FERTILIZERS. 



337 



ash, 12; kainit, 34; other potash salts and chemicals, 13; animal bone, 

 16; fish scrap, 8; and miscellaneous, 10. Of these 666 brands, 213 were 

 made in Virginia, 166 in Xorth Carolina, 153 in South Carolina, 100 in 

 Maryland, and the rest in other States, including Missouri, Illinois, 

 New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. 



The average actual and guaranteed composition of the principal 

 classes of fertilizers sold in the State in 1896 ' are shown in the follow- 

 ing table : 



Composition of fertilizers on sale in North Carolina in 1S96. 



On the citrate solubility of phosphoric acid in ground bone' 

 A. Keller (Chan. Ztg., Jl (189? ), No. 33, p. 323). — Ten-gram portions 

 of bone meal were placed in beakers, covered with water, and allowed 

 to stand in a room free from ammonia fumes for 4 months. Analyses 

 of the material at the beginning and end of that period gave the 

 following results: 



Composition of fresh and decomposed bone meal. 



Total phosphoric acid 



Citrate-soluble phosphoric acid 



Total nitrogen 



Ammoniacal nitrogen 



Fat 



Decomposed bone meal. 



Original 

 bone. 



Per cent. 



23.62 



15.81 



5.20 



.03 



2.06 



Exposed to 



sunlight. 



Per cent. 



7.52 

 4.99 

 1.74 



Protected 



from 

 sunlight. 



Per cent. 



10.03 

 5.03 

 1.22 



These results show that there was a decided reversion of the citrate- 

 soluble phosphoric acid and that a part of the organic nitrogen was 

 converted into ammonia. It is suggested that the decline in citrate 

 solubility was due to the formation of dicalcium ammonium phosphate. 



The author's investigations have indicated that the fat content is 

 one of the most important factors in determining the quality of bone. 



Field experiments with different commercial phosphates, C. A. 

 Goessmann (Massachusetts Hatch Sta. Rpt. 1896, pp. 190-194).— -These 

 experiments were begun iu 1890 (E. S. R., 8, p. 399). From 1890 to 

 1893, inclusive, phosphatic slag, Mona guano, Florida phosphate, and 



'For composition of fertilizers sold in the State in previous years see E. S. R., 8, 

 p. 879. 



