392 Report of the Inspection Work of the 



purchasers of complete fertilizers, in order that in the future they 

 may buy more economically than they have in the past. The 

 data presented are based upon the analyses of samples collected 

 during the spring- and summer of 1902, contained in Bulletin 

 No. 216. 



DISCUSSION OF DATA. 



CLASSIFICATION OF FERTILIZERS. 



For the purpose of the study presented in the following pages, 

 we have made an arbitrary division of complete fertilizers into 

 four separate classes, based upon their commercial valuation, 

 that is, the price at which the separate unmixed materials in one 

 ton of fertilizer could be purchased for cash at retail at the sea- 

 board. Our classification is as follows: 



/. Loiv-gradc fertilizers, those having a conmiercial valuation 

 of less than $16 a ton. 



2. Medium- grade fertilizers, those having a commercial valua- 

 tion greater than $16 and less than $20 a ton. 



J. Medium high-grade fertilizers, those having a commercial 

 valuation greater than $20 and less than $25 a ton. 



^. High-grade fertilizers, those having a commercial valuation 

 greater than $25 a ton. 



We will now study comparatively these four classes of com- 

 plete fertilizers from several different points of view. 



DISTRIBUTION OF FERTILIZERS AMONG DIFFERENT CLASSES. 



Taking the complete fertilizers, whose analyses are given in 

 Bulletin No. 216, we find that, of the 688 samples collected, they 

 were distributed among the four different classes, as follows: 



Low-grade 171, or 25 per ct. of aU. 



Medium-grade 236, or 34.3 per ct. of all. 



Medium high-grade.. . '163, or 23.7 per ct. of all. 



High-grade 118, or 17 per ct. of all. 



Using these data as a basis, we are justified in saying that, of the 

 complete fertilizers sold in this State during 1902, nearly 60 per 

 ct. was medium or low-grade in character. Only about one- 

 sixth could be classed as strictly high-grade in composition. 

 Thus, the general tendency among farmers is to purchase com- 

 plete fertilizers that are not even medium high-grade in character. 



