Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-12-31
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MIR. ADAMS REPORT.
ADocun1ent that will be of Great
Interest to Wisconsin Dairy
men and Farmers.

Madison, Wis, Dec. 26.-[Special.]-
Food and Dairy Commissioner H. c..
Adams has completed his biennial report
which will be ready for distribution i'll
Il few weeks, and will be of great in
terest to the dairy interests of the state.
1t reviews the work of the administra
ton and points out the legislation that
is needed. 1t also contains an interest
ing report from State Chemist A. S.
Mitchell as to food adulteration. In his
introduction Mr.. Adams speaks of the
rapid strides made by the dairy interests
in the past few years. He shows that
while other farming interests have stood
still or decreased, dairy products have
steadily Increased. II two years the
production of cheese has increased from
:'3.47S, 800 pounds in 1885 to 52,4S0.S13
pounds in 1895. The total value of this
product has increased 80 per cent. The
increase in the butter product is the most
marked of all. 36. 240, 431 pounds. with a
value of $3.50, 402. having been pro-
duced in 1885, while in 1895 the product
was ~ ,653,113O pounds. with value of
Sl2.31O.313. The figures show the drift
of " ISCOnsin farmers toward the dairy
business.
BY reducing the total milk product of
the state TO a butter basis. Mr. Adams
has figured out the following interesting
tables. which show that Wisconsin
stands IN at least the fourth position
among the large butter producing states
OF the Union:
Butter
Equivalent
Milk sid a'd en- 2S4, 100000 qts 90, 800 900 lbs
Cheese product. 81. $780, SO lbs 2O.OOOO00 lbs
Butter product. ............... 1853 100 lbs
Total milk product of the state
would produce. lii. 91 80 lbs
Mr.. Adams reviews at length the rea-
sons that Wisconsin has become Il great
dairy state and quotes Il considerable
part Of Prof. W. A. Henry's book on
the possibilities of advances in the indus
Try III Northern Wisconsin.
Concerning the sale Of oleomargarine
Mr.. Adams says:
The sales of oleomargarine in this state
have been greatly restricted by the opera
ion of the Oleomargarine law. Previous
to July i, 1895, there were seyenty-three
Easefn saft Of Which
braces the eastern half of the state. Septem-
Der i. 1898 the number had been reduced
formed by The collector of internal revenue
for that district, there is only one dealer
who has q retail license. and no wholesale
Previous to June so, 1898. there were in
force iii the Western district of Wisconsin,
siXty-two licenses. In September of the
same year the number had been reduced to
six. At the present time there no Ii
censcs in force in the entire district. In a
little over year, the number of licenses
in the state has been reduced from 135 to
one
Speaking of the effec. of the filed
cheese legislation in this state Mr.. Adj
ANS says that since the law became
operative, the commission. although en-
dcavcring i'll every possible manner to
ascertain the facts, has not been able to
discover that a solitary pound of filled
cheese has been made within the limits
of this state But the law did not pro-
tect the Wisconsin cheesemakers from
the manufacturers of other states. who
have labeled their product ''Wisconsin
Full Cream and thereby ruined the
reputation of Wisconsin cheese abroad.
The sale of watered milk, Mr.. Adams
says. has been almost entirely stopped
and the people of the big cities are not
obtaining Il much better milk supply.
Mr. Adams makes number of sug
gcstions in regard to dairy legislation.
He wants the drug law amended and Il
legal standard of purity adopted. He
would also define the term food more
exactly and specify the meaning of adul
iteration. He is in favor of imposing
heavy penalties for false labelling of
canned goods. and of compelling cream
cries and cheese factories to make full
reports to the commissioner. He wants
authority TO inspect stables, milkhouses,
etc. and to appoint special agents to as
sist him III obtaining samples of food
products.