State in the whole nation in point of production, having 
raised 28,512,000 bushels. This compared with 11,214,000 
bushels produced in Ohio and 16,435,000 raised in New 
Jersey. The States which in that year produced more pota- 
toes than Pennsylvania, were Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michi- 
gan, and New York, 
The packing and preservation of food is a great modern 
invention, and the scientific methods employed in canning, 
drying, pickling, and in other ways preserving food products 
which, but for these methods, would speedily decay, afford 
means of providing a great supply of food products through 
all seasons of the year, and operate to prevent famine, and 
to supply the population with plenty of food in seasonable 
months, and in periods of scarcity or poor crops. Long before 
these methods were introduced into the food business, and 
people depended largely on fresh meats and vegetables, 
periods of distressing scarcity were numerous. 
Adulteration of food was a common offense. The first 
protective food law on record was English and bears the date 
of 1208. It was designed to prevent dishonest bakers from 
preying on the public. A few years later butchers, brewers, 
and wine makers were added to those needing legal restraint 
against fraudulent adulterations. Adulteration continued, 
however, until nearly every line of standard food was the 
subject of a special law—a condition indicating that food 
adulteration was rife. 
This is one of the greatly improved results of scientific 
food preservation. Adulteration at present is comparatively 
small in amount. A few years ago the widespread use of 
benzoate of soda aroused much question as to its harmful- 
ness, and Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, chief chemist of the United 
States Bureau of Chemistry, began an investigation. A so- 
called “poison squad” of healthy young men were fed with 
benzoate of soda in varying quantities for a period of several 
weeks, and the most careful scientific watch was kept over 
them. Detailed records were made at great length. The con- 
clusion of the bureau was that benzoate of soda was “a dele- 
terious substance” within the meaning of the law, and its 
use in foods was forbidden by the Secretary of Agriculture.