OFFICIAL R E G U L A TIONS A ATD R ULING.5. per day for two days, or a total latex yield of 4.1 pounds, the 8 per cent. rubber content would give a total of 5.03 ounces per tree. As a matter of fact, the yield is much less, and the average to be counted upon does not exceed one ounce of rubber per tree per year. TYhile it is certain that palo amarillo can be commercially exploited, the entire supply of the tree in the Republic of Xexico does not warrant the exaggerated estimates and plans recently published by certain promoters. The tree is spread over large areas, which can not be acquired by one cor1)oration. .__
Directors of the Tennessee Copper Co. have decided upon the construction of another acid plant which will more than double the sulphuric acid producing facilities of the company. The present plant has a capacity of 300,000 tons of acid annually. Profiting by mistakes in the construction of the first acid plant, the company expects to be able to construct the new n-orks a t a cost of J800,ooo against $I,ooo,ooo for the original plant. Lewisohn interests state that the amount actually received from the backers of the proposed fertilizer combine which J . P. 31organ & Co. were to finance and in which the Tennessee Copper Co.’s acid output was to play a n important part, \vas S375,ooo cash. Although the Morgan plans for the Indeliendent Fertilizer Co. fell through, some of the manufacturers whose plants were to go into the merger, are working along quietly with the object of effecting a combine into which the Tennessee Co.’s acid business may enter. This year no attempts have been made to increase the company’s copper output, which is being maintained a t the rate of I j,ooo,ooo pounds. The acid plant is operating about jo per cent. of its capacity and the company is marketing its own product. S o action has been taken by the directors for the resumption of dividends which have been suspended for nine months. The Belgian Government recently instructed 11. Decamps, one of the leading engineers of the state railways, to study the quesLion of the use of silicon steel rails in England, concerning which Consul H. Abert Johnson writes from Liege: The results of his investigations have been studied mith considerable interest by railway specialists here, as i t appears that rails made of silicon steel have been used by the Southeastern and Chatham Railway since 1904, and subsequently, by several other lines, a s well as by the Metropolitan, of London, and various street railway lines. The investigation on the part of M. Decamps is, it is asserted, absolutely conclusive, as i t is shown that rails of this class will far outlast those heretofore in use. T h e process of manufacture results in increasing the compactness of the metal, while a t the same time rendering i t more ductile, augmenting in a remarkable degree its capacity for resisting violent shocks. This latter characteristic, in regard to which experts have been somewhat skeptical, has been demonstrated by several years’ experience, and is a n element which especially enhances its superiority. The modifications in the process of manufacture of this class of steel are a s follows: Ferrosilicon, containing 7 j per cent. of silicon, is put into the casting ladle; two special
633
operations are perforrued after the rail has passed through the rolling mill; the flange is cooled by a jet of mater; after this the rail is allowed to cool before placing i t in the finishing machine for grooving. The process of cold-rolling produces a finer-grained metal, i t is claimed. Experiments with silicon steel rails will be made on the inclined plane from Liege-Guillemins station to .Ins, and on the line from Luxemburg, two sections of Belgian lines that are called upon to resist the heaviest strain. It is asserted that the manufacture of silicon steel \Till tend to develop, to a certain extent, the qualities of Bessemer steel for which silicon ores are utilized, lyhile in the making of Thomas steel, which at present tends to monopolize the furnaces of this region, phosphorous ores are required.
OFFICIAL RE-GULATIONS AND RULINGS. (T. D. I jog). Distilled Spirits.--Question of substitution or addition of caramel.-Test case decided in favor of the D. 1325 revoked. Government.-T. TREASURY DEPARTXENT, OFFICE OF COXXISSIONGR OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Washington, D. C., June 9, 1909. To Collectors of Internal Rsvetzxe, Rewnue Ageitis, atid All Others Concerned: By T. D. 132 j of February 26, 1908, this office gave notice that no further seizures of (double-stamped) spirits would be made on the ground of the addition of caramel, or for substitution, when the proof of substitution depended upon the presence of caramel, or upon the result of cheniical analysis, until a test case then pending had been heard. All packages of spirits then under seizure for this cause were ordered released. The test case has now been tried and decided in favor of the Government and against the claimant. And upon the advice of the honorable Attorney-General the suspension of action by internal-revenue officers directed by T. D. 1 3 2 j is hereby revoked, to take effect July I , 1909,and all internal-revenue officers and others concerned will govern themselves accordingly. ROBT. WILLIAMS,JR., Acting Commissioner. (T. D. 29828). U n d e r .4ct o j J u l y
Importation I,
01
l;iruses, Serums, Etc.,
1902.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, June I O , 1909. To Collectors and Other Oljicers o/ the Czistoms: The following excerpt from the act. of Congress approved July I , 1902, and regulations thereunder are published for the information and guidance of all concerned. JAMES B. REYNOLDS, Acting Secretarji. An act to regulate the sale of viruses, serums, toxins, and analogous products in the District of Columbia, to regulate interstate traffic in said articles, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate aitd H O ~ Lo Sj Representatives ~ o/ the l‘nited States of .4merica i i z Congress assembled, T h a t from and after six months after the promulgation of the regulations authorized by section four of this act no person shall * * * bring for sale, barter, or exchange from * * * any foreign country into the United States,
T H E JOLJRNAL OF I ~ ~ D I J ~ S T RA ~N A D LENG1,VEERlNG CHE.UI.YTRY.
