Several cases have been found and suits have been brought and parties convicted or plead guilty. The law should be changed in this particular at least so as to give authority to purchase samples from hotels and restaurants and boarding houses, before effective work can be done to prevent its use as butter in such places.

FILLED CHEESE.

The manufacture and sale of filled cheese is prohibited by the law and so far as can be ascertained by careful inquiry, none is manufactured in the State. Within the last two or three months, some has been sold in the State by parties bringing it in from Illinois and selling and delivering from drays. Only one person thus far has been located and a warrant is out for his arrest.

The passage of the filled cheese bill at the last session of Congress will, it is thought, materially decrease if it does not entirely suppress its manufacture, at least until some way of still further reducing the cost of its production is devised. Quality being no consideration, this will probably be soon accomplished.

The dairy products of the State from some cause or from a combination of causes do not compare at all favorably with those of other states having no better adaptabilities of soil and climate than our own. Wiscon

sin with three thousand square miles less area, four hundred thousand less population and no better soil or climate than our own, produces more than one-sixth of all the cheese made in the United States. New York and Wisconsin together make something over two-thirds of all the cheese made in this country. The prosperity of the farmers as a class in Wisconsin bears something like the same ratio to those in Michigan as does the dairy product of the State. It has a less percentage of farm mortgages than almost any other state. The decrease in such percentage has come with the increase of the dairy interest. Great interest is taken by the state in its development. Every possible help in the way of instruction in dairying is furnished, laws for the protection of the dairy interests are upon the statute books and in every way the interest is fostered and with great profit to all the people of the state. The farming interest is diversified, thus giving better results to all engaged in agricul tural pursuits. The benefits accruing from the liberal treatment by the state of the dairy interest, while apparently intended only for that interest, reaches to all classes in the state and brings an increase of prosperity to all its citizens. The state has about two thousand creameries and cheese factories while Michigan has about three hundred. There can be no valid reason why with like liberality on the part of the State, Michigan should not take her place side by side with her sister state.

Wisconsin has thirteen hundred cheese factories; Michigan one hundred and fifty. This difference in number tells its own story better than any argument can do.

Michigan stand well up in the list of wheat growing states. At present prices, is it any wonder that to Michigan farmers the outlook has so little of promise. It is true that legislation cannot, without going beyond its legitimate sphere, remedy the evils that bring the present condition, but certainly what can be done should be. Michigan cheese is practically unknown outside the State. At least what educational help can be pro

vided should be given. A permanent dairy school should be established at the Agricultural College open to all and attendance in every way encouraged. Wisconsin has a law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of filled cheese, Michigan has practically the same.

Wisconsin, in common with many other states, has a law prohibiting the sale of oleomargarine colored in imitation of yellow butter. We have a law regulating its sale; but with the means available for its enforcement even that is to a great extent ineffective and cannot be made thoroughly effective without a vastly greater outlay than would be necessary to do all the State could legally do, to put the dairy interest on a proper footing. There are in the United States about twenty manufactories of oleomargarine. Their sales are nearly all in localities where they are allowed to sell it in imitation of butter. Just why every person who produces for the market a pound of butter should be obliged to contribute a part of its price to those who can only sell their product because of the closeness of its resemblance to his, is a question that has not as yet received a satisfactory answer.

USE OF PRESERVATIVES.

A preservative to effect its object in keeping food must be of such a nature and power and used in such quantity as to prevent decomposition or fermentation. It must be used in quantity sufficient to reduce the whole mass in which it is used, to a condition of the nature of the preservative. In the process of digestion, the quantity taken into the system, must be by the digestive organs brought back to its normal condition before it can be of use as food or be assimilated. The preservative effect of the articles commonly used, salicylic or boracic acid, is said to be directly opposed to the action of the digestive organs. Its effect must then be such as to require extra power or increased action of the organs of digestion-an unnatural strain upon them.

This it seems must produce injurious effects upon the health and if this is true, it is argument enough against its use.

The law specifically forbids the use of artioles injurious to health, but they can be classed as adulterants for still another reason. They are not a food but a drug. But in reality, their use is not in any sense a necessity only in extremely exceptional cases.

Preserved and canned goods properly prepared and put up are safe from fermentation until opened for use; and as a rule after they are opened, are consumed before the process of decomposition begins. The only reason for their use by manufacturers is believed to be that they serve to overcome any negligence or carelessness in the canning or preserving process, or in some cases render it easier and cheaper.

THE MONTHLY BULLETINS.

The effect of the bulletins published monthly since the beginning of the work in the laboratory in suppressing the sale of adulterated articles cannot be overestimated. They are distributed as widely as possible and every month there is added to the mailing list the names of parties visited during the month. They give to the dealer information as to articles found impure, furnishing him a guide as to what goods to reject in his purchases.

Dealers will not buy goods shown by chemical analysis to be adulterated.

The limit allowed by law to be published will soon be reached in the distribution and provision should be made so that the increased demand can be fully met.

PROSECUTIONS.

It has been found impossible to ascertain the amount of costs in cases prosecuted. There seems to be no accurate record, or if kept, it is by each of the officers taking part in the prosecution and no complete account can be secured in any case.

While the law requires this it can only be done, if at all, after the determination of each case, by instructing the Inspector to go through the whole of the items with the parties having to do with all parts of it and this would entail a very large expense without any great benefit being derived.

CHANGES IN THE LAW.

Inspectors should be authorized to inspect all places where goods are manufactured or sold under such restrictions as will amply protect the rights of owners or those having goods in charge.

