572 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



RESULTS OF INSPECTION, SPRING SEASON 1921 



On July 1st, 1921, when the admmistration of the fertiUzer law was trans- 

 ferred to the Department of Agriculture, 43 manufacturers and distributors 

 had licensed 405 brands of fertilizer for sale in Michigan during the period 

 ending April 30th, 1922. Nine new companies with 37 brands are included 

 in the list. One of these, the Groves Fertilizer Company, Cincinnati, O., 

 will make no shipments until the fall season. 



During the spring shipping season the inspectors collected 609 samples 

 which are classified as follows: 



Complete fertilizers 319 



AlkaUne phosphates 115 



Ammoniated phosphates 53 



Acid phosphates 84 



Bone meal 11 



Pulverized manure 12 



Ammonium sulfate 4 



Nitrate of soda 2 



Muriate of potash 4 



Kainit ; 1 



Special 4 



609 



Alkaline phosphates are not so-called because they have an alkaline re- 

 action nor because they will produce an alkaline reaction in the soil for they 

 are, in fact, acid in reaction. This term has been used by the trade to dis- 

 tinguish this particular type of fertihzer which is a mixture of acid phosphate 

 and some potash bearing material. Ammoniated phosphate is a term used 

 to designate mixtures containing only nitrogen and phosphoric acid. They 

 are usually prepared by acidulating some organic ammoniate such as leather 

 waste, hair or wool waste and rock phosphate. The process is essentially 

 the same as that followed in the production of acid phosphate. Ammoniated 

 phosphate may also be prepared bj^ dry mixing some available nitrogen 

 bearing material with acid phosphate. 



Eighty-nine of the licensed brands were not found on the markets and 

 the manufacturers report that no shipments were made of 58 of these during 

 the spring. Most of these should be found during the fall season. These 

 missing brands are included in the tables which follow but the guaranteed 

 analysis only is given. 



