66 Journal of Agricultiire, Victoria. [10 Feb., 1917. 



of our fertilizers are manufactured in cool weather, and disposed of 

 during the hot months of the year. 



Artificial fertilizers may contain up to 12 per cent, moisture when 

 manufactured, and some, as in the case of dried blood, may contain a 

 much greater percentage. 



Any material when taken from bulk and divided into smaller parcels 

 will lose moisture, owing to the increased area of surface exposed, and 

 this is specially so when subjected to increased air temperature. 



In the case of superphosphate manufactured during the cold season, 

 and afterwards bagged from bulk, and transported or distributed during 

 the hot months of the year, the loss in weight due to the evaporation 

 of water may amount to many pounds per bag. 



It must be remembered, however, when buying superphosphate, or 

 any artificial fertilizer for that matter, the object of the purchase is to 

 obtain a certain amount of an essential fertilizing element or elements, 

 as the case may be. This element, or these elements, are in compound 

 form, and, as in the case of superphosphate, may be associated with a 

 " body,'*' " filling," or extraneous matter, and in all cases with more or 

 less water. 



Providing the amount of essential fertilizing element or elements 

 bought and paid for remains, and is delivered, the purchaser's demands 

 are met. It does not matter what the loss, so long as it is not that part 

 or portion of the part which is important in plant nutrition. 



A close inspection of guaranteed weights at the forwarding end, in 

 conjunction with the sampling and analyses of consignments and stocks, 

 is all that is required, and fai'mei's may rest assured, thanks to the 

 Fertilizers Act, that these matters will receive the attention they deserve. 



To illustrate the foregoing remarks more fully, let us assume a farmer 

 buys a bag of superphosphate in the city, weighing 100 lbs. net, ana 

 which is guaranteed to contain 20 per cent., or 20 lbs., of phosphoric 

 acid, the latter being the real objective — the essential fertilizing element 

 in its compound form. 



The bag of superphosphate is weighed in Melbourne, and an analysis 

 made of the fertilizer. 'I'ho former shows correct weight, viz., 100 lbs.. 

 and the latter 10 per cent, moisture and 20 per cent phosphoric acid. 



On ai rival at the farm the bag Was foand to weight 95 lbs., showing 

 a loss of 5 lbs., and the farmer, thinking he has been deprived of this 

 amount of fertilizer, withdraws a sample, and has it analyzed. The 

 result would be 5 per cent, water, and 21.05 per cent, phosphoric acid, 

 showing that although only 95 lbs. of superphosphate has been received, 

 this is actually richer in the fertilizing element, and still contains the 

 20 lbs. originally purchased, the loss of 5 lbs. in weight being solely due 

 to the evaporation of water. 



Duiijig the present season a manufacturer was proceeded against for 

 selling an adulterated fertilizer, and, when before the Court, he pleaded, 

 through his solicitor, that the fertilizer when bagged was very wet, and on 

 " drying out " it would have given an analysis equal to the guarantee. 

 Whilst this mav have been true, the fact that the fertilizer was being 



