DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY. 107 



COLLABORATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. 



The work of supervision of the sugar laboratories of the appraisers 

 of customs in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston will continue to 

 be directed by the Chief of the Bureau of Chemistry under the agree- 

 ment between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the 

 Treasury. 



The examination of foods and other supplies for the commissary 

 department of the War and Navy will be continued. 



The work in water analysis for the Interior Department will be 

 completed about November 1, 1901. 



The examination of miscellaneous articles, of inks, substances 

 supposed to be unmailable, etc., for the State, Post-Office, and other 

 Departments will be continued. 



PROPOSED WORK FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1903. 



The proposed work for the year ending June 30, 1903, will be a 

 development and extension of the lines of work already pointed out. 

 An effort will be made to complete the organization of the Bureau of 

 Chemistry so as to segregate, so far as possible, the different lines of 

 investigation. It is evident, however, that all forms of chemical work 

 are interlocked in such a way that a complete segregation is not 

 desirable nor possible. The principal lines of work for the Bureau 

 of Chemistry, as planned up to the end of the fiscal year June 30, 

 1903, are as follows: 



FOOD STUDIES. 



The study of the composition, adulteration, and nutritive proper- 

 ties of foods will be devoted particularly to a revision of Bulletin 

 No. 13. The object of this work will be to extend the investigations 

 to bring the work up to date and to coordinate in a better manner than 

 was possible in the first series of investigations the different parts of 

 the work. The food laboratories will afford one of the principal fields 

 of investigation for the Bureau. 



Congress has authorized the Secretary of Agriculture, through the 

 Bureau of Chemistry, to analyze and certify to the character of 

 exported food products sent to countries where physical and chemical 

 tests are required in commerce in foods. There is, perhaps, no part of 

 the work of the Bureau which would be of more practical advantage 

 in enlarging our foreign markets than this. Unfortunately, no funds 

 were appropriated to carry out the provisions of the act of Congress, 

 and therefore a special appropriation is recommended in the estimates 

 for the purpose mentioned. If Congress will give the required funds, 

 we will be able to send our food products abroad with a certificate of 

 character which will not permit them to be lightly dealt with by 

 officials of foreign countries interested in excluding them from their 

 markets. 



STUDY OF PLANT FOODS. 



The investigation of soils, in regard to the available plant food 

 which they contain, and fertilizers will be continued and extended in 

 collaboration with the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. 

 It is believed that the investigations which have already been com- 

 pleted have opened a new field of study which is full of promise for 

 practical agriculture. 



