16 



Brands Showing a Commercial Short.\ge of $1 or over per Ton. 



1 Another sample of this brand showed a commercial shortage of only 27 cents, and still another sample was 

 found well up to the guarantee. 



" Another sample of thia brand was well up to the guarantee. 



E. Wood Ashes. 



From July 1, 1920, to July 1, 1921, 947 tons of wood ashes were sold in Massa- 

 chusetts. The average price paid per ton was about $27.71. Allowing for the lime 

 and phosphoric acid the same price that these two ingredients actually cost in form 

 of precipitated bone and fine ground limestone, the average cost of total potassium 

 oxide from wood ashes has been 24.7 cents per pound. This is hardly an economical 

 buy in view of the fact that a pound of water soluble potash has sold on the average 

 for six months ending March 1, 1921, for about 12.7 cents. At present the cost of 

 a pound of actual potash from high-grade sulfate is about 7.5 cents. 



The table gives the average analyses of wood ashes inspected during the season 

 of 1921. 



BR.ANDS SuBSTANTI.ALLT MEETING THEIR GUARANTEES. 



1 Twenty-six analyses made, showing a wide range of composition, though all samples substantially met the 

 guarantee. The guarantee has little significance, however, as ashes are usually sold on the basis of the analysis. 

 Variation in percentage composition: moisture, 3 to 25; phosphoric acid, 1 to 3: potash, 1 to 7: insoluble earthy 

 matter, 5 to 37. 



2 Two analyses made. 



