106 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



the point where he prepares his own mixed fertilizers for special pur- 

 poses from the separate constituents. This is the rational method, for 

 a general fertilizer mixture which may be well suited for one purpose 

 is absolutely unfitted for another. An ordinary mixed fertilizer which, 

 for instance, furnishes the phosphoric acid indicated for wheat, when 

 used on a soil rich in phosphoric acid would be a great waste of phos- 

 phoric acid, but on a soil poor in phosphoric acid would furnish too 

 little of that ingredient. 



An idea of the extent of the control work of the experiment stations 

 in Germany in recent years may be gained from the following statement. 

 It is a matter of regret that there are no compiled statistics except for 

 the Prussian stations, from which the following figures are taken. 

 Thirty experiment stations in Prussia examined — 



Samples of agricultural supplies. 



In 1892 58,268 



In 1 893 70, 682 



In 1894 102,176 



There are in Germany 50 agricultural experiment stations, and if we 

 assume that the activity of those outside of Prussia is equivalent to 

 that of the Prussian stations we get the following totals and averages: 



In 1892, 97,133 samples, or 1,943 per station. 

 In 1893, 117,803 samples, or 2,356 per station. 

 In 1894, 170,293 samples, or 3,406 per station. 



Of these examinations, about 52,000 were of commercial fertilizers. 

 It will be seen from these figures to what an extent the control has 

 increased from year to year. Between 1892 and 1894 it nearly doubled, 

 and it is to be expected that in the next few years there will be a still 

 greater increase in the number of examinations. 



It might be thought that there is no necessity for the passage of laws 

 in Germany against the adulteration of fertilizers and feeding stuffs, 

 such as have been enacted in Belgium, France, England, and the 

 United States of America, but such is not the case. With the enor- 

 mous extent of the trade in commercial fertilizers and concentrated 

 feeding stuffs, only a certain part is controlled under the present con- 

 ditions, and the small farmers especially are largely deprived of the 

 advantages of a fertilizer and feeding stuffs control. For the protection 

 of the interests of this class of farmers a law should be passed in 

 Germany to regulate the trade in fertilizers and feeding stuffs. This 

 is especially necessary to the farmer in the present state of agricultural 

 depression. 



The control work in the interest of the practical farmers will always 

 remain a very important part of the work of the agricultural experi- 

 ment stations, although the scientific work of the experiment stations 

 should by no means be subordinated to this. With the enormous 

 annual increase in this control of fertilizers and feeding staffs, it is 

 apparent that the control work and scientific investigation can not 



