage, ix Charge. 

 O. S. Flint, Specl\list in Charge. 



During the year, 24,718 breeding hens have been tested 

 under the poultry disease elimination law, distributed in 

 Worcester, iVIiddlesex, Norfolk, Essex, Plymouth, Bristol, 

 Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin and Berkshire counties. Of 

 this number, 10,897 were Rhode Island Reds, 3,033 White 

 Rocks, 1,890 Barred Rocks, 5,539 White Leghorns, 974 White 

 Wyandottes, and 2,385 miscellaneous. The infection, as in- 

 dicated by the agglutination test, has been 12.5 per cent for 

 the total 24,718. Twenty-five flocks were found free from in- 

 fection. The demand for this testing work is increasing all the 

 time, and in a few years, if funds are available to perfect 

 the epidemiological phases of the problem, great benefits will 

 result. A glance at the United States census report for 1920, 

 under the heading of " Massachusetts Industries," will show 

 that there were by census more than 1,455,000 chickens in the 

 State, the value of poultry products being ,$10,700,000 per year. 

 It would appear from these figures that the State would be 

 justified in the yearly expenditure of S10,000 to protect and 

 improve such an industry. 



The Dairy Law. 



p. H. Smith, Chemist in Charge. 



The dairy law, so called, requires operators of the Babcock 

 test, where such test is used as a basis of payment for milk or 

 cream, or for the purposes of inspection, to secure a certificate 

 of proficiency from the Experiment Station. Forty-six ap- 

 plicants were given the required examination and received 

 certificates. The act requires, also, that all glassware used by 

 licensed operators be tested for accuracy and so marked. Out 

 of a total of 4,664 pieces of glassware tested only 6 have been 

 condemned. In addition to the ])receding, an annual inspection 

 of machines and apparatus is also required. This inspection 

 was carried out by Mr. J. T. Howard, authorized deputy, who 

 visited six creameries, fifty milk depots and thirty-five milk- 

 inspection laboratories. Reinspections on account of repairs 



