OFFICIAI^ INSPECTIONS 43. 159 



portation free liquids separate and rise to the top of the can, 

 this free liquid should be poured off before the oysters are 

 dipped out and sold. Ice should never be placed in the same 

 receptacle as the oysters, as the uielting of the ice icill lead to 

 adulteration zvith zvater. 



A few years ago it was the almost universal practice in 

 this State to sell oysters -preserved with borax or boric acid. 

 It is belived that this practice has entirely ceased, for not for 

 many years has any of this preservative been detected in any of 

 the oysters examined. 



The results of the examination are given in the tables on 

 pages 161. and 162. The column headed "free liquids" 

 indicates the amount of liquid which would run from the 

 oysters through a colander in 10 minutes, and the diy solids 

 were obtained by drying down a weighed amount of drained 

 oysters to constant weight at 100 degrees C. 



■ Clams. 



Tn Official Inspections 30 there was also given the results of 

 the examination of a large number of samples of clams. In 

 the present Official Inspections are given the results of those 

 which have been examined ^ince the appearance oE ilnat luibli- 

 cation. The situation in regard to clams has not seemed to 

 improve very materially. 65 per cent of the sami)ics here 

 reported carried over 25 per cent of free liquids. There would 

 seem to be no reason why clams should not be sold in as solid 

 a condition as oysters. Clams when properly dug, washed, 

 opened, rinsed and drained will not carry much, if any, more 

 free liquids than the best oysters which are found upon the 

 markets, and clams which are not soaked in any way should 

 contain at least 20 per cent total dry matter. 



In Official Inspections 35 a description of the method of 

 digging and preparing clams in this State was given. Tlie 

 dealers and shippers of clams in this State nearly all agreed 

 that clams would not keep much longer +-han 24 lioui-s in their 

 own liquid, and it seems to be the almost universal practice to 

 open the clams as promptly as possible after digging and throw 

 the clam liquids away and then wash die clani'^ in frc.-h \vatcr. 

 The practice of leaving some or all of this fresh water in 



