186 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Multiply $1.60 by the per cent, of available phosphoric acid. 

 .60 " " insoluble 



" 3.60 " " ammonia. 



1.20 " " potash. 



The sum will give the market value of a ton of such fertilizer. Take 

 for example Vegetable Booe fertilizer as found last year: 



Ammonia 5.76 % X $3.60= $20.74 



Available phosphoric acid 5.40 % X 1.60= 8.64 



Insoluble " " 1.48 % X .60= 89 



Potash 7.80 % X 1.20= 9.36 



Market value per ton $89.62 



In order to secure full information in regard to the composition of all 

 fertilizers sold or ofifered for sale in this state, a license -is required of 

 every manufacturer or dealer in such fertilizers in this state. If the 

 manufacturer takes out a license for any brand of fertilizer, such license 

 protects all dealers in such fertilizer for the year; but if the manufacturer 

 neglects or refuses to take out such license, then each dealer must take 

 out a license to cover his sales. Any person who sells or offers for sale 

 any fertilizer (whose retail price exceeds $10), that has not been thus 

 licensed is liable to a fine of not less than $100 for the first offense and not 

 less than $300 for every subsequent offense. The same fines hang over the 

 dealer who sells goods, that are not up to the standard claimed. Dealers 

 will show wisdom in refusing to handle the fertilizers of manufacturers 

 who neglect or refuse to take out a license for their goods, or fail to keep 

 their goods up to the standard claimed. 



It may seem a hardship to the dealer to require a license from each one 

 for every brand of fertilizer he offers for sale. Yet it is obvious that the 

 system of inspecting and licensing is necessary to protect the farmers from 

 heavy loss. But the factories are for the most part outside of our state 

 and thus beyond the reach of our state law, and the only parties that can 

 be reached are the local dealers. If a license is required of one, it must be 

 required of all. 



In order to give exact information on all these points, the full text of 

 the law is printed. 



[SeBsion Laws of 1885, No. 26. | 



AN ACT to provide for the inspection of commercial fertilizers and to regulate the 



sale thereof. 



Section 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That any person or persons 

 who shall sell or oflfer 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 gpld; the name of the manufact- 

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

 nitrogen in an available form; of potash soluble in water, and of phosphoric 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 withm this state, shall file 

 with the secretary of the State Board of jf^riculture 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 fertilizer, the retail 

 price of which exceeds ten dollars per ton as aforesaid, shall pay annually to the secre- 

 tary of the State Board of Agriculture, on or before the first day of May, a license fee 



