230 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 





tankage, boneblack, rock phosphate, basic slag, Peruvian guano, tannery ashes, flue 

 dirt, land plaster, mixed fertilizers, and garbage ashes. 



Commercial fertilizers, J. L. Hills, C. H. Jones, and F. M. Hollister ( Ver- 

 mont Sta. Bui. 112, ]>/>. 71-92). — This bulletin contains analyses of samples of 57 

 brands of fertilizers, representing 1905 shipments in the hands of local dealers. A 

 schedule of trade values to be used in Vermont in 1905 is also given. 



Commercial fertilizers, J. L. Hills, C. H. Jones, and F. M. Hollister ( Ver- 

 ment Sta. Bid. 116, pp. 143-2 '44.)— -This bulletin reports and discusses analyses of 137 

 brands of fertilizers, representing the output of 13 companies, examined during 1905. 



Only 71 per cent of the brands met their guaranties, 7 failed to give a commercial 

 equivalent of their guaranteed composition, and 1 was far below its guaranty. The 

 average composition of all of the fertilizers showed 8 per cent more plant food than 

 was guaranteed. The crude stock used in the preparation of the fertilizers was found 

 to be on the w r hole of good quality. The average selling price was $29.62, the aver- 

 age valuation $19.04. It is estimated that 56 cts. worth of plant food was bought for 

 a dollar in average low-grade goods, 64 cts. worth in medium-grade goods, and 73 cts. 

 worth in high-grade fertilizers, thus showing the economy of buying high-grade 

 goods. 



A table is given which shows the composition of different brands during the past 

 5 years. The purchase of fertilizers, systems of fertilization, methods of application, 

 and kinds of plant food best suited to different purposes are discussed, and 80 formu- 

 las for different crops and crop conditions are given with suggestions as to their use. 



Commercial fertilizers, J. H. Stewart and B. H. Hite ( West Virginia Sta. Bui. 

 95, pp. XIV-\- 15-68).— This is a complete report of analyses of fertilizers inspected 

 during 1904, including also information regarding the conduct of the fertilizer inspec- 

 tion, valuation of fertilizers, availability of nitrogen in fertilizers, etc., and the text 

 of the State fertilizer law. 



Manures, F. T. Holbrook and E. J. Russell {Jour. Southeast Agr. Col. Wye, 1905, 

 No. 14, pp. 159-169). — Analyses and descriptions are given of a number of samples 

 of typical fertilizers available for use in the region of Wye, Kent, including guanos, 

 fish manures, bones and bone products, meat fertilizers and other waste animal 

 products, shoddy, hoof meal, lime and chalk, kainit, silicate residue, and mixed 

 fertilizers. 



On the relationship between the amount of oil in cake and the farmyard 

 manure produced, G. J. Goodwin and E. J. Russell (Jour. Southeast. Agr. Col. 

 Wye, 1905, No. 14, pp. 187-207). — This article reviews experiments made elsewhere 

 which bear on this subject, and reports results of digestion experiments made at the 

 Southeastern Agricultural College at Wye with 2 steers, to determine the influence 

 of the quality of the oil cake fed upon the manure produced. The analytical results 

 are reported in this paper. The results of field tests on potatoes of the manures pro- 

 duced are to be embodied in a future report. 



The conclusions reached are that " (1) [the] analyses fail to reveal any difference 

 between dung made from rich oil cake and that from poor oil cake, the rest of the 

 ration being the same in both cases. . . . 



" (2) When the dung, mixed with sufficient litter, was left under the bullocks and 

 thoroughly trampled, the loss of nitrogen amounted to 15 per cent, a value closely in 

 accord with the results of other English and of German investigators. . . . 



" (3) The loss is more serious than it appears, for, in addition to the 15 per cent 

 mentioned, a certain amount of the easily available ammoniacal nitrogen is converted 

 into slowly available insoluble bodies. . . . The exact percentage changed can not 

 be stated with accuracy. ... 



"(4) From the standpoint of the value of manure produced, peat moss is much 

 better than straw as litter, owing to its higher nitrogen content and its greater power 

 of absorbing ammonia. It contains, however, very much less potash, and, as farm- 



