30 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



Off. Doc. 



in cases where the ratio of nitrogen to phosphoric acid exceeds 8, 

 it is clear that part, at least, of I lie jjliosplioric acid has been supplied 

 by something else than pure animal boue; but, inasmuch as nitrogen 

 may have been introduced in some material other than bone and no 

 longer detectible by the microscope, the presence of nitrogen and 

 phosphoric acid in the proportions corresponding to those of bone is 

 not proof positive that they have been supplied by bone. Finally the 

 differences in the iron and silica content of bone and rock respectively 

 afford means of distinction useful in some cases. The usefulness of 

 this distinction is limited, however, by the facts that kitchen bone 

 frequently contains earthy impurities rich in iron and silicia, and 

 that earthy fillers can legally be used in fertilizers and are in fact 

 considerably used therein both as "make-weights" and as "condition- 

 ers," or materials introduced to improve the drilling qualities of 

 the goods. The fact that the phosphoric acid in bone and rock are 

 identical in character is probably so well known as to require no 

 detailed consideration in this connection. 



The cases of departure of goods from guaranty, where the deficiency 

 was two-tenths per cent., amounted to 38 per cent, which in my judg- 

 ment is due to improper mixing or a separation of the mixed materials 

 in transit. 



Many of the fertilizers were found short in one element but over 

 in the other guaranteed elements, yet these fertilizers are not exempt 

 from being classified with the more deficient samples, which materially 

 increases the percentage of deficient samples. 



Where it was believed that fraud was attempted or gross careless- 

 ness was permitted among manufacturers, from the samples showing 

 a marked deficiency, the manufacturers or the venders were prose- 

 cuted. 



During the year the Department instituted 16 proceedings for the 

 violation of the Fertilizer Law, and recovered |o89.33 in fines and 

 costs which were paid into the State Treasury, as required by law. 



For a clear understanding of the above, I submit herewith for 

 comparison a table of average composition and average guaranty for 

 the year 1911 : 



Phosphoric Acid 



Total, 



Available, -. 



Potash, 



Nitrogen, 



9.01 



7.86 

 4.02 

 1.36 



The following statement made by Dr. Win. Frear, Chief Chemist 

 of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, who had 

 charge of the analytical work, in a report to this Department, is 

 self explanatory: 



