No. 123.] DAIRYING AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. 13 



Summary of Inspections. 



Total number of inspections 8,928 



Number of inspections where no samples were taken . . . 8,813 



Number of samples, mostly purchased 115 



Nuniber of additional samples taken during inspections ... 22 



Court Cases prosecuted. 

 The charges in the several cases prosecuted in court during 

 the year were as follows : — 



Selling oleomargarine colored in imitation of yellow butter 

 Selling oleomargarine \vithout signs on vehicle . 



Summary of Court Cases prosecuted duriiig the Twelve Months ending 

 November 30, 1922. 



Dairy Situation. 



That Massachusetts farmers 'are interested in dairying is 

 manifest by the increase in the number of cows as of April 1, 

 1922. The assessors' report for 1922 shows 167,181 cows, 

 which is an increase of 8,976 animals, or 5.6 per cent, over the 

 1921 report. During the past fifty years the smallest number 

 of cows was reported in 1915, since which time there has been 

 a steady increase, so that the number in 1922 is 15 per cent 

 greater than that of 1915. 



The dairy farmers are constantly working to improve their 

 herds, as is indicated by the data taken from the 1922 supple- 

 mentary list to the breeders and owners of pure-bred dairy 

 cattle, issued in 1920. The 1922 list shows 605 persons owning 

 4,343 pure-bred animals who were not listed in the earlier 

 bulletin. 



There are now 8 producers' co-operative milk-distributing 

 plants operating in the State. The number of farmers shipping 



