38 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



52 per cent of boue phosphate, aloug with a considerable percentage of iron and 

 alumina. The third class of material consists of blocks of Avhat appears to be a 

 dense blue limestone, hut which appears ou analysis to contain in the neighborhood 

 of 40 per cent of bone phosphate of lime. 



"These various materials were not of a grade equal to that of the southern prod- 

 uct, but will neverthele.ss bc.lr transportation to a moderate distance. None of 

 the sami)les contained carbonic acid, and the material is otherwise of fair grade for 

 fertilizer manufacture. The present indications are that the deposits are quite 

 extensive. What renders the discovery of special interest and importance, how- 

 ever, ia the fact that almost exactly similar geological conditions exist in many 

 other parts of the State. Moreover, the reports of the State Geological Survey note 

 the occurrence of 'calcareous nodules' in precisely these localities. Apparently 

 there is warrant for the belief that further explorations may develop (|uite exten- 

 sive phosphate deposits in A'arious parts of the Commonwealth."' 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers, L. L. Van Slykb {Neic York 

 State Sta. Bui. 96, n. scr., pp. 445-480). — Notes are given on the law and 

 rej^ulations governing the fertilizer control in I^ew York State; the 

 influence of different kinds of fertilizers npon plants; sources of nitro- 

 gen, phosphoric acid, and potash in fertilizers; terms used in analysis 

 of fertilizers; and valuation of fertilizers, with tabulated analyses of 

 samples of fertilizing materials collected during the fall of 1895. 



"During the fall of 189.5, there were collect(>d 288 samples of commercial fertilizers, 

 representing 182 ditlerent brands. 



"Of these 182 different brands, 133 eoutained nitrogen varying in amount from 

 0.10 to 5 per cent. The average of all the guarantee analyses was 1.60 per cent of 

 nitrogen, wliile the average amount found by the station analysis was 1.75 per cent. 



"There were 181 brands which contained available phosphoric acid varying in 

 amount from .5. .56 to 16.81 per cent. The average amount of available phospiioric 

 acid found l)y station analysis exceeded the average guarantee analysis by 0.85 per 

 cent, the average of all the guarantee analyses being 9.12 per cent and the average 

 actually found Iteing 9.97 per cent. 



"There wei-e 153 brands which contained potash varying from 0.55 to 49.02 per 

 cent. The average amount of potash found by our analysis exceeded the average 

 guarantee analysis by 0.33 per cent, the average of all the guarantee analyses being 

 2.75 per cent, and the average actually found being 3.08 jter cent. . . . 



" Of the 182 different brands collected, 76 were below the manufiicturer's guarantee 

 analysis in one or more constituents, in amounts varying from 0.01 to 2.91 per cent. 



"The amount of nitrogen was below the guarantee analysis of the manufacturer 

 in 27 brands, the deficiency varying from 0.01 to 1.15 per cent and averaging 0.18 per 

 cent. In 24 of the 27 brands the deliciency was not greater than 0.25 per cent; in 

 1 brand it was over 0.25 and below 0.50 per cent; in 1 brand it was over 0.50 and 

 below 1 per cent; in 1 brand the deficiency Avas slightly over 1 per cent. 



"The amount of phosphoric acidAvas below the maiinfacturer's guarantee analysis 

 in 33 brands, the deficiency A^arying from 0.02 to 2.91 per cent and averaging 0.58 per 

 cent. In 14 of the 33 brands the deficiency Avas less than 0.25 per cent; in 10 cases 

 it was above 0.25 and below 0.50 per cent; in 2 brands it was above 0..50 and below 

 1 per cent; in 2 brands the deficiency was above 1 and below 2 per cent; in 3 brands 

 itAvas above 2 and below 3 per cent. 



"The amount of potash was below the manufacturer's guarantee analysis in 30 

 different brands, the deficiency A-arying from 0.01 to 1.55 per cent and averaging 0.43 

 per cent. In 14 of the 30 brands the deficiency Avas below 0.25 per cent ; in 5 brands 

 it Avas above 0.25 and below 0.50 per cent; in 7 brands it was above 0.50 and below 

 1 per cent; in 4 brands the deficiency was above 1 and below 2 per cent." 



