isDT.j PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 33. 203 



The results of the inspection have been on the whole quite 

 satisfactory, as far as the compliance of the dealers with the 

 provisions of our State laws for the regulation of the trade 

 in commercial fertilizers is concerned. The variations here 

 and there noticed between the guaranteed composition of the 

 dealer and the results of our analyses could be traced with 

 but few exceptions to imperfect mixing of the several ingre- 

 dients of the fertilizer, and did not, as a rule, materially 

 atfect the commercial value of the article. In this connec- 

 tion attention should be called to the fact that the lowest 

 amount stated in the guarantee is only legally binding. 



To convey a more direct idea of the actual condition of 

 this feature in the trade of commercial fertilizers of 1896, 

 the following detailed statement is here inserted : — 



(a) Where three essential elements of plant food were 

 guaranteed : — 



Number with three elements equal to or above the highest guar- 

 antee, 3 



Number with two elements above the highest guarantee, . . 18 

 Number with one element above the highest guarantee, . . .65 

 Number with three elements between the lowest and highest guar- 

 antees, 2G 



Number with two elements between the lowest and highest guar- 

 antees, 60 



Number with one element between the lowest and highest guar- 

 antees, 42 



Number with two elements below the lowest guarantee, ... 8 

 Number with one element below the lowest guarantee, . . .59 



(b) Where two essential elements of plant food were 

 guaranteed : — 



Number Avith two elements above the highest guarantee. 

 Number Avith one element above the highest guarantee, . . ,16 

 Number wdth two elements between the lowest and highest guar- 

 antees, 13 



Number with one clement l)etween the lowest and highest guar- 

 antees, 10 



Number with one element below^ the lowest guarantee, . . .10 



(c) Where one essential element of plant food was guar- 

 anteed : — 



Number above the highest guarantee, 4 



Number between the lowest and highest guarantees, . . .21 

 Number below the lowest guarantee, 11 



