INSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS 

 FOR THE SEASON OF 1940 



By Philip H. Smith, Official Chemist, and 

 J. W. Kuzmeski, Senior Chemist 1 



CONTENTS 



Manufacturers and brands ....... 



Fertilizer tonnage ........ 



Plant food tonnage ....... 



Mixed fertilizers 



Deficiency statistics ....... 



Average deviation table ...... 



Mixtures showing a commercial shortage of SI or more per ton 



Mixtures substantially complying with guarantees . 

 Chemicals and raw products 



Summary of results of the inspection .... 



Nitrogen compounds ....... 



Phosphoric acid compounds ...... 



Potash compounds ....... 



Products supplying nitrogen and phosphoric acid 



Pulverized animal manures ...... 



Miscellaneous ........ 



Definitions and interpretations relating to fertilizers 



Directory of manufacturers who registered fertilizers for sale in Massachusetts in 1940 



Page 

 3 



4 

 4 



10 

 13 



33 

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 37 

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 38 

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 44 

 48 



INTRODUCTION 



This bulletin presents detailed analytical and statistical data pertaining to the 

 work of the Massachusetts Fertilizer Control Service for the season of 1940. 



The attention of the fertilizer manufacturers should be called to the seriously 

 large number of brands listed which are deficient in one or more elements, the de- 

 ficiencies in too many instances resulting in commercial shortages of over SI 

 per ton . 



Three factors are considered here as the main probable causes of the increased 

 percentage of deficient brands. 



First, for some years past it has been the practice at this laboratory to make a 

 composite of several samples of the same brand and to make one analysis of the 

 composite. It was necessary to do this in order to make and report an analysis 

 on each sample collected. In using this method deficiencies and overruns in indi- 

 vidual samples were equalized in the composite; therefore fewer deficiencies and 

 shortages were noted than might have been the case had each sample been ana- 

 lyzed individually. During 1940 we have made no composites, but have analyzed 

 only single samples. We believe there is ample justification for doing this. The 

 manufacturer makes his guarantee to each farmer, not to a group of farmers; 

 therefore he is obligated to see that the fertilizer received by each farmer meets 

 the guarantee. We can ascertain whether or not the manufacturer is fulfilling his 

 obligation in this respect only by analyzing single samples which represent only 

 one farmer's goods. By following this method we cannot analyze all of the samples 

 collected. However, with a few exceptions, we have analyzed at least one sample 

 of each brand registered. It was impossible to secure samples representing all 

 brands registered. We believe that this method shows more clcarty the degree of 

 efficiency maintained by each manufacturer in meeting his guarantees to the indi- 

 vidual farmer, and therefore better serves the purpose for which the Fertilizer 

 Control Avas established. 



1 Assisted by II. Robert DeRose, Albert F. Spclman, Leo V. Crowley, Francis J. Farren, 

 Chemists; .lames T. Howard, C. L. Whiting, I.. A. Graves, Sampling Agents; George E. Taylor, 

 Laboratory Assistant; Cora B. Grover, Clerk. 



