collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis, 1,285 of these were found to be pure, 661 were adulterated. 145 prosecutions were begun by the Department during the year, resulting in 136 convictions and four acquittals. It must not be inferred from an examination of the figures presented that they represent the actual condition of the food supply of Michigan with reference to adulteration. The experience of the department's inspectors enable them to readily determine as to the purity of many of the different food products inspected by them, and only samples supposed to be adulterated or in which some new form of adulteration is liable to occur, are sent to the laboratories for chemical analysis. Goods which are properly labeled to conform with the requirements of our food laws, are only occasionally sampled by our inspectors for analysis. This occasional examination is made of all food products to be sure that they are properly labeled to conform to the law in every respect.

IMPROVED CONDITION OF THE OYSTER TRADE.

During the year a decided improvement was made in the condition of the oyster trade. Wholesalers were not allowed to use ice in the receptacle with the oysters in shipping to the retail trade. Neither were the retail dealers allowed to keep ice in the same receptacle with the oysters. The ice must be in a separate compartment of the receptacle surrounding the oyster compartment proper. The result is much more satisfactory to the consumer and also to the dealer. While the enforcement of this ruling perhaps increased the price per quart of oysters, it did not increase the cost per food unit.

ICE CREAM INSPECTORS.

The enforcement of the twelve per cent butter fat standard in ice cream, made mandatory by our recent law, revealed the fact that many manufacturers prepared their ice cream by the "Rule of Thumb” and did not know the fat content. The result of the first round of inspection showed an average fat content of 9.8 per cent butter fat. In the second round of inspection the average per cent of fat had increased to 12.3 per cent, showing conclusively what careful inspection will accomplish.

INSPECTION OF BAKERIES AND CONFECTIONERIES.

The services of two inspectors were devoted almost exclusively to the inspection of the sanitary condition of Bakeries and Confectioneries, which has resulted in a much improved condition of the establishments. Experience shows, however, that this inspection should be continued in order to maintain the present standard and also to raise the standard of sanitation still higher.

LABORATORY IMPROVED.

During the year, the department laboratory was still further ex tended and improved. A separate room provided for the private office of the State Analyst, a stock-room added for chemical reagents and a room set apart for a library and reading room. These improvements, to

gether with others of the past six years, gives to our department a laboratory worthy of the name and one that any institution might well be proud of.

DAIRY INSPECTION.

I can speak with somewhat more confidence with regard to the dairy work of the department, because as Deputy Commissioner, I had imme diate charge of this work. The law of 1905, which broadened the scope of the Dairy and Food Department, and made it the duty of the Dairy and Food Commissioner to foster and encourage the Dairy Industry of the state, contemplates that the dairy work of the department shall be 'largely educational. While the inspectors of creameries and cheese factories and farm dairies are given police powers under certain conditions, the whole spirit of the law is educational. Inspection under our dairy law, not alone contemplates the enforcement of its provisions, but it implies that instruction shall be given to enable the proper compliance with the law. This same spirit of the law applies in the inspection of farm dairies. It is not only the duty of the inspector to point out conditions that are wrong, but it is as much his duty to tell how these conditions may be so improved as to comply with the law.

DAIRY MEETINGS.

The provision of the law which authorizes the holding of dairy meetings throughout the state, contemplates that these meetings shall be purely educational. The object being, to discuss with the dairy farmer, the best means of bringing about improved sanitary conditions, and thus make his dairy product a cleaner and more wholesome food. Instruction is given in the feeding and care of the dairy herd, in breeding and selection, as well as in the construction, arrangement, lighting and ventilation of the stable, the dairy house, etc., that will assure better health of the herd, and better knowledge of all details that enter into the improvement of the conditions of the surroundings of our dairy farms, to encourage the production of more wholesome dairy products and at a decreased cost. A dairy meeting, under the auspices of the Dairy and Food Department, is really a farmers dairy institute, and topics covering the broad subject of dairy farming are discussed at these meetings. During the year ending July 1, 1910, fifty-one of these meetings were held throughout the state. Each one was either personally conducted by myself, or by Mr. N. P. Hull, the present Deputy Commissioner. During this year the dairy inspectors inspected and reported on 555 creameries, 144 cheese factories, 376 farm dairies, and made 431 city milk supply inspections, not counting the special inspections made during the months of July and August. Score card reports of each one of these several inspections made by the inspectors at the time of inspection are on file in the department.

SPECIAL INSPECTION DURING JULY AND AUGUST.

The inspection of city milk supply for the entire state of Michigan is an enormous task and the department has never been able to do this in as thorough a manner as it would like. We have simply done what we could. The milk supply of the city is of great importance. Boards of

Health tell us that a goodly per cent of the mortality of infants is due to poor milk, that is milk contaminated with bacteria, injurious to health, existing largely through having the milk produced under insanitary conditions. An occasional inspection of the milk supply of any given city, or town, is not only insufficient to permanently improve the condition, but it is insufficient to give the Department accurate knowledge of the actual condition of the milk that is being furnished for consumption. To get accurate data as well as to improve the conditions, the department began the policy of giving special attention to the city milk supply during the months of July and August, when the rate of mortality among infants is greatest. A year ago, two special inspectors were appointed as an experiment to give their whole attention to city milk supply for a period of sixty days. This seemed to result in so much benefit, that during July and August of 1909, six special inspectors were appointed for this work. Two inspectors worked together, both collecting samples of milk on the market each morning, then in the afternoon one analyzed these samples, not alone for adulteration, but more especially for wholesomeness. The other inspecting the dairy premises, so far as possible, where the milk was produced. During this time, 3,987 samples of milk were collected and analyzed and the complete analysis of same is on file with the department. This special inspection has given us a knowledge of the conditions of the market milk trade in general from day to day during the hot portion of the year, and furnished scientific data that cannot be found anywhere else and which we could secure in no other way. The results of these inspections warranted the department in further extending the work during the present year.

