240 



Imported Agricultural Produce. 



6. Except when the Gardens are opened to the public at 

 10 a.m., holders of cards are admitted into the plant-houses 

 until noon, provided that they do not in any way interfere with 

 the workmen in the performance of their duties. When the 

 Gardens are opened at 10 a.m., the privilege of ticket-holders 

 is restricted to the open air. At no time are persons permitted 

 to sketch or photograph in the houses during public hours. 



7. It is particularly desired that visitors will abstain from 

 handling specimens without permission from the person in 

 charge of them. 



8. The Staff of the Royal Botanic Gardens accept no re- 

 sponsibility as regards the custody of drawing, photographic, or 

 other apparatus. 



Analyses of Imported Agricultural Produce. 



The annual report of the principal chemist of the 

 Government Laboratory for the year ending March 31st, 1903, 

 states that 2,443 samples were analysed during the year on 

 behalf of the Board of Agriculture. This total included 1,959 

 analyses of imported butter, 234 of imported cheese, 29 of 

 imported fresh and sterilised milk, 135 of imported condensed 

 milk, and 32 of imported cream, besides one analysis of a 

 feeding stuff, two of fertilisers and five of miscellaneous articles. 

 None of the samples of imported butter were found to be 

 adulterated, but 656 contained boric preservative, and 373 were 

 artificially coloured. 



The samples of cheese examined did not include any of 

 margarine cheese. The amount of fat, however, in several 

 instances was very small, falling as low as 0'6 per cent, in one 

 sample and o'8 per cent, in another. 



Of the 135 samples of condensed milk taken, one, which came 

 from Holland, was found to be machine-skimmed, although not 

 so labelled. 



One sample of sterilised milk from Italy and two from Holland 

 were reported as being deficient in fat, while one sample of 

 French sterilised milk was reported as containing added water. 



