24 Director's Report op the 



(2) This large collection, really a living museum of species and 

 varieties, offers what a distinguished horticulturist is reported to 

 have called " a magnificent opportunity " for a botanical study 

 of fruits and vegetables horticulturally important. The study of 

 types and the breeding of varieties to a definite purpose requires 

 just such conditions as these. 



(3) Problems connected with plant diseases and with injurious 

 insects, because of the varying susceptibility of different varie- 

 ties to these pests, are most successfully investigated in connec- 

 tion with such a collection of large and small fruits as the Sta- 

 tion possesses. 



Important Results in 1896. 



In order to make clear to those interested in the extensive and 

 important relations of the work of this Station to the agriculture 

 of the State, a brief resum6 is herewith given of the important 

 data and conclusions which are to be found in the publications 

 for the year, or which will be presented in bulletins about to be 

 issued. 



Chemical Department. Inspection of commercial fertilizers. — 

 The new fertilizer law of 1896 requires all fertilizer manufactur- 

 ers doing business in the State to file at the Station a statement 

 of their place of business and the name and guaranteed compo- 

 sition of all brands they are to offer for sale in the state during 

 the year. The Station Director is authorized to make analyses 

 of samples selected from such of these brands as are found in 

 the market, in order to determine whether they correspond to 

 the guaranteed composition. 



During the year 126 manufacturers have complied with the 

 law and have registered 1,126 brands. The Station has selected 

 at different points and analyzed 760 samples representing 577 

 brands. In the main the goods have been as good as guaranteed, 

 averaging better. In comparatively few brands has the percent- 

 ages of valuable ingredients fallen below the advertised stand- 

 ard to an important extent. The deficiencies in available phos- 

 phoric acid have been more frequent than in the case of nitrogen 

 or ])otash. 



