Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-09-27
FEEDING s1vfFs INSPECTION LAW
Another Instance Of Low Grade Cotton Seed
Meal Excluded from Maine Market.

The best laws are those which
operate so quietly that the public is
likely to doubt their necessity or even
70 forget their existence. 1t is only
occasionally that an open and con-
spicuous violation of our statutes calls
for their full and prompt enforcement
and satisfactorily demonstrates their
effectiveness.
Since the enactment of the law regu-
lating the sale of concentrated COM
mercial feeding stuffs it has &C
casionally, but Increasingly, been SAID
that the law is of no value. In the
publications of the Station the op-
posite of this position has been taken
and evidence has from time to time
been submitted to prove the value OF
the law and the wisdom of the legisla
ture that enacted it,; A recent in
stance of its working, in ways not
generally appreciated, is of interest
and Importance since it indicates ais
a desire on the part Of the large
handlers of feeding stuffs to conform
to the law and TO give their customer
high grade goods.
II has been many months since III
Station has received sample of low
correspondents or through its in
spectors: but q week ago a sample
bright cotton seed meal of good colo
and mechanical condition was receive
from one of the largest j0bbine
houses in the State with the reques:
that it be analyzed. Accordingly tht
protein and fat were determined ant
the following letter written:
nF
which YOU sent use carries 22.i4 Pc
cent protein and Gas per cent. fat
There is apparently some coloring mat
tor added to conceal the cotton hui
which are ground with the sample
After extracting with ether, which W
do in estimating the fat. the meal il
stead of being yellow, like the origin; .
sample. is nearly black.
This is the poorest cotton seed tn; ,
we have seen in this State for a goo
many months. l trust that you al
not intending to offer it for sale at an
price l should be pleased to know tn
history of the sample. There is
charge for the analysis
The reply received was as follows:
Yours of Sept. 18th received tt &
cotton seed meal was sent to us b
New York party who wished us
handle the product of the mill. W.
requested, for the first thing we di..
to send us the analysis of it whic.
they failed to do, but they still kel
trying to make arrangements with
to handle their meal. We at last rt
uuested them to send us a large sam
pie, which we Immediately sent yOy
for analysis and now that We hay
found it so poor. we certainly shall NJ
handle any of it. and shall make SUI
that none Of our competitors do.
We do not handle any meal that rur
less than i3 per cent. protein. and w
intend to and try to buy all the mei
that we can that contains a higher p .
cent
The law has resulted in the educ,
ton of the dealer so that he hG
knowledge of the feeding value Of Il :
goods he handles. While as a Who'll
feed dealers have always been anXiot
to give full value in the goods the
sell, the feeding stuffs law enable
them to know the quality of the ms
terials they handle. not only from the.
appearance but from their chemic.
composition.
AS soon as the winter stock Of fee,
ing stuffs are in the market. the ST;
tion representatives will draw sample
for analysis. The results cannot !
published and ready for distribute
until January or February. In IL
meantime if the feeders desire to kno
the quality of the goods they are u
ing. or dealers what they are sellin-
4 two ounce sample sent to the ST.
tion (prefcrably in tin or glass; will
promptly analyzed and the results re
ported to the correspondent withor
cost to the sender. Such cooperate,
will materially add to the effective
ness of the law.
CHARLES D. WOODS.
Director.
OrCnO. Sept q. 1901.