1910.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 47 



2. Numerical SujsjMAJiY of Work in the Ciiemicai. Labo- 

 ratory. 



From Dec. 1, 1908, to Dec. 1, 11)00, there have been re- 

 ceived and examined 99 samples of water, 389 of milk, 2,933 

 of cream, 98 of feed stuffs, 234 of fertilizers and fertilizer 

 materials, 42 of soils and 45 miscellaneous. In connection with 

 experiments made by this and other departments of the station, 

 there have been examined 191 samples of milk, 157 of cattle 

 feeds, 58 of fertilizers, 26 of soils and 534 of agricultural 

 plants. There have also been collected and examined 1,042 

 samples of fertilizer in accordance with the requirements of 

 the fertilizer law, and 946 samples of cattle feeds in accordance 

 with the requirements of the feed law. The total for the year 

 has been 6,794. This summary does not include work done 

 by the research division. 



In addition to the above, 25 candidates have been examined 

 and given certificates to operate Babcock machines, and 4,071 

 pieces of Babcock glassware have been tested for accuracy of 

 graduation, of which 43, or 1.06 per cent., were inaccurate. 



3. Resume of Work of the Research Section. 



The research work was carried on jointly by Mr. E. B. Hol- 

 land and Dr. R. D. MacLaurin. Mr. Holland has given atten- 

 tion particularly to a study of methods for the determination 

 of insoluble acids in butter fats, and has co-operated with the 

 entomological department relative to the burning of foliage 

 by insecticides. Quite satisfactory progress has been made in 

 both of these lines of work, but thev are not sufficiently ad- 

 vanced to warrant any detailed publication. A j^aper on the 

 stability of butter fat, prepared by Mr. Holland, appears else- 

 where in this report. 



Work on the constitution of fats and the chemistry of fat 

 formation has been suspended by the resignation of Dr. Mac- 

 Laurin. Dr. MacLaurin devoted substantially a year to the 

 study of this subject, and has signified to the writer his inten- 

 tion of preparing his work for publication. 



