No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 405 



in Pennsylvania, it is dumped by tlie roadside, while in Oregon it 

 is given away for the asking. In these instances they need the 

 teaching of Farmers' Institutes. We feel that the term "fertili- 

 zer" largely applies to commercial fertilizers in our connection, 

 and to this end we will dwell for a few moments and suggest a few 

 things. 



We would recomrnend the Commercial Fertilizer be not depended 

 upon entirely for the fertility of our land, but, be used as a valua- 

 ble aid to assist in crop production, after the most judicious care 

 has been taken of all other sources of fertility. 



Commercial Fertilizers are costly, make high bills for the far- 

 mer, and in Pennsylvania thousands of dollars are uselessly spent 

 by our farmers. The use of Commercial Fertilizer in Pennsylvania 

 from all sources where we have had any opportunity of obtaining 

 information, has, during the last year, far excelled that of any for- 

 mer year in our history. Farmers are becoming more and more 

 expert (some are not, however), in buying fertilizers intelligently 

 by adhering more closely to the analysis which is printed on the 

 sack, as is now provided by law. Three elements control the valuta 

 of any fertilizer and they are too well known to speak of at any 

 length, viz: Nitrogen or Ammonia, Phosphoric Acid, and Potash. 



By using a little arithmetic any one can in a short time calculate 

 the value of any brand of Commercial Fertilizer on the market 

 today. Vast sums of money are uselessly spent annually by the 

 farmers of our State by not taking the proper pains in making 

 calculations before purchasing. They simply buy a fertilizer by 

 its name and not by what it is worth on the market. This hap- 

 hazard way of buying fertilizer, (not by all) is like buying a suit 

 of clothes for so much cash, and not taking into account its real 

 value. A ten dollar suit is worth about that amount, and we know 

 it. 



When we have asked some farmers in our experience what kind 

 of a fertilizer they use on their farms, in many instances they would 

 say about |18.00 goods or |20.00 goods, as the case may be. This 

 reai]y does not indicate anything at all. If, on the other hand, you 

 would ask him what kind of a fertilizer he uses and he tells you 1, 

 8, 4, or 2, 8, 10, or 10, 6, as the case may be, you can just put it down 

 that he knows just what he is doing, so far as the law is at present. 



We would recommend for consideration by this Board of Agri- 

 culture, if it would not be advisable to press upon the present 

 Legislature, to pass a law in reference to placing upon the outside 

 of each sack of fertilizer, not only the analysis as it now is but state 

 from what source the different ingredients are derived. While, 

 as I said before, we may buy intelligently as far as we can, but 

 would not the farmer be fairer dealt with if he would know from 

 what source he was obtaining the different elements in the compo- 

 sition of the fertilizer? 



The Department of Agriculture has been aiding the farmer, 

 very greatly, by having samples of fertilizers collected all over the 

 State and subsequently having them analyzed at the State College 

 by the State Chemist. This work is done (and is generally known) 

 for the purpose of ascertaining whether the contents of the sack, 

 is just what is printed on the outside of it. Sometimes farmers 



