14a EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



ing of samples in such numbers as to constitute a serious burden, 

 and in many cases under conditions not indicating the need of 

 examination. The station determines fat and total solids in 

 milk and cream and the lime requirement of soils without 

 charge. It does the former in the interest of improvement in 

 the quality of our dairy stock and improved dairy practice; 

 the latter in the belief that a more general judicious use of 

 lime will constitute a basis for much more satisfactory returns 

 with most of our farm and garden crops. 



CONTROL WORK. 



The laws relative to control work affecting fertilizers, feeds 

 and dairy apparatus have been executed as usual the past year. 

 No feature of the work appears to call for special comment. 

 The number of brands of commercial fertilizer offered for sale 

 in the State during the past year was considerably less than in 

 1914. The number of samples taken and the amount of analyti- 

 cal work were about the same. Previous to 1915 there had been 

 a well-defined tendency to increase the number of brands of 

 fertilizers offered in our markets. The change referred to is a 

 direct consequence of the conditions affecting the fertilizer 

 market created by the European war. Potash salts have been 

 obtainable only at prices practically prohibitive. The importa- 

 tion of basic slag meal has entirely ceased, while the prices of 

 fertilizer materials in general have advanced sharply. The per- 

 centage of potash in nearly all standard brands of fertilizer has 

 been greatly reduced by their manufacturers. Attention is 

 once more called to the fact that the station has no authority 

 in this matter. It is charged simply with the duty of taking 

 such a number of samples and making so many analyses as will 

 determine whether the goods offered by manufacturers contain 

 substantially the quantities of the several plant food elements 

 guaranteed. 



In the case of commercial feeds, the tendency which has been 

 apparent for some years to gradual increase in the number of 

 brands of feeds offered for sale in our markets has continued. 

 The number sampled last year was no less than 1,100. Cer- 

 tainly every feeder should be able to find something that meets 



