152 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



That the soil conditions were favorable for nitrification 

 upon the limed soil is evident from the high assimilability of 

 the sulfate of ammonia and of the dried blood, but where no 

 lime was applied the nitrogen of the dried blood proved only 

 half as effective as it should have been. The nitrogen of 

 steamed leather proved but about one-sixth as effective as 

 the nitrogen of blood, even where the conditions for its 

 transformation to nitric acid were excellent, and upon the 

 acid soil it was almost utterly worthless. 



Credible information is aff"orded by those familiar with the 

 trade that many of the less assimilable forms of organic 

 nitrogen are emplo^'ed in the manufacture of commercial 

 fertilizers, even including steamed or roasted leather. Under 

 such circumstances only those who can have confidence in 

 the manufacturer of their goods, and receive an assurance as 

 to the nature of the nitrogen put into them, are in position 

 to buy ready-mixed commercial fertilizers without the chance 

 of being defrauded. In States where the quantities of nitro- 

 gen present in such goods in the form of nitrates and am- 

 monium salts are determined, one can be thoroughly assured 

 in regard to the agricultural value of at least a portion of the 

 nitrogen. This is practised in New Jersey, Connecticut and 

 Rhode Island, and there seems no good reason why Massa- 

 chusetts should be behind her sister States in reaching out to 

 the farmer a helping hand in this respect. If the fees paid 

 to the State of Massachusetts are not sufficient to cover the 

 cost of this additional w^ork, many of the manufacturers 

 would doubtless gladly assist in having the fee raised in 

 order that the true merit of their goods might be shown by 

 analysis. Attempts have been, and are now being made by 

 chemists, to determine by chemical means the relative value 

 of even the organic nitrogen in ditiTerent brands of commer- 

 cial fertilizers ; and just as soon as a satisfactory method can 

 be found, the character of this nitrogen should also be deter- 

 mined and reported. The importance of this matter is not 

 measured by the value of the nitrogen purchased, but by the 

 loss in the crop, due to inferior crop-producing power of the 

 fertilizer, and may therefore amount to an enormous item 

 annually even in the State of Massachusetts. 



