an experimental plant. Complete and up-to-date equipment would also be of great educational value to the large number of visitors always attracted to such a plant.

With a plant of this size it would easily be possible to keep 5,000 head of laying stock, which would furnish breeders and fowls for experimental purposes and at the same time would allow the keeping of representatives of all the leading varieties, thereby increasing the demonstrative value. It would not be necessary to confine the work to chickens, as there would be room to keep enough ducks, geese, turkeys, and pigeons to allow experimental work with them as well.

In short, the plant should be made as complete, practical, and up to date as possible. It is not possible, of course, to conduct an experimental plant wholly along lines suitable for a commercial establishment, but it would be the intention to use sound business methods in its management wherever such methods did not interfere with the experimental work. A suitable staff of expert poultrymen and laborers would of course be necessary to give the work proper attention and secure good results. Each year liberal funds would have to be provided to meet the running expenses of such a plant.

LINES OF EXPERIMENTAL WORK WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN UP.

With the acquisition of suitable equipment, the experimental work of the Bureau should be conducted along the following lines: 1. Experimentation as to methods of feeding and management. 2. Experimental work in breeding.

3. Experimental work of especial value to fanciers. 4. Experimental work in incubation and brooding. 5. Digestion experiments.

6. Field investigations of various problems.

Experimentation as to methods of feeding and management is a broad subject and one which in many respects is largely affected by local conditions. For this reason it is and probably will continue to be the line given most attention by the State experiment stations. It is, however, a subject which can stand an almost infinite amount of investigation, and there are many problems falling under this head which are of general interest and which should be considered by the Bureau, especially in the case of investigations which are beyond the means of the State stations. As explained previously, the Bureau is already studying the dry and moist mash and the hopper systems of feeding. This investigation will be continued, its scope being increased as required and various new phases of importance being studied as they develop.

Another problem which could be studied to advantage is the relative gain made by chicks grown on dry feed, on moist mash, and with hoppers. The merits of these systems are usually argued on the

number of chicks raised by them, but the matter of growth should also be considered.

Experimental work in breeding has been largely neglected by poultry men other than fanciers. The selection for vigor, which has been practiced, has in the main been haphazard. A small amount of selection and breeding for increased egg production has been done, but often the vigor of the stock has been neglected. The breeding for increased egg production, as carried on by the Bureau in cooperation with the Maine station, is recognized as of great importance and will be continued.

The breeding of poultry for meat production to enhance quick growth and early maturity along lines similar to those used by breeders of larger meat-producing animals seems to present a most desirable line of investigation. Tremendous strides have been made in this respect during the last twenty-five years with beef cattle and hogs. The breeders of these animals have shortened by many months the time necessary to feed their stock to get them to a desired weight. This has benefited the producer by enabling the money tied up in the work of breeding and feeding the animals to be turned over more rapidly. If poultry men, raising strictly for the best broiler and roaster trade, can shorten the period of growing and finishing the fowls by two or three weeks, the cost of production could be very considerably lessened and the profits correspondingly increased. In this connection some of the celebrated foreign meat breeds could well be given a comparative test with our own breeds. As a final test of the quality and economy of production, careful slaughter tests to determine relative proportions of feathers, offal, edible flesh, and most desirable parts should be made.

Experimental work which would be of especial value to fanciers is a right which the fanciers of the country have earned by the activity which they have displayed in behalf of the poultry industry. As a class they have been the most active in combining and in demanding and obtaining recognition for the industry. A careful study could be made of the effects of various feeds upon the color of flesh, skin, plumage, etc., and the possibility of modifying color by this means.

Problems in incubation and brooding are of vital importance to the poultry industry. A great deal of work of this kind is being taken up by the State stations, but so important is this subject that it should be among the first work to receive attention at the hands of the Bureau.

Little has ever been done to determine the digestion coefficients of various feeding stuffs for poultry. The figures usually given have been taken from those of other animals, and are, consequently, only approximate. The anatomical difficulties in the way account for the small amount of this work which has been done. A careful, comprehensive investigation which would establish these coefficients would be of value.

REPORT OF A COMMISSION ON CERTAIN FEATURES OF THE FEDERAL MEAT-INSPECTION REGULATIONS.

LETTER OF SUBMITTAL.

WASHINGTON, D. C., July 29, 1907.

The honorable the SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE,

Washington, D. C.

SIR: The commission appointed by you for the purpose of studying those portions of the present meat-inspection regulations “which refer to the disposition of carcasses affected with various diseases and abnormal conditions" and "to adopt resolutions concerning the subject of the fitness of meat for human food, which ideas we desire to incorporate so far as practicable in our regulations governing meat inspection," has the honor to submit herewith the following report.

WILLIAM H. WELCH, Chairman,

Professor of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University.

L. HEKTOEN,

Professor of Pathology, University of Chicago.
JOSEPH HUGHES,

President of Chicago Veterinary College.
V. A. MOORE,

Professor of Comparative Pathology, Cornell University.
LEONARD PEARSON,

Dean Veterinary Department, University of Pennsylvania.
M. J. ROSENAU,

Director Hygienic Laboratory,
United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service.
CH. WARDELL STILES, Secretary,

Chief Division of Zoology, Hygienic Laboratory, United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service.

