INSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS 9 



"New England Standard Nine" Grades. 



This subject has taken on added interest with the adoption of Article VII, 

 Section 1, of the National Recovery Act Code of Fair Competition of the Fer- 

 tilizer Industry, in force November 10, 1933. This provides that the number of 

 grades of mixed fertilizer may be materially reduced in any state by the selection, 

 through cooperation of the fertilizer manufacturer with agronomists and Federal 

 and state agricultural officials, of a list of grades suitable to meet the agricultural 

 needs of that particular zone or state. The following table shows how the actual 

 tonnage sold in 1933 corresponded with the nine grades selected by New England 

 agronomists in 1931 to care for the average fertilizer needs of New England. 



a Including 89.62 tons of 15-30-15 and 1.5 tons of 8-16-8. 

 b Including 1 ton of 10-5-10. 

 c Including 74 tons of 10-16-20. 

 d Including 5 tons of 4-16-20. 



Of the total tonnage of mixed fertilizers sold, 67.94 per cent was from grades 

 recommended in 1931 by New England agronomists to meet New England con- 

 ditions, and an additional 18.23 per cent was from grades varying but one per 

 cent in one or more plant food elements from the grades thus recommended. 

 Of the ten grades, including the multiple strength mixtures, that have the highest 

 tonnage (29,337 tons), all but three were among the New England Standard 

 Nine. These seven grades showed a total tonnage of 24,992. 



Over 14 per cent of the total tonnage of mixed fertilizers was from five grades 

 not included in the New England Standard Nine. They are 4-8-7, third largest 

 tonnage sold; 5-3-5, eighth largest; 4-12-4, tenth largest; 4-8-8, eleventh 

 largest; and 4-10-5, the twelfth largest. 



