1908.] Report of the Intelligence Division. 623 



on the cortex that is shed annually in Ribes. When the 

 cortex has fallen the micro-sclerotia produce spores, and these 

 in turn infect the cortex of the succeeding year. C. epiphyllum 

 occurs on practically every Ribes shoot. Other dots scattered 

 here and there represented Phoma grossulariae, Sacc, and 

 other saprophytic forms on the deciduous cortex. 



The report by Mr. T. H. Middleton on the work of the 

 Intelligence Division of the Board of Agriculture [Cd. 3869] con- 

 tains an account of the action taken by 

 Report of the the Board during the year 1906 under the 

 Intelligence Division. Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, 1875 to 

 1899 ; the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 

 to 1894 ; the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1893 ; and under 

 Section 2 (Sub-section 3) of the Board of Agriculture Act, 1889. 



The administration of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, 

 so far as they relate to agricultural produce, forms the first 

 section of the report. Information is given as to the number 

 of samples taken and the cases of adulteration which were 

 ascertained. Numerous complaints of the state of the law 

 as to the sale of milk were received, and the various suggestions, 

 made with a view to the protection both of the sellers and the 

 public, are discussed in the report, as well as other points 

 which arose in the course of the year in connection with the 

 sale of butter, margarine and cheese. 



The steps taken by the Board to assist farmers in connection 

 with the carriage by rail of agricultural produce are described, 

 and numerous instances are given in which the intervention of 

 the Board has been attended with satisfactory results. 



It is mentioned that the Board are prepared to carry out, 

 so far as they can do so consistently with their present statutory 

 powers, and so far as the staff at their disposal will allow, the 

 suggestions contained in the Minority Report of the Depart- 

 mental Committee on Railway Rates and Facilities. They 

 will inquire into complaints on preferential rates and assist 

 agriculturists to ascertain whether any preference that 

 may be found to exist is an undue or illegal preference. 



The Board would be prepared to deal with cases of alleged 

 preference to traffic between urban districts as compared with 

 traffic from rural districts, in the same way as with cases of 



