264 PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. 
Department, states that the number of samples examined on 
behalf of the Board of Agriculture increased from 1,600 in 
1898-99 to 1,745 during the past year. The increase was partly 
due to the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, which came 
into force on the 1st of January last, and partly to inquiries 
instituted on behalf of the Departmental Committee appointed 
to inquire into the normal composition of milk and cream 
with a view to the framing of regulations as required by 
Section 4 of the Act. 
The sampling of imported butter at the ports was con- 
tinued as in previous years, 1,393 samples being taken, of 
which 6 gave distinctly abnormal results; 399 contained 
boric preservatives; and 300 were coloured with coal-tar 
dyes, the use of which appears to be on the increase, and is 
especially prevalent in Holland, the United States, and Aus- 
tralia. The number of samples taken of imported margarine 
was 132, of which 99 were of Dutch and 25 of German origin, 
and the analyses showed that imported margarine is usually 
made with cotton-seed oil, contains boric preservative, and 
is artificially coloured with a coal-tar yellow. The German } 
margarines were found in every case to contain sesame oil, 
as required by the German Margarine Law. The samples 
from France and the United States, six in number, consisted 
of the raw oleomargarine base, intended for manufacture in 
this country. Two samples from the United States, entered 
as ‘‘ Butter Oil” (being simply butter-fat), were also for use 
in the manufacture of margarine on this side. 
The sampling of cheese, milk, and cream under the new 
Food and Drugs Act only came into operation in the first 
quarter of the present year, and 51 samples of cheese, 25 of 
condensed milk, and 3 of fresh milk were taken. 

Agricultural Education, Scotland.—Report of the Commutiee 
of Council on Education tn Scotland, 1899-1900. [{ Ca. 170.] 
Price ad. 
The portion of this Report which deals with Agricultural 
Education in Scotland states that the negotiations for the 
