Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-01-10
Points Brought Out at Second
Days Session Of the State
AS ociation.
THE PURE FOOD LAW.
Dy lis Provisions the Illegal Maple
Competitor nt II Reduced Price Must
Take n Back Seat, Assuring
Good Returns 10 Honest
Manufacturers.

There was an Increased attendance at
the session of tho Vermont Maple Sugar
Makers association Tuesday morning
and good degree OF interest in the
papers presented aul the ensuing dis
cusslons
The FIRST paper was entitled '"rhe Ma
tional Pure Food Law and the Vermont
Maple Sugar Industry" It was written
by c. H. Jones of tho University of
Vernon, but in his absence owing to
illness, the paper was read by Prof. j.
l.. Hills According to the discourse,
the intent of the National Pure Food law
is to prevent mishrandug and to pro-
hibit aduteraton. The act does not pro-
| hibit the manufacture and sale of adul-
tcrated food. when not deleterious to
| health. but politely and omphatically in
| ssts that the nature of all such adj
| mixtures be plainly indicated on tho
| label end otherwise. so that customers
| will have the privilege of buying just
what they want, The natural inference
| liz that imitation goods. properly la
| Boiled, will necessarily sell for lower
| price than their pure and standard com
| pctltors.
This national law affects only rpter-
state commerce and does not conflict with
| the suudry State laws. 1T therefore gov
erns goods sent out OF one state into
| another until they reach the retailer
| When the retailer sells to tho public
the foods must cctform to that special
State law. To summarize, the now food
and drug act requires that all foods
conform to the standards formulated by
the secretary of agriculture and they
must also conform TO the laws Of the
/ safe in which sold.
In the preparation OF the government
standards, which serve as q basis for
the enforcement OF the act commit
! tee of six hrs been at work for several
| years. The principles on which the stand
| ards are based ore that main classes are
! placed before subordinate: the dcfu!-
lions exclude from the articles substan-
| ceG not included in the definitions; the
definitions include, where possible, quail
| ties that make the articles described
wholesome; term once defined has the
/ same meaning wherever used; names
/ usually agree with existing American
| usage; standards are based On goods
! made under Americon conditions. a
departure above or below the limit pre-
scribed indicates an abnormal or an
I inferior quality. The limit fixed are not
Under this act, maple sugar is defined
as the solid product, resulting from the
evaporation Of maple sap and contains
| In the water, free substance, not less
than sixty-Ave one hvriredths (o.65) per
cent. of maple sugar ash. Maple syrup
| is required to contain not more than
! thirty-two (ac) per cent. OF water and not
! less than forty-avc hur,iredths 0.45) per
/ cent. OF maple syrup ash.
Pure maple products seem to he most
easily differentiated from spurious mix
! lures by the varying amount and nature
/ OF their ash content. AS Is well known
! retired cane sugar carries but a trace
| Of ash, while maple, being a crude pro-
! duct derived from another source, nor
mally contains a much larger and char
aCterisuC ash. While certain commercial
/ sugars may contain similar amount Of
/ ash, their composition is 81 dstipct that
! detection of an adulteraut is an easy
| matter. la addition TO this ash stand
/ ard. chemists have number Of other
! little safeguards that show character
! ist!c results when applied 10 maple pro-
| ducts. The food and drug act should
do away with all Illegal competition in
/ maple goods. AS manufacturers Of pure
| maple goods will be required to give a
| guarantee as 10 the purity Of their pro-
| duct, it naturally follows that in MAX
| ing their purchases they will require a
| similar guarantee from the maker.
| In conclusion, the paper eXhorted the
! farmers to make more syrup and less
| sugar in order to make more money and
| to Increase the price of the maple pro-
| duet The illegal maple competitor at a
reduced price IS n thing OF the past and
| whether the crop Is large or small. the
| sugar maker may be assured Of good