OFFICIAL INSPECTIONS 39. 79 



CHESTNUTS. 



As ordinarily found in the market the American chestnuvis 

 frequently contain more or less wormy nuts. One lot found 

 with S. Christopher of Presque Isle, Me., was so had that a 

 sample was purchased. Something over 25 per cent of them 

 were obviously bad and over 15 per cent more were found to 

 be bad on opening. Of the lot, a little more than half of them 

 were edible. A hearing was appointed and a case was brought 

 on the ground that they were adulterated as they consisted in 

 whole or in part of a filthy, decomposed vegetable substance. 

 The defendant plead guilty and paid the fine. 



SALT. 



The tables on the two following pages give the results of the 

 examination of different brands of table salt purchased by the 

 inspectors. 



Standards. As defined in the regulations made by the Direc- 

 tor table salt, dairy salt, is fine grained crystalline salt containing 

 on a water-free basis, not more than one and four-tenths (1.4) 

 percent, of calcium sulphate (CaSo4) nor more than five-tenths 

 (0.5) percent, of calcium and magnesium chlorides (CaCb and 

 MgCh), not more than one-tenth (o.i) percent, of matters in- 

 soluble in water. 



The determinations made were water, sulphuric acid, calcium,, 

 magnesium, and matters insoluble in cold, distilled water. Tests 

 for starch and carbonates were made in all cases. Carbonates 

 were found only in the cases of the two compounds and starch 

 was not found at all. In the calculation of results the sulphuric 

 acid was assumed to be in combination with calcium as calcium 

 sulphate, and any excess of calcium was calculated to the chlo- 

 ride. Magnesium was assumed to be present as chloride. 

 In the cases of the compounds containing carbonates car- 

 bon dioxide was determined with Schlotter's apparatus and this 

 was calculated with either calcium or magnesium as either was 

 found to be present. 



For the most part the samples were all well within the limits 

 fixed by the standards. It will be noticed that additions were 

 made to some of the brands of materials designed to prevent 

 caking. These are in all cases declared upon the label. 



