10 



COLLECTION OF SAMPLES. 



The collection of fertilizer samples has been in charge of the regular 

 inspector, Mr. James T, Howard, assisted by Messrs. William L. Dowd, 

 Philip A. Macy and Donald C. Thompson. The collection outside of the 

 Connecticut valley and territory near the Experiment Station was done by 

 Messrs. Howard and Dowd, while Mr, Mac3% during the early part of the 

 season, looked after the collection in the local districts. After April 10 

 Mr. Donald C. Thompson succeeded Mr. Macy, who resigned to accept a 

 more lucrative position. 



It is increasingly difficult each year to secure an adequate collection of 

 fertilizers. This is due to several causes. A larger number of agencies are 

 placed each year among the farmers in the more remote country districts 

 where travel is slow and expensive. The high cost of fertilizers has, we 

 believe, very much reduced the consumption of fertilizers in many districts 

 in the State and has resulted in the agents' ordering in small quantities from 

 time to time with the object of avoiding carrying over a surplus and the 

 chances of lower prices for the following year. Small stocks are quickly 

 exhausted, and many times the collector finds an empty warehouse, or only 

 a few bags of the previous year's goods on hand. To illustrate, during the 

 season 194 agents were visited who reported that they were out of stock, or 

 had ceased to act in the capacity of agent since the previous year. 



The serious curtailing of steam trains and trolleys, as well as the elimina- 

 tion altogether of the latter in some localities, coupled with the increased 

 cost of travel by both, indicates that a change in our method of collection 

 will be desirable before another season. It is believed that either the em- 

 ployment of more men during the months of April and May or the constant 

 use of an automobile during the collection season is necessary for an adequate 

 inspection. 



The sampling and analyzing of carloads of ashes, cottonseed meal, rape- 

 seed meal, castor pomace and fertilizer materials for home mixing have 

 received the same attention as in previous years, most of this work being 

 done during the late fall and winter. 



The following statistics have been gathered in regard to the 1919 collec- 

 tion: 14,889 sacks were sampled, representing 7,237 tons of fertilizer; 153 

 towns were visited; 1,029 samples, representing 418 distinct brands, were 

 drawn from stock found in the possession of 369 different agents or owners. 



