1908.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 33. 83 



reported directly to the manufacturers, local agents and pri- 

 vate 1 persons. The estimated number of letters of all kinds 

 sent out from Dec. 15, 1906, to Dec. 1, 1907, — eleven and 

 one-half months, — approximated 5,395. 



2. Numerical Summary of Laboratory Work. 



From Dec. 15, 1906, to Dec. 1, 1907, there have been re- 

 ceived and examined 99 samples of water, 529 of milk, 1,732 

 of cream, 135 of feed stuffs, 176 of fertilizers and fertilizer 

 materials, 48 soils and 21 miscellaneous. In connection with 

 experiments made by this and other departments of the station, 

 there have been examined 338 samples of milk, 40 samples of 

 cream, 52 samples of butter, 68 samples of butter oil, 111 

 samples of cattle feeds, 336 samples of agricultural plants, 31 

 samples of soils and 32 samples of fertilizers. There have also 

 been collected and examined 841 samples of cattle feeds in ac- 

 cordance with the requirements of the feed law, and 513 samples 

 of fertilizer in accordance with tho fertilizer law. The total for 

 the year has been 5,102. 



In addition to the above, twenty-one candidates have been 

 examined and given certificates to operate Babcock machines, 

 and 3,082 pieces of Babcock glassware have been tested for 

 accuracy of graduation, of which 204, or 6.62 per cent., were 

 inaccurate. 



3. Execution of the Fertilizer Law (Acts of 1896, 

 Chapter 297, and 1907, Chapter 289). 



Since July 1, Mr. H. D. Haskins has assumed charge of this 

 work, and has carried it forward with energy and perseverance. 

 Mr. Haskins submits the following report : — 



A new fertilizer act, passed by the State Legislature and 

 approved April 11, 1907, reads : — 



Be it enacted, etc., as follows : 



Section 1. The bulletins or other publications of the Massachusetts 

 agricultural experiment station containing information about fertilizers 

 shall, in all cases, state the dealers' cash price per ton for such fertilizers, 

 the value per ton of the ingredients of the same, and the percentage of 

 difference between the said price and the said value. 



Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. 



