anty filed with the Department of Agriculture nor any statement that the 

 article is guaranteed to conform to the Food and Drugs Act. ' ' 



The Sulphur Question. It is well known that sulphur is almost universally 

 used in this State in drying peaches, apricots and pears and to quite an extent 

 in drying plums and apples. It is admitted that the fruit when dried, in its 

 raw state, contains a greater percentage of "sulphur dioxid," produced by the 

 Fumes of burning sulphur, than 350 milligrams per kilogram, or an equivalent 

 of thirty-five-one-thousandths of one per cent. Experience has shown that the 

 use of sulphur is a necessity, in order to produce dried fruit of the color and 

 quality required for consumption in any market. It has also demonstrated 

 that at the unit fixed by ruling 76, viz: thirty-five-one-thousandths of one per 

 cent, the fruit would not keep for storage nor for shipment to distant markets, 

 nor could it be dried without serious loss from decay during the drying process. 

 A large part of the dried fruit cured in this State did not come within the limit 

 prescribed in Decision 76 and was therefore contraband, subject to seizure 

 and confiscation as unwholesome and deleterious product. The decision pro- 

 vided that "pending investigation of conditions attending processes of manu- 

 facture and the effects on health" **;..,* that the Department of Agri- 

 culture would institute no prosecutions against fruit containing sulphur dioxid 

 when prepared in the usual manner. 



This provision did not furnish sufficient assurance of safety, for the reason 

 that the time of immunity granted was indefinite and very uncertain. 



Strong representation was made to Secretary Wilson setting forth in 

 forcible manner the disastrous effect Decision 76 would have, from this indefi- 

 nite feature as to time, on the fruit interest of the State. The Secretary visited 

 California during the curing season of the year 1907, and afforded opportunity, 

 both public and private, for any representations or demonstrations in respect 

 to fruit drying in the State, that were sought to be made. Under assurances 

 given by Secretary Wilson, the business of drying, packing and distributing 

 fruit during 1907 went forward without much interruption. 



At the beginning of the year 1908 Decision 76, by reason of limitation as 

 to qualification for the previous year, was in force as a part of the rules and 

 regulations for the enforcement of the "Food and Drugs Act." Uncertainty 

 as to the future policy of the Department and the apparent attitude of hostility 

 on the part of the Bureau of Chemistry, in charge of Dr. H. W. Wiley, excited 

 apprehension, caused a stagnation in the fruit industry in the State, and made 

 further effort on behalf of growers and distributors necessary. 



During the season of 1907 large sums had been expended by the Bureau 

 of Chemistry, under direction of the Agricultural Department, in obtaining 

 samples of fruit cured by use of sulphur, in studying the processes of manufac- 

 ture, in making scientific tests and in supplying information on which the 

 department might be able to fix a permanent safety unit of sulphur dioxid, in 

 fruit, and thus restore confidence to the fruit indistry. It was presumed when 

 the Bureau of Chemistry began its investigations in California that the findings 

 would be made public, through the Department, and that producers and dis- 

 tributors from the knowledge thus gained, could act in future with intelligence. 

 It is a disappointment that no information has been given out in reference to 

 these examinations. 



Another effort was made early in the present year to obtain a modification 

 of or amendment to Decision 76, in order that fruit drying, preparing it for 

 market and the distribution, might be pursued with safety on a practical basis. 

 This renewed effort was made necessary, because producers were unable to 



