238 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE HOME MIXING OF FERTILIZERS. 



In some states and by those farmers who have carefully studied the 

 matter, home mixing of fertilizers has been highly successful. Home mix- 

 ing is especially desirable where a special fertilizer is needed and one 

 giving the desired composition is not offered for sale. With proper care 

 farmers can make mixtures that meet their requirements by buying the 

 raw materials and mixing them on the barn floor at home. This is com- 

 mendable because it necessitates a study of soil conditions at home and 

 thus the farmer puts on the land the exact fertilizer needed. It is not to 

 ■be expected that such a fertilizer will be as thoroughly mixed as factory 

 goods but it will be found sufficiently satisfactory and usually much 

 .cheaper. 



THE MICHIGAN FERTILIZER LAW. 



(Act No. 26 of the Session Laws of 1885.) 



Section 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That any per- 

 son or persons who shall sell or offer for sale in this State any commercial 

 fertilizer, the retail price of which exceeds ten dollars per ton, shall affix 

 on the outside of every package containing such fertilizer a plainly printed 

 certificate, stating the number of net pounds therein ; the name or trade 

 mark under which such article is sold; the name of the manufacturer; 

 the place of manufacture, and a chemical analysis, stating the percentage 

 of nitrogen in available form; of potash soluble in water and of phos- 

 phoric acid in available form (soluble or reverted) and the insoluble 

 phosphoric acid. 



Sec. 2. Before any commercial fertilizer is sold or offered for sale, the 

 manufacturer, importer or party who causes it to be sold or offered for 

 sale within this State, shall file 'with the secretary of the State Board of 

 Agriculture a certified copy of the analysis and certificate referred to in 

 section one, and shall also deposit with said secretary a sealed glass jar, 

 containing not less than two pounds of such fertilizer, with an affidavit 

 that it is a fair sample of the article thus to be sold or offered for sale. 



Sec. 3. The manufacturer, importer, or agent of any commercial fer- 

 tilizer, the retail price of which exceeds ten dollars per ton as aforesaid, 

 shall pay annually to the secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, 

 on or before the first day of May, a license fee of twenty dollars for each 

 and every brand of fertilizer he offers for sale in this State: Provided, 

 That whenever the manufacturer or importer shall have paid this license 

 fee his agents shall not be required to do so. 



Sec. 4. All such analyses of commercial fertilizers required by this act 

 shall be made under the direction of the State Board of Agriculture and 

 paid for out of the funds arising from the license fees provided for in sec- 

 tion three. At least one analysis of each fertilizer shall be made annually. 



Sec. 5. The secretary of the State Board of Agriculture shall publish 

 in his annual report a correct statement of all analyses made and certifi- 

 cates filed in his office; together with a statement of all moneys received 

 for license fees, and expended for analysis. Any surplus from license fees 