634
*
* * any virus, therapeutic serum, toxin, antitoxin, or analogous product applicable to the prevention and cure of diseases of man, unless such virus, serum, toxin, antitoxin, or product has been propagated and prepared a t an establishment holding an unsuspended and unrevoked license, issued by the Secretary of the Treasury as hereinafter authorized, * * * nor unless each package of such virus, serum, toxin, antitoxin, or product is plainly marked with the proper name of the article contained therein, the name, address, license number of the manufacturer, and the date beyond which the ,contents can not be expected beyond reasonable doubt to yield their specific results. * * Approved July I, 1902.
*
The Board of Food and Drug Inspection has issued the following judgment notices: JULY 13. 69. Misbranding of rye flour (as to presence of wheat). 7 0 . Misbranding of canned peas (underweight). 71. Misbranding of lemon extract (as to presence of lemon oil). 72. Misbranding of canned cherries (underweight). 73. Misbranding of vinegar (colored imitation fruit vinegar. 74. Misbranding of maple sirup (as to presence of cane sugar sirup). jj. Adulteration and misbranding of pepper (as to presence of n u t shells, fruit pits, etc.). 7 6 . Adulteration of oats (as to presence of barley). 7 j. Misbranding of canned tomatoes (underweight). j 8 . Misbranding of water (as to origin and source). 79. Misbranding of tomato catsup (as to presence of screenings and waste). 80. Misbranding of salad oil (as to origin). 81. Adulteration of milk (water). JUNE 30. 8 2 . Misbranding of drug preparations (Mme. Yale’s skin food, etc.). FOOD INSPECTION DECISION 108.
Importation of Coffee.-The Department has recently investigated the sale and shipment, within the jurisdiction of the Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906, of decomposed, imperfect and damaged coffee. A public hearing on this subject was held by the Board of Food and Drug Inspection on December I j , 1908, a t which an opportunity to be heard was given to the trade and to the public. As a result of the investigation and the evidence adduced a t the hearing, it is announced that the product ordinarily known as “Black Jack.” consisting of rotten or decomposed berries, is regarded by the Department as injurious to health and the Food and Drugs Act forbids its shipment or sale within the jurisdiction of the said act. Coffee which is damaged by water during shipment, or which has acquired a permanently offensive odor because of its proximity to hides or other material of objectionable odor, is considered by the Department to come within the phrase “filthy, decomposed, or putrid,” within the meaning of that phrase as used in the Food and Drugs Act, and its shipment or sale as hereinbefore stated, is therefore held
.4ug., 1909
to be forbidden. Immature berries, ordinarily known as “Quakers,” are dead beans without pronounced smell or taste. They have not the characteristics of coffee, and, in the opinion of the Department, their shipment or sale as coffee within the jurisdiction of the Act is in violation thereof. I t is recognized that the ordinary coffees of commerce usually contain small quantities of these inhibited products, and no action will be taken in regard to the shipment or sale of the recognized graded coffees of comnierce because of the small amount of these substances which may be present. I n determining the present action of the Department on any particular lot as to whether it contains more than the ordinary small quantities of the inhibited products, coffee graded as No. 8 , on the New York Coffee Exchange, will be taken as a standard. Screenings consisting of inferior or broken berries, of stones, sticks, dirt, etc., should not be sold as coffee even in a ground condition. This product should be designated as “Coffee screenings.” F. L. DUNLAP, GEO. P. MCCABE, Board of Food and D m g Inspectaon. Approved : JAMES WILSON, Secretary 0 ) Agriculture. WASHINGTON, D C , June 15, 1909.
Chilean Nitrates.-Consul Alfred A. Winslow, of Valparaiso, submits the following report in regard to ‘the condition of the nitrate business in Chile: The nitrate business is badly disturbed over the dissolution of the nitrate combine that ended March 31, 1909. The price of nitrate has declined very materially, and several of the works have shut down, A strong effort is being made to agree again upon some working basis, so as to control the market and keep up the price. The Chilean Government is taking a hand in the matter, since i t is deeply interested, as there is a n export tax of 56 cents United States gold per Spanish quintal of 101.42 pounds. On January 31, 1909,there were 1 4 j separate nitrate works in Chile, and it is a very difficult matter to get all the interests together. There are several strong companies t h a t own several plants each, and i t is among these that the most opposition to combining is found. The following table covers the average cost of nitrate per quintal in United States gold under the several conditions given during the month of May for the years 19oj, 1906, 1907, and 1908: Selling condition.
1905.
.
1906. 1907. 1908.
.
O n board steamer i n Europe.. . , . , . , , . . . $2.46 $2.38 $2.21 $2.12 On board steamer in Chile with freight paid 2.26 2 . 3 4 2.46 2 . 1 9 Alongside steamer in Chilean p o r t , . , . , , . . . 1.84 1 , 9 6 2 . 1 3 1 . 7 9
During May, 1939, the price of nitrate was quoted a s low as $1.60 United States gold per quintal, to be delivered alongside steamer in Chilean ports.
