236 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



A large percentage of commercial materials consists of 

 refuse matter from various industries. The composition of 

 these substances depends on the mode of manufacture carried 

 on. The rapid progress in our manufacturing industries is 

 liable to affect, at any time, more or less seriously, the com- 

 position of the refuse. To assist the farming community in 

 a clear and intelligent appreciation of the various substances 

 sold for manurial purposes, a frequent examination into the 

 temporary character of agricultural chemicals and refuse 

 materials offered in our markets for manurial purposes is 

 constantly carried on at the lal)oratory of the station. 



Consumers of commercial manurial substances do well to 

 buy, whenever practicable, on guaranty of composition 

 with reference to their essential constituents ; and to see to 

 it that the bill of sale recognizes that point of the bargain. 

 Any mistake or misunderstanding in the transaction may be 

 readily adjusted, in that case, between the contending 

 parties. The responsibility of the dealer ends with furnish- 

 ing an article corresponding in its composition with the 

 lowest stated quantity of each specified essential constituent. 

 Our present laws for the regulation of trade in commercial 

 fertilizers include not only the various brands of compound 

 fertilizers, but also all materials, single or compound, with- 

 out reference to source, used for manurial purposes, when 

 offered for sale in our market at ten dollars or more per 

 ton. 



Copies of our present laws for the regulation of the trade 

 in commercial fertilizers may be had by all interested, on 

 application at the Massachusetts State Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, Amherst, Mass. 



Arrangements are made, as in previous years, to attend 

 to the examination of objects of general interest to the 

 farming community, to the full extent of existing circum- 

 stances. Requests for analyses of substances, as fodder 

 articles, fertilizers, etc., coming through officers of agricult- 

 ural societies and farmers' clubs within the State, will 

 receive hereafter, as in the past, first attention, and in the 

 order that the applications arrive at the office of the station. 

 The results will be returned without charge for the services 

 rendered. Applications of private parties for analyses of 