COMPARATIVE PRICES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS.

Much has been said recently about the high cost of living, and the excessive price of dairy products, butter, cheese and milk. Realizing that the average consumer lacked information as to the value of dairy food products, compared with other meat food products, State Analyst Robison devised a unique, and so far as I know, an original method of comparing the food value of dairy products with food value of other products. He purchased one dollar's worth of each of the three dairy products-cheese, butter and milk-at current market price, and he also purchased a dollars' worth of other meat products, beef, ham, mutton, eggs and oysters. To show the comparative value of these foods, he reduced the one dollar's worth of each food to heat of caloric units, using these as a basis for comparison. At the State Dairyman's association at Detroit, in February, he represented by means of these caloric units the force necessary to run toy trains of cars, and thus illustrated in an objective and striking manner, the fact, that, at current prices, dairy products are cheaper than other animal products. One dollar expended in the purchase of butter is equivalent to $1.50 invested in beef; $1.50 invested in ham; $2.75 invested in eggs; $7.00 invested in oysters. One dollar invested in cheese equals $1.60 invested in beef; $1.60 in ham; $3.00 in eggs; $8.00 in oysters. One dollar's worth of milk is equal to $1.40 of beef; $1.40 worth of ham;; $2.50 worth of eggs and $6.00 worth of oysters. The consumer is not paying as much per food unit for his butter, his cheese and his milk as he is for his beef, pork, eggs and oysters.

EDUCATIONAL SCORING TEST FOR BUTTER AND CHEESE.

This work which was begun in connection with the other dairy work of the department in 1905, was continued during the year 1909 and 10. 1,000 samples of butter and 288 samples of cheese were scored during the year by United States Dairy Division experts. Samples were taken from each tub of butter entered during the year and analyzed in the department laboratory to ascertain the moisture and fat content. This has furnished valuable data with regard to Michigan creamery butter in this particular, and is information well worth preserving. An inspection of the results of this analysis will show that it was rare indeed that samples of our creamery butter were found which were below the normal standard in fat, or exceeded the normal standard in moisture. On the whole, it is believed that this educational scoring has done much to improve the quality and increase the uniformity of Michigan creamery butter.

COW TESTING ASSOCIATIONS.

To the Dairy and Food Department of Michigan belong the credit of organizing the first co-operative cow testing association in America. Our interest in the matter came through Dairy Inspector, Helmer Rabild, who was familiar with the work of these associations in Denmark, from which source our ideas were obtained. Since the organization of the first association in Fremont, in Newaygo county, in 1905, it is believed that the work has been placed on a substantial basis. It has not been the object of the Department to see how many associations could be founded, but rather through the successful operation of a few to convince the dairy farmer of the state of their great importance. At the close of the year ending July 1, 1910, we have five organizations in actual and successful operation. Two other associations were compelled to cease operations because suitable men could not be procured to do the work. In fact, the lack of experts to carry on this work has prevented the department from organizing several other associations.

The immediate benefits derived from the work of these associations are, the securing of data which enables the dairy farmer to know the economical production of each cow in his herd, thus enabling him to make selection for future work with accuracy. So far, the benefits derived from this source have been sufficient to amply pay the farmers for all of the expense incurred in the operation of these associations. But the greatest value of the association is yet to come when the dairy farmer begins to receive benefits resulting from breeding none but profitable producing cows; it is believed that in the future the production of his herd will be greatly increased. It is also believed that the work of cooperation necessary in these organizations, will lead to community breeding. That is, all the members of a testing association will own the same breed of dairy cows, and when this time comes, then the means of testing dairy sires for propotency may be as readily accomplished as we can now test the cows themselves. Such a practice must eventually increase dairy production in a marked degree.

INSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL FEEDING STUFFS.

The services of one inspector almost continually, and several of the regular inspectors occasionally, were required during the year for the collection of samples of commercial feeding stuffs found upon the markets of the state, and it required the services continually of one chemist in the laboratory to make the analyses of these samples. There were collected and analyzed during the year 489 samples. 450 of these were found to conform to the guarantee of the manufacturer, 39 were found to be below the guarantee in one or more particulars. The result of these analyses was published in bulletin form and distributed throughout the state, thus enabling the purchasers of commercial feeding stuffs to know the quality and feeding value of the goods they buy.

BULLETINS.

In addition to the publication of an annual report, the department published a bulletin covering inspections, analyses and other work of the department during the year, of which more than 100,000 copies were distributed to the trade, to factories and others interested.

The work of the department in detail, including the financial statement is set forth in the Report; all of which is respectfully submitted.

COLON C. LILLIE,

State Dairy and Food Commissioner.