EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 201 



the agricultural standpoint lies in the quality of the materials supply- 

 ing the nitrogen. The sources of phosphoric acid and potash, available 

 for fertilizer use, are few and the}' are, fortunately, of good quality. 

 On the other hand, the sources of nitrogen available for the fertilizer 

 trade are many and of very variable quality. Since the nitrogen is 

 much more costly than either the phosphoric acid or potash it will be 

 readily seen that the quality of the nitrogen sui)plied in the mixed fer- 

 tilizer becomes an important one. 



If it were possible to detect the materials used in compounding a fer- 

 tilizer it would then be a simple matter to determine its worth but the 

 process of manufacture is such as to make the identity of the materials 

 very difficult, if not impossible. Consequently, the only safe advice, at 

 the present time, that can be given to guide one in purchasing, is to 

 always buy high grade fertilizers, because in compounding such fertil- 

 izers only high grade materials can be used. On the other hand low 

 grade materials are quite generally used in mixing Ioav grade fertilizers. 



A comparison of the cost of plant food in the high and low grade 

 fertilizers, was published in Bulletin 252, which was distinctly in favor 

 of the high grade fertilizer. 



Following are the names of the parties from whose stocks samples 

 were draAvn : 



Adair — C. P. Lipke. 



Addison — Louis & Vanile. 



Adrian— J. C. Van Doren, J. E. Bennett, H. Wellintz. 



Alma — J. M. Montigel. 



Amadore — Wm. Anderson. 



Applegate — Byron Kelly, Farmers Grain & Hay Co. 



Ashley— A. M. Derry & Son, Kockefellow Grain Co. 



Azalia — E. F. Cowper. 



Bad Axe — S. H. Pangborn, Jacob Sparling, Slack Bros. 



Bankers — Wm. Cole. 



Battle Creek — Kobert Binder Estate. 



Bay City — F. C. Goodeyne, Mohr Hardware Co., Presley & Layer, 

 Jenison Hardware Co., Bay City Hardware & Implement Co. 



Bay Port — A. Morse. 



Belleville — A. Jackson, Stephen Pearl. 



Benton Harbor— Cutler & Downing, B. M. Nowlen & Co. 



Birmingham — Smith Bros., H. B. Parks. 



Blissfield — W. A. Worthev, J. A. Mominee, Joe Rouget, F. L. Ganum, 

 W. J. Uckele. 



Brown City— J. H. Linck. 



Butternut — Butternut Bean & Grain Co. 



Camden — Geo. L. Tanner. 



Capac — Lang Bros., L. R. Glassford. 



Carlton — L. J. Guiermann. 



Charlotte— Hertell & Martin. 



Clayton— E. H. Hutchins. 



Clinton— W. D. Vantuyl. 



Coldwater— A. J. Fiske, S. I. Treat & Son, E. Dunton. 



Coloma— G. R. Brown, I. G. Leedy, Coloma Hardware Co. 



Coopersville — Laug Bros. 



Covert — J. R. Spealman. 



