340 BOARD OF AGRICULTTTRE. [Jan., 



The above collection from a single neighborhood merits, as it has 

 received, the highest praise. 



The exhibit of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station 

 consisted of forty samples of fertilizing materials in glass jars, suitably 

 labeled. They represented, first, the crude phosphatic and nitrogenous 

 materials which do not come directly into retail trade, but farm the 

 basis of our manufactured fertilizers, superphosphates, etc. Second, 

 such chemicals as are usual in compounding fertilizers, and are also 

 retailed for direct application to land; sulphate and muriate of potash, 

 kainit, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, etc. Third, waste pro- 

 ducts which have a high commercial value and extensive use as fertili- 

 zers, such as the various kinds of dried blood, ammonite, cotton and 

 linseed meal, fish-scrap, ground bone, bone shavings and the like. 

 Fourth, certain fraudulent or inferior articles which have lately been 

 sold in this State. 



Most of the articles exhibited were from stock sold in the State and 

 analyzed at the Station within the last year, and showed the varying 

 prices which have been paid for phosphoric acid, potash, and nitrogen, 

 by our farmers. For instance, from $3.50 to f 10.11 per hundred pounds 

 has been paid for phosphoric acid in ground bone; soluble phosphoric 

 acid in light grade articles has cost about $11.00 per 100 pounds. 

 Actual potash in muriate has cost from $3.50 to $4.50, in sulphate $7.50, 

 but in kainit from $7.10 to $8.00 per 100 pounds. Nitrogen has been 

 bought in one case for $17.85 in cotton-seed meal, while in another 

 case $37.29 per 100 pounds were paid for it ; it has been purchased in 

 dried blood for $18.80, and in castor pomace for $20.84 per 100 pounds. 



The exhibit showed in a striking way the need of care and judg- 

 ment in purchasing fertilizers, and the direct saving of money to the 

 purchaser who is willing to exercise his judgment in this direction. 



Another exhibit illustrating a greatly increasing business closely 

 connected with the producer's interest was that of a dozen cans of 

 very delicious tomatoes (the Gen. Grant Tomato), put up by the 

 Sachem's Head Canning Co. of Guilford, who have canned during the 

 season over 32,000 bushels of tomatoes of unrivalled quality. A trial 

 at the hotel satisfied all visitors of their great superiority. Another 

 Company in Guilford have put up nearly the same quantity of tomatoes 

 as above. 



The Strawberry Show in June, 1881, at Agricultural lioom, Ko. 50, State 



House, Uartford. 



By invitation of T. S. Gold, Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, 

 and Chairman of the Fruit Committee of the American Pomological 

 Society of Connecticut, leading fruit growers in our State, as the Hale 

 Brothers of Glastonbury, J. B. Olcott of Manchester, Col. Dewey of 

 Hartford, P. M. Augur «fc Sons of Middlefield, and others, exhibited an 

 unexpected array of beautiful strawberries. 



