120 Report of the Chemist of the 



peoplethroughheretobegenuinefishandbone,and it is a complete 

 sell on us all. We paid |26 to |28 a ton for it, and my crop was 

 just as good where nothing was used." The parties selling this 

 material have been so aggressive, so many misleading statements 

 have been made by them to purchasers, and so many farmers 

 appear to have been imposed upon through the misrepresenta- 

 tions made, that the circumstances appear to demand at this time 

 authoritative statement from us, in order that the farmers may 

 be fully informed in regard to this material and be placed upon 

 their guard against further misrepresentations. 



1. " Natural Plant Food." 

 The material referred to is sold under the name of "Natu- 

 ral Plant Food " by the Natural Plant Food Company, 35 B 

 St., Washington, D. C. The advertising circulars which are 

 sent out are filled with extravagant claims and testimonials 

 in praise of the wonderful fertilizing value of this material. 

 The following statement affords an illustration of the claims 

 made : *' Natural Plant Food. This is the best fertilizer on the 

 market. There have been many official tests made with it and 

 it always came out ahead of all competitors, having produced 

 the largest crops of all. Being a natural fertilizer, it is equally 

 good on all crops." 



2. Misleading Character of Guarantee-Analysis. 

 The guaranteed analysis of this " Natural Plant Food " is thor- 

 oughly and ingeniously misleading. The following is a copy of 

 one of the forms in which the guaranteed composition is ex- 

 pressed : 



Phosphoric Acid. Total (P2O5)..-. 21.60 to 29.49 per cent 



Eq. to Bone Phos. of Lime 47.20 to 64.38 



Potash (K2 O) (From Glauconlte) 1.00 to 2.00 



Eq. to common Sulphate of Potash 2.00 to 4.00 



Silicic Acid (Si O2) 5.26 to 8.10 



Carbonic Acid (C O2) 2.07 to 3.00 



Lime (CaO) 29.16 to 32.00 



Magnesia (Mg O) and Soda (Na2 O) 3.21 to 8.05 



Aluminic (AI3 O3) and Ferric (Fes O3) Oxides 5.14 to 10.26 