A penalty should be affixed to refusal to sell samples for analysis.

The law prohibiting the coloring of oleomargarine has been passed by so many states that the interest of Michigan dairymen demands the same restriction here, and it is only simple justice to them that the same provision should be incorporated in our law.

The present appropriation is adequate for the purpose with the excuption that it does not allow the employment of a sufficient number of Inspectors to do the work that should be done; there being ample work for two or three more.

At present only three can be kept permanently employed.

CASES.

No. 1. The People vs. L. I. Halsey, Tawas City. Selling adulterated vinegar. Plea, guilty. Plea, guilty. Fined fifty dollars and costs. No. 2. The People vs. E. E.. Hawkins, Detroit. Selling adulterated vinegar. Dismissed for want of jurisdiction.

No. 3. The People vs. W. R. Keasey, Cassopolis. Selling adulterated pepper. Plea, not guilty. Acquitted.

No. 4. The People vs. J. B. Shumaker & Michael Sohaber, Jackson. Using oleomargarine in restaurant without displaying the required signs. Plea, guilty. Fined fifty dollars and coste.

No. 5. The People vs. Frederick Hahn, Jackson. Using oleomargarine in restaurant without displaying the required signs. Convicted. Appealed to the supreme court.

No. 6. The People vs. C. S. Carrao, Jackson. C. S. Carrao, Jackson. Using oleomargarine in restaurant without displaying the required signs. Held to the circuit court.

No. 7. The People vs. B. L. Desenberg, Kala nazo.

ated pepper. Complaint withdrawn.

Selling adulter

No. 8. The People vs. Frank Apel, Detroit. Selling oleomargarine as butter. Complaint made by Inspector J. I. Breck, March 9, 1896, before Police Justice Sellers, Detroit. Warrant served March 12; examination March 20, 1896, before Police Justice Whelan. Held for trial in recorder's court in bail $300. Arraigned May 1, plead not guilty. Nolle prosequi entered on motion of prosecuting attorney on account of mistaken identity.

No. 9. The People vs. Frank Apel, Detroit. Selling oleomargarine as butter. Complaint made by Inspector J. I. Breck, June 1, 1896, before Police Justice Whelan, Detroit. Warrant served June 11, 1896. Examination set for June 16; adjourned to June 23, on motion of defense. Examined June 23, and held to recorder's court by Justice Sellers, bonds $300. Pending.

No. 10. The People vs. John Weaver, Detroit. Selling oleomargarine as butter. Complaint made by Inspector J. I. Breck, March 10, 1896, before Justice Sellers, Detroit. Warrant served March 14, examination set for March 24; adjourned to March 31. Examination before Justice Whelan and held for trial in recorder's court in bonds $300. Arraigned before Judge Donovan, May 31. Plead guilty and sentence suspended.

No. 11. The People vs. W. H. Green, Detroit. Selling oleomargarine as butter. Complaint made by Inspector J. I. Breck, March 12, 1896, before Police Justice Sellers, Detroit. Warrant served March 14, examination set for March 24; adjourned to March 31. Examined before Justice Whelan and held to recorder's court in bonds $300. May 31, arraigned before Judge Donovan and plead guilty. Sentence suspended.

In each of the last two cases sales were made by olerks without. knowledge of defendents and was a first offense.

C. E. STORRS,

Commissioner.

REPORT OF INSPECTORS.

HON. C. E. STORES, State Dairy and Food Commissioner:

SIR-I hereby render a summary statement of the work performed by me as Inspector, since my commencement with the Department, September 1, 1895.

I have visited twenty-eight cities and towns, called upon and explained the law as construed by the Department to fifty-three wholesale and three hundred and thirty retail grocery houses, twenty-five wholesale liquor houses, twenty-five breweries and seventeen manufacturers of the various lines of food. Also many saloons or liquor houses, the exact number not known as no account was kept. I met with the Liquor Dealers' Association of the State and received from them their promise of a hearty co-operation in support of the liquor law.

Many opportunities have been open for complaints, but have made only three. More can be and has been accomplished by the policy pursued by the Department than if more prosecutions had been made. The dealer is willing to conform to the law when he understands what its require. ments are, and for them to obtain that knowledge generally requires a visit from an Inspector. I believe many merchants in time will become somewhat regardless of the law and examples will have to be made more often of such careless and wilful violators. At the commencement, seemingly nearly all dealers were very much opposed to the law, especially the wholesalers and manufacturers; today. I know of none in the State but who are greatly in favor of and desire to see it strictly enforced. In the past few months, nearly all I have met have been free in expressing their favorable opinions of the law and the policy pursued in the enforcement of the same. Jobbers and manufacturers have also expressed the opinion that this department should be kept free from politics and placed more upon the basis of civil service. Changes, unless for good cause, would be liable to bring about trouble and perhaps great expense not only to the dealers, but the State. Very few men have the same ideas and construe law alike and so long as the work is well and properly performed, the less changes the better for all parties concerned. The greatest difficulty I met in carrying out this work was from houses located in other states and shipping goods into this. Many of them either do not know the requirements of our law or are wilfully careless. It is not alone in not properly labeling manufactured articles, but in sending in goods not pure. The law should be amended, if possible, whereby that class of merchants could be more easily reached and made to comply, so that better protection may be afforded our home dealers without having to throw the burden of responsibility directly upon the retailer. A few other amendments ought also to be made to the law but will not make mention of them here.