DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY. 



J. B. LiNDSEY, Chemist. 



INSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL 

 FERTILIZERS 



FOR THE SEASON OF 1918. 



BY H. D. HASKINS, CHEMIST IN CHARGE, ASSISTED BY L. S. WALKER, H. B. PIERCE, A. B, 

 BEAUMONT^ AND MARY E. GARVEY.^ 



NEW FERTILIZER LAW. 



The gradual reduction in the number of registered fertilizer brands, year 

 after year, by the different fertilizer manufacturers has been a serious menace 

 to the income of the fertilizer section of the Experiment Station. The in- 

 spection of fertilizers has been dependent wholly for its income upon regis- 

 tration or analysis fees: $8 for each ingredient contained in each brand of 

 fertilizer and $12 for each brand of agricultural lime. 



The question of eliminating the registration or analysis fee altogether and 

 substituting a straight tonnage fee was given prominent consideration, but 

 did not appeal to the fertilizer manufacturers, who favored increasing the 

 registration fee. It was felt that this would work a hardship upon the small 

 operator, and therefore a supplementary tonnage fee of 6 cents was finally 

 adopted. The full text of the new law follows : — 



Chapter 220, General Acts of 1918. 

 An Act relative to the Sale of Commercial Fertilizers. 

 Be it enacted, etc., as follows: 



Section 1. Chapter three hundred and eighty-eight of the acts of nineteen 

 hundred and eleven is hereby amended by striking out section six, and substituting 

 the following: — Section 6. When the certified copy of the label of any Director to 

 brand of fertilizer has been filed, and the proper fees have been paid, ^^^"® certm- 



. f > cate of regis- 



the director of the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station shall tration when 



issue or cause to be issued a certificate to that effect; and the certificate are fulfilled, 



shall be deemed to authorize the sale in this commonwealth, in com- deputy may 



pliance with this act, of the brand of fertilizer for which the certificate cei^ertmcaS" 



is issued up to and including the thirty-first day of December of the are*^nSs^°'^*^ 



year for which it is issued. The director of the Massachusetts Agricul- leading. 



* Assisted for one month in phosphoric acid laboratory. 



