10 



HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. 



[Jan. 



close of November, 1902, representing two hundred and 

 seventy-three distinct brands of fertilizer. Tliese analyses 

 were published in two bulletins of the Hatch Experiment 

 Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College : No. 83, 

 July ; and No. 84, November, 1902. 



From the above statement it will be noticed that there is 

 a marked increase in the amount of work which is involved 

 in the official inspection of commercial fertilizers from 3'ear 

 to year. Fom' more manufacturers were recorded as having 

 secured licenses for the sale of their goods in Massachusetts 

 in 1902 than in the preceding year. Seventeen more brands 

 of fertilizers were licensed and fifty-five more collected dur- 

 ing the past season than in the previous year. 



Below will be found an abstract of the results of analyses 

 of official commercial fertilizers for the years 1901 and 

 1902 : — 



(a) Where three essential elements of plant food were guaranteed : — 

 Number with three elements equal to or above the highest guarantee, 

 Number with two elements above the highest guarantee, 

 Number with one element above the highest guarantee, .... 

 Number with three elements between the lowest and highest guarantee, 

 Number with two elements between the lowest and highest guarantee, 

 Number with one element between the lowest and highest guarantee, . 

 Number M'ith three elements below the lowest guarantee, 

 Number with two elements below the lowest guarantee, 

 Number with one element below the lowest guarantee 



(6) Where two essential elements of plant food were guaranteed : — 

 Number with two elements above the highest guarantee, 

 Number with one element above the highest guarantee, .... 

 Number with two elements between the lowest and highest guarantee. 

 Number with one element between the lowest and highest guarantee. 

 Number with two elements below the lowest giiarantee, .... 

 Number with one element below the lowest guarantee, .... 



(c) Where one essential element of plant food was guaranteed : — 



Number above the highest guarantee, 



Number between lowest and highest guarantee 



Number below lowest guarantee 



The quality of our commercial fertilizers for the past year 

 has been fully as good as in the preceding years, and, with 

 few exceptions, the commercial value of the fertilizer has 



