INSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS 



FERTILIZER TONNAGE. 

 Tonnage of Mixed and Unmixed Fertilizers Sold in Massachusetts. 



The tonnage of plant food sold in Massachusetts for the years 1928 and 1929 

 is shown in the following table: 



Plant Food Tonnage. 



There were 7,967 tons less fertilizer sold in 1929 than during the previous year: 

 76.5 per cent of this (6,097 tons) was mixed fertilizers, 10.7 per cent (856 tons) 

 was unmixed materials, and 12.8 per cent (1,014 tons) was pulverized natural 

 manures. 



Of the total tonnage sold, 66.5 per cent was mixed goods, 30 per cent was un- 

 mixed materials, and 3.5 per cent was pulverized natural manures. 



There were 11,084 tons of plant food sold, of which 67.5 per cent was derived 

 from mixed fertilizers, 31.1 per cent from unmixed materials, and 1.4 per cent 

 from pulverized animal manures. In case of the different plant food constituents, 

 the amounts derived from mixed fertilizers as compared with unmixed materials 

 were as follows: nitrogen, 59.7 per cent from mixtures, 38.5 per cent from unmixed 

 materials; phosphoric acid, 64.4 per cent from mixtures, 34.9 per cent from un- 

 mixed materials; potash, 79.3 per cent from mixtures, 18.6 per cent from unmixed 

 materials. 



The following tables give the tonnage of the various grades of both high and low 

 analysis mixed goods (expressing nitrogen and its ammonia eqmvalent, available 

 phosphoric acid, and potash) as well as the unmixed materials. The number of 

 brands is given in each case where it is five or more. 



The tendency to purchase higher analysis mixed fertilizers is evidenced by a 

 comparison of the actual proportions of available plant food supplied by the 

 fertihzer tonnage sold for the past two years. In 1928, 17.76 per cent, and in 1929, 

 18.02 per cent, of the tonnage of mixed fertUizers was actually available plant 

 food. It is interesting to note that this was not due to the use of a larger tonnage 

 of double strength mixtures, as statistics show that there were 340 tons less of 

 double strength goods sold in 1929 than during the previous season. 



