IIG Report of the Acting Director and Chemist of the 



to 11.50 per cent.; and yet each claims to be exactly adapted to the 

 needs of the potato crop. We have met with instances where the 

 maunfactnrer used the same formula as a special for different crops 

 whose needs were quite unlike. It is safe to say that, without any 

 experience, the farmer can hit the needs of his soil and crops by 

 mere guess quite as closely as do some of the complete fertilizers. 

 The farmer can ascertain what particular forms and quantities of 

 materials are best suited to his needs. 



Educational Value. — There is little of educational value in using 

 an unknown mixture. To purchase intelligently unmixed fertilizing 

 materials will ultimately lead in most cases to a well-grounded 

 knowledge of the science of agriculture. One will seek to know 

 what the different forms of plant-food are, what they do, from what 

 sources they can be obtained, and how he can use them to best 

 advantage. He will become to some extent an investigator, and 

 will, of necessity, take a deeper interest in his work. His entire 

 system of farming will be lifted to a higher plane and his more 

 intelligent labor will yield more profitable results. 



The chief disadvantages connected with purchasing separate 

 materials are the following: (1) On small purchases little or no 

 reduction of price is made. This may often be true, but in such 

 cases it is easily possible for farmers to combine and order larger 

 lots. In the large dairy sections of the state this may be especially 

 true, (2) It is claimed that, owing to lack of proper facilities, the 

 farmer cannot make mixtures that will be even and fine. So far as 

 actual results go, it is found that farmers can and do make mixtures 

 which are, on an average, very satisfactory in their practical work- 

 ing as compared with mixtures of manufacturers. 



7. To What Extent Home-Mixing is Practicable. 



The conveniences needed to do one's own mixing are the follow- 

 ing : A tight barn floor, or earth floor that is hard, smooth, dry and 

 under cover ; platform scales, shovel, iron hand-rake or hoe and a 

 sand-screen. Farmers are advised, if they do their own mixing, not 

 to attempt to treat bones or rock with sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) 

 but to purchase their superphosphate from the manufacturer. 



The advantages connected with having the mixing of fertilizers 

 done at a factory are the following : First, the mixing is apt to be 

 more thoroughly done at the factory. Second, the factory should 



