55 



To illustrate how nearly absolutely pure our milk product is, we will state our 

 recent experience. Desirous of knowing just how aud in what condition as to 

 purity the milk was when it reached New York city, we directed a sufficient num- 

 ber of experts to report to the assistant commissioner, having that territory in charge, 

 so that he might be able to inspect all the milk received in these cities in one day. 

 We iuspscted that morning 16,371 forty-quart cans and found only 88 of doubtful 

 quality, showing only one-half of 1 per cent to have been adulterated. 



It is also another noticeable fact that the milk delivered in these cities by parties 

 residing outside of our State shows a much larger percentage of adulteration than 

 our own production does, foreign milk showing 4 cans out of each 100 to be adulter- 

 ated, while our own shows only three-fourths of 1 can. This is not only very grati- 

 fying to us as a department, but it speaks well for the integrity of our dairymen and 

 creamery men. 



The assistant commissioners are distributed in different portions of the State as 

 judiciously as possible. Au assistant in the country is able to superintend a much 

 larger territory than one in the city, and is accordingly given a large division. 

 There is an assistant at each of the following places: Albany, New York City, 

 Washingtonville, Holland Patent, Lowville, Castile, Eochester, Buffalo, and Elli- 

 cottville. In this Avay we are able thoroughly and systematically to cover the 

 whole State. Wo have also four cheese instructors, whose duty it is to go from 

 place to place through the State, giving instruction and aid where needed, and to 

 endeavor to make our cheese as nearly uniform as possible. 



We have become satisfied that much of the poor cheese on the market is occasioned 

 by poor care of the milk at the farm; hence, we have advocated the necessity and 

 importance not only of cleanliness in the milking and surroundings, but of a thorough 

 aeration of the milk at the farm instead of cooling in the usual way. 



Aeration, however, has its dangers. We have found people who were faithfully 

 using aerators in the cow barns, thus exposing their niilk in the Avorst possible man- 

 ner, and as a result the maker was obliged to call on us for aid. We traced the diffi- 

 culty to two or three dairies and soon straightened the matter out by getting these 

 people to use their aerators outside of the barn. I do not think nor does our experi- 

 ence show all trouble to be caused by the dairymen. The reports from some facto- 

 ries are perfectly astounding, and it seems almost incredible that any should think 

 that good cheese could be made in such pens as are sometimes used, or with the 

 implements with which they work. They expect our instructor to step into such a 

 place, where he is an entire stranger, and make as fine an article as is to bo found 

 on the market; then, too, there are numbers in this State who are masquerading 

 under the colors of cheese-makers when they are not competent or qualified to be a 

 helper for some first-class maker. 



The quality of cheese in this State is certainly improving, and we, as a depart- 

 ment, claim our full share of the credit. We have a law relating to the branding of 

 cheese, and the number of brands used is increasing each year. This is very gratify- 

 ing to us. We are glad to note the fact that buyers often refuse to purchase cheese 

 Tinless they bear the State brand, and in many cases will pay more for goods so 

 stamped. Our uniform experience has been, that wherever we have been able to 

 extend our operations, those interested have been unwilling that any of the force 

 should be withdrawn, and insist that our work in their locality be increased. 



It is stated that there has been consumed in the cities of New York and Brooklyn 

 during the last year 363,388,840 quarts of milk, condensed milk, and cream, to say 

 nothing about the number of quarts of milk required to make the large quantity of 

 butter and cheese consumed by these cities. 



We have taken a large number of samples of adulterated articles, made many 

 arrests, and striven in every way to afford all the protection in our power, both to 

 the honest producer and to the consumer. We have become satisfied and our experi-. 

 ence demonstrates that the protection of the consumer against unwholesome, impure, 

 and adulterated goods, and against frauds of all kinds in this line, as well as the 



