160 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



Director Shaw: 



Sir — I have the honor to submit the following report of the work of 

 the Chemical Division for the year ending June 30, 1909. 



ANALYTICAL WORK. 



]:>uring the past year the following samples have been received and 

 analyzed : 



Official fertilizer samples 214 



Farm and other departments 108 



I'jxperimental 54 



Miscellaneous 93 



Total 524 



FERTILIZER CONTROL. 



The number of licensed fertilizers is increasing each year, the increase 

 this season over last year being more than thirty brands. Mr. Grover 

 J. Secord has been secured as a temporary assistant during the fertilizer 

 season and his Avork. has been very satisfactory. The cost of collecting 

 the samples is also increasing as the use of commercial fertilizers is 

 becoming more widely distributed. Mr. A. M. Irish, of Lansing, Michi- 

 gan collected nearly all of the samples this season and we feel greatly 

 indebted to him for his faithfulness in the performance of the work. 



HATCH I'IjXD. 



Owing to the extended dry weather that prevailed over the entire 

 southern portion of the state last fall, the fertilizer experiment con- 

 ducted on the Uowarden Farm, at Edwardsburg, suffered considerably, 

 and the spring seeding of clover and fall wheat were both killed during 

 the winter. It was, therefore necessary to change the plan of the experi- 

 ment somewhat for this season. 



The results of last year's Avork were very convincing and showed the 

 unmistakable value of lime on that soil, especially for clover. 



In response to the urgent request of a number of cattle breeders 

 throughout the state, a number of samples of abortion cure, breeding 

 tonic, et cetera, ha^-e been examined and the results Avill soon be pre- 

 sented for publication. 



In conjunction Avith the Horticultural Division an experiment has been 

 initiated to determine the influence of commercial fertilizers upon the 

 growth of young fruit trees and grape vines. The experiment as 

 planned will extend over several years. 



