FERTILIZERS. 623 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers, J. L. Hills, B. O. White, 

 and C. H. Jones ( Vermont Sta. Buls. 63, pp. i7-60; <ii. pp. 03-76; 65, pp. 

 79-124). — These bulletins report analyses and valuations of 126 brands 

 of fertilizers inspected during- tlie spring of 1S98, with notes on valuation 

 and a discussion of the results of inspection. 



''Three-quarters of the total number [of fertilizers inspected] were above guar- 

 antee in every respect, nine-tenths -were essentially equal to or better than guarantee, 

 and all afforded the commercial equivalent of their guarantees. Thirteen brands fell 

 short more than 0.20 per cent in one ingredient, and two were lacking in two ingre- 

 dients. In neither case were both ingredients seriously deficient. 



"The application of pepsin digestion and alkaline-permanganate distillation meth- 

 ods to the several brands indicated that the quality of the organic nitrogen of about 

 a dozen brands, notably the output of two concerns, was somewhat questionable. 



"One hundred and live brands were guaranteed (directly or inferential! y) to con- 

 tain potash as sulphate, a claim which was verified in hut 19 cases. 



"The average valuation was found to be $17.45 and the average selling price $29.04. 

 Two dollars out of every five invested in fertilizers paid for costs of manufacture and 

 sale. A dollar spent for average low-priced goods (below $28) bought 58 cts. worth 

 of plant food; a dollar invested in average medium grade-brands ($28 to $32), GO 

 cts. worth ; and a dollar paid out for average high-priced goods ($32.50 and up- 

 wards), 67 cts. worth. A dollar bought 79 cts. worth of plant food in one brand 

 and but 39 cts. worth in another. A fifth of the entire number of brands sold fur- 

 nished less than 55 cts. worth of plant food for a dollar. 



"The average composition of the goods has not varied materially from that of 

 last year. Selling prices are the same, plant food in mixed goods is as cheap as it 

 ever was, but owing to the low prices of raw materials the practice of home-mixing 

 is proportionately more profitable now than hitherto. 



"Home-mixtures made in this State furnished from 30 to 50 per cent more plant 

 food at the same cost than did average manufacturers' mixtures." 



Report of the chemist. Department of fertilizers and fertilizer materials, 

 C. A. GOESSMANN et al. {Massachusetts Hatch Sta. I'pt. 1897, pp. 106-127). — A brief 

 summary is given of the work during 1897, including statements regarding the 

 inspection of fertilizers and analyses of barnyard manure, wood ashes, cotton-seed 

 meal, Damara Land guano, crematory ashes, and wool washings, with brief notes 

 on their value as fertilizers. 



Fertilizing value and statistics of production, imports and exports of oil 

 cakes of France, Maizieres {UEugrais, 13 {1808), No. 52, pp. 1235-1237). 



Manure pits and cisterns, M. Rinuelmann {Jour. Agr. Prat., 62 {1S9S), II, 

 No. 46, pp. 707-712, figs. 7; 50, pp. S56-S60, figs. 6). — A variety of pits and cisterns 

 are described and figured. 



The turning under of straw, stubble, etc., P. Boxame {Rap. Ann. Sta. Agron. 

 [Mauritius'], 1897, pp. 55-57). — The merits of this practice are discussed, the conclu- 

 sion being drawn that, although it has some disadvantages, the benefits resulting 

 from it in the improvement of the soil more than counterbalance these objections. 

 Comparative tests of burning and turning under were made on sugar cane with 

 results decidedly favoring the latter practice. 



Fertilizer experiments with potash salts {L'Eugrais, 13 {1S9S), Xo. 52, pp. 

 1241, 1242). — An account is given of experiments with wheat on calcareous, clayey- 

 calcareous, and sandy soils, which indicate that in every case applications of potash 

 were profitable when they did not exceed 150 kg. of chlorid or sulphate per hectare. 



Nitrate of soda and the exhaustion of the soil, L. Grandeau {Jour. Agr. Prat., 

 63 (1898), II, Xo. 40, pp. 485-487).— A popular article. 



The nitrate of soda industry, Maizieres (L'Engrais, IS ( 1898), Xo. 40, pp. 947, 948). 



Fields for experiment and demonstration, Maizieres ( L'Engrais, 13 {1898), Xo. 

 4.', pp. 996, 997). — A popular article, based largely on the work of Grandeau, Weitz, 



