350 FOOD AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



ANALYSES MADE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In the work on wines during the present investigation, 70 samples, 

 purchased in the market of Washington, were examined. Inasmuch 

 as the analyses made in 1880 included so many samples, and represented 

 very fairly the composition of the wine sold here, it was thought inad- 

 visable to make a complete analysis of all the samples, especially as 

 many of them were identical in origin with those examined by Mr. Par- 

 sons. Accordingly only about one-half the samples (36) were submitted 

 to a very careful and complete analysis, the rest being examined for 

 adulteration only, especially preservatives. Only those samples were 

 chosen for complete analysis which did not correspond to any of the 

 samples analyzed in 1880. The samples are all wines of American origin, 

 of which by far the greater bulk of the wines consumed here consists. 

 Most of the samples are Californian, a few coining from Virginia and 

 other States. Several of the samples had foreign labels, in imitation 

 of some imported wine of the same general class, but in each case the 

 dealer admitted that the wines were American. 



The time and scope allowed to the work did not admit of the exten- 

 sion of the investigation to imported wines. 