SUMMARY.

A commission of seven men was convened by the Secretary of Agriculture to express opinion upon "the disposition of carcasses affected with various diseases and abnormal conditions."

Pages 12-16, Regulation 15, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, Order No. 137, were designated by the Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry as being the part of the regulations upon which opinion was desired.

The commission held sessions at Washington on February 4, 5, and 6, 1907, and reports that in general the regulation in question fully

This order appears in the Twenty-third Annual Report of the Bureau of Animal Industry, p. 362.

safeguards the public health in so far as the points contained in Regulation 15 are concerned. If there be any general error in the regulation, this is in favor of the public rather than in favor of the butchers and packers. Most of the paragraphs of Regulation 15 are indorsed without comment. Several sections (for instance, the sections on hog cholera, swine plague, actinomycosis, tuberculosis, and tapeworm cysts) could be made less stringent without any danger to the health of the consumer.

HISTORY OF THE CONVENING OF THE COMMISSION.

Under date of December 21, 1906, the honorable the Secretary of Agriculture sent out letters to the seven persons whose names are mentioned in the communication which is here quoted:

DEAR SIR: It has been suggested from several sources that if those portions of our meat-inspection regulations which refer to the disposition of carcasses affected with various diseases and abnormal conditions could be made to conform with the opinion of a commission of experts not connected with this Department it would give to such regulations when adopted a support which is so manifest in the execution of the meat-inspection rules in European countries. I have therefore deemed it advisable to select such a commission to assemble in Washington about February 4 to adopt resolutions concerning the subject of the fitness of meat for human food, which ideas we desire to incorporate, so far as practicable, in our regulations governing meat inspection.

The following men will be requested to become members of this commission: Dr. L. Hektoen, professor of pathology, University of Chicago.

Dr. Joseph Hughes, president of Chicago Veterinary College.

Dr. V. A. Moore, professor of comparative pathology, Cornell University. Dr. Leonard Pearson, dean, veterinary department, University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. M. J. Rosenau, director of hygienic laboratory, United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service.

Dr. Ch. Wardell Stiles, chief, division of zoology, Hygienic Laboratory, United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service.

Dr. W. H. Welch, professor of pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical School. If you will kindly signify your willingness to be a member of this commission and notify me if the date is convenient, I will appreciate it.

Respectfully,

JAMES WILSON, Secretary.

After letters of acceptance were received by the Secretary of Agriculture from all seven men mentioned in the foregoing, the following letter was received by the members of the commission:

In reply I am pleased to learn of your willingness to serve as a member of the commission appointed to consider those portions of the meat-inspection

regulations of this Department which pertain to the disposition of carcasses affected with various diseases and abnormal conditions.

The date suggested, February 4, seems to meet with general approval, and it has therefore been decided to have the members gather in my office in the Department of Agriculture at 11 a. m. on that date. Arrangements have been made to have the formal meetings of the commission take place in a committee room at the New Willard Hotel.

Under separate cover I have forwarded a copy of the rules and regulations, which contains on pages 12-16 the sections concerning which we desire your opinion; also the amendments and circular letters bearing on these regulations. If there is any further information you desire, I am at your service.

Very respectfully,

A. D. MELVIN, Chief of Bureau.

In accordance with Doctor Melvin's letter of January 8, 1907, the commission reported at his office at 11 a. m.; Monday, February 4, when Doctor Melvin addressed them as follows:,

REMARKS BY DOCTOR MELVIN AT THE PRELIMINARY MEETING OF THE COMMISSION.

GENTLEMEN: It is a very great pleasure to me to greet you and to have your assistance in dealing with one of the country's great problems, for the conservation of the health of a people is undoubtedly of the foremost importance. As meat enters so largely into the diet of the American people it would seem but reasonable for Congress to provide a law to regulate the interstate traffic in that article and to say that only meats which are clean, sound, wholesome, and fit for human food should enter into interstate and foreign commerce. Since the passage of the present law extending to this Department ample authority to conduct inspection at establishments engaged in interstate or foreign traffic, to supervise the preparation of meat and meat-food products, and to regulate the sanitary conditions under which they are prepared, the fact has been clearly demonstrated that the law has not come any too soon. Our investigations have shown that in far too many establishments human food was prepared under the most revolting conditions, and it is only fair to say that there were establishments reasonably clean, and some even above reproach. But it costs money to keep these houses clean, and there is a strong tendency on the part of the many to do as little cleaning as possible on account of this same cost.

We have problems to solve regarding sanitary construction of abattoirs; the stage at which meat becomes unfit, such as rancid meat and fats; the wholesomeness of meats that have been canned for different lengths of time under certain methods of preparation; the wholesomeness of refrigerated meats, and what preservatives may be permitted to be used with safety. The Department has taken up all these questions and will again pass upon them as soon as results can be obtained.

The question upon which the Secretary and myself particularly desire the opinion of you gentlemen is the one as to the effect of disease upon meat with reference to the fitness of the meat for human food.